Noel / Seth / Brandon ... Hardware Control of Pro Channell .... its a NIGHTMARE !!

Firstly, pardon my frustration, but I challenge anyone to spend almost 2 solid days trying to get reliable, track-to-track-aware, session-to-session-aware hardware control of the Pro Channel  [ in my case with both a Novation Nocturn and a BCR2000 ]  and not end up a gibbering mess.
 
Secondly, and very importantly, I want to stress, I am *not* ****ing about the sound of Pro channel - its fantastic.
 
I'm talking  ONLY  about its useability via hardware control.
 
As I said, I've tried a Nocturn and BCR2000.  In the past - with 8.5.3 and other DAW's -  I have setup each of these controller to control literally dozens and dozens of VST's  - never an issue and super quick to do.
 
However, in its current implementation, reliable, glitch-free, multi-track and multi-session hardware control of the Pro Channel is - yes I will say it  - impossible.
 
In no special and non-exhaustive order:-
 
- in X1a, Pro Channel is ACT aware but many ACT controls are missing / just not there
- To compound this, ACT itself is still massively glitchy - it appears utterly unchanged since its original release in [ I think Sonar 5 ]
- Remote Control Midi Learn is erratic / unusable and not transferable across tracks or sessions
- Tracking MIDI output data via MIDI-OX [ or BC Manager - thx bitman ] shows a mix of some controls emitting real midi data, large numbers of controls  emitting no Midi data at all and some controls emitting what can best be described as junk-data
Again, this is with both the Nocturn and BCR2000 - it is not a hardware issue.
 
My best guess is that by  "embedding" and "integrating"  and  " locking-up"   the Pro Channel into the core programs  .exe and .dll files, some extra "stuff" has been "added"  or  "wrapped" to the Pro Channel elements that is interfering with what should be, standard midi control protocols
 
Seriously people,  never, EVER  have I encountered a Plugin that is so problematic [ ie: impossible ] to reliably hardware control.
 
In its current implementation, there is nothing more to do - I actually feel sorry for whomever is working on getting the Pro Channel to work with the VS700c beacuse  its ACT  exposure/awareness will need a major-re-work / major re-coding for this to work
 
Noel / Seth / Brandon  -  please don't misinterpret the above - I  *love* the sound of Pro Channel and am really grooving with the rest of X1a ........ however .........
 
with nearly 50 possible controls per Track, real-world control of Pro Channel with a mouse in projects of more than a just few tracks is just not feasible and is a major, major productivity  slow-down.
 
It is screaming out to be hardware controlled, but in its current incarnation, track-to-track-aware and session-to-session-aware hardware control cannot  be done.
 
I really truly hope you guys re-consider the  "embedded-only" nature of the Pro Channel - as I've said before, if the 3 elements were also available as stand- alone VST plugs  [ and locked to X1a ]   I can guarantee that  %99 of these problems would dissappear.
 
Really hoping CW addresses this matter with some urgency.
 
Tom

I'm Sorry to hear this!!!
I'm on the PCR M50 and the Pro Channel Control is perfect!!
8 knobs and sliders.
I have changed the controls with ACT and it's all right.

Good luck!!!

Roby

I'm still thinking the ProChannel will be realized as hardware cotrolled dsp on a dedicated Roland/Cakewalk console in the next year or two.

It's the only good reason I can think of to stick the ProChannel into the app in such an backwards and inflexible manner.

When it's done there will be a controller that works well with it... and some others that don't

I'm an optimist that there actually was some good reason to shove the ProChannel upon us.

best regards,
mike

revsnd


I"m hoping they will have full featured control surface at this years NAMM. Somthing like a really big brother to the VS 700. Something you can put in an argosy console, and have it look more like a real studio, not a toy.
Hears to dreaming:)

That sounds amazing. Problem is, they might sell 9 maybe?

funny, I'm hoping for something smaller (or at least differently implemented) than the VS700, but bigger than the VS100 - something along the lines of, say, this:

http://www.solid-state-logic.com/music/nucleus/

as above, one can dream... 

+1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.X1b

mike_mccue


I'm still thinking the ProChannel will be realized as hardware cotrolled dsp on a dedicated Roland/Cakewalk console in the next year or two.

It's the only good reason I can think of to stick the ProChannel into the app in such an backwards and inflexible manner.

When it's done there will be a controller that works well with it... and some others that don't

best regards,
mike

+1 ... I mentioned something similar in another thread.

Hi revsnd Out of the two prospects mentioned here I am total favour of the digital mixer concept acting as a front end to your DAW and also at the mixdown stage too.

Digital mixers can do so much in terms of receiving many signal sources, latency free monitoring, complex input setups with fx, excellent processing on every input and output, complex signal routing options, all your A to D and D to A, montoring, nice sounding eq and things. The internal time based effects such as reverb and delays are great in the Yamaha. (4 of em inside the 01V 96 Mk II) These things can relieve your DAW of quite a few mixdown duties. Yamaha also make the right sort of products to interface with your DAW as well. I like the sound the Mic Pres in these digital mixers as well. Often very clean and transparent and not coloured. Allows greater manipulation later on.

And Jimstang thanks for that info about the Tascam. I bet it is excellent. I work the same way as you and often send stereo stems out to the digtial mixer for final touches and manual moves too. I use a Yamaha 01V and it also sends out midi data while you make moves on it and this data can be easily recorded and edited on a midi track in your DAW as well. Studio One makes it very easy to link rotary encoders and sliders to your plugins and software. I don't mind having a mixer snapshot preset along with the main DAW project file. Simple matter to load it and you are away. That is what I like about digital mixers. One simple preset that can represent a very complex mix and internal setup a year later.

Right now i have a Tascam DM 24, and love it  for all the duties mentioned above, but I think having the integration of a Pro Channel hardware set of nobs is invaluable . I can't even imagine if i could just eq with my eyes closed all the time because "something" like a VS 700 that has a "FAT CHANNEL" on it to control the Pro Channel...that would be life changing for me:)

Does anyone think that Cake/Roland will ever make something a little more integrated and substantial?

I am talking way more substantial, in appearance especially!  When a client walks in a room they should see something that doesn't look like a toy. I am not saying sonar should make a full on icon desk, just something more like a Tascam DM 4800 with a completely mapped out eq.

revsnd


I am talking way more substantial, in appearance especially!  When a client walks in a room they should see something that doesn't look like a toy. I am not saying sonar should make a full on icon desk, just something more like a Tascam DM 4800 with a completely mapped out eq.

Sonar supports the EuCon protocol so in theory any control surface that communicates via EuCon should work. (I have never tested this myself so I advise due diligence before actually purchasing anything).

Would this be impressive enough for the clients:


Although this is more than just a Control Surface but hey, if you want to impress...

There is a whole series of Euphonix (now Avid) Control Surfaces that support the Eucon Protocol: http://www.avid.com/US/re...s/Euphonix-Orientation

The Smart Console from Smart A/V supports HUI and Mackie Control:



I believe the Tango also does:



Well check out their site: http://www.smartav.net/

UnderTow

I want one (he whines)