money no object, would you use a control surface?

Already done.
 
Tascam FW-1884 here. Since SONAR 6.
 
 
Used to be my audio interface until I got my RME UFX. Now the FW-1884 is an add on set of mic pre's thru light pipe.

I'm using 3 Steinberg CMC USB units to control some parts of Sonar X3.  they weren't built for Sonar but they sort of work.
 
IN Cubase 7.5 I can use the CMC units no problem (that's what they were designed for), In Sonar I can use the stop/Play and step buttons on the units okay.  Knob CMC unit is a bit more finicky.
 
Nothing like hitting a physical button to stop playback instead of scrolling across 2 24" screens. 
 
I know, I know - learn the keyboard shortcuts.  sorry, I have 4 DAWs too many shortcuts to memorize in each DAW.
 
the VS-700 is still really expensive even used and it takes a ton of desk top space.

LOL well, uh, yeah okay.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/manufacturer/avid/S6/
 
That's if I didn't go with a large format console ;)
 
Bill

Cookie Jarvis
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/manufacturer/avid/S6/
 
That's if I didn't go with a large format console ;)
 
Bill

That Avid (Eucon) unit sure is pretty.  Does X3 even support the Eucon protocol anymore?  Previous versions used to at one time or another.

Yes.

I would likely get a couple of these:
 
Store link: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/M24/
 
Manufacturer: http://www.mixedlogic.com/
 
 
Bob Bone
 

Money no object? Easy: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AWS924

Cookie Jarvis
I look at Touch as a novelty at best and not an effective alternative to actual tactile controls and faders.
 

Have you used a large touch screen monitor with Sonar? The trickis to lay it out at the same angle as a regular mixing console. What it allows is very fast two hand operation - swipe things fast with one hand, have the mouse ready to pounce in the other. Much faster than QWERTY or mouse, and no "clack" from motorized faders, which can be really annoying sometimes.
 
Touch is in its infancy. I believe in the not too distant future, hardware controllers will fade away. We have a whole generation raised on iPads. Touch has disadvantages and advantages compared to hardware, but I believe the advantages have the...uh...advantage. If nothing else, it's time DAWs moved away from the hardware paradigm and started to exploit the unique attributes that computers bring to the party. 

All of us FW-1884 owners feel the same way! They(whether Tascam or Frontier Design) really SHOULD just update and re-issue this unit. In the 10 years it has been out, it is STILL hard to beat.

Anderton
My understanding is that Frontier Design doesn't do this kind of work any more.

Shame. But Tascam has all that info, don't they? 

 
Touch is no doubt the way of the future, unless you get a really expensive controller  with a one knob/fader, one function control (just like analog).  VS700C was really nice and pretty slick.  I wasn't sold on the built-in synth (rather silly concept, actually) and the ADDA unit was good but the whole package was rather expensive and redundant - except for the controller.  Too bad SONAR didn't have the PC channel then, with the knob section mapped out as a visual PC strip.  That would have been very cool, sort of what Softube is doing w/ their controller.  Otherwise, it is kinda silly to have to remember the assignment of a bunch of random knobs, which is what most controllers do.  Even w/ scribble strips, it would make more sense to run as many knobs as possible down one side of a touchscreen w/ the functions lining up top to bottom matching the Prochannel.  Look and twist.  Touch the next channel and the knobs are matched again for it.
 
One motorized fader for rides.  I know some people would rather move a bunch of faders at once, so an option for 8 more (8 + 1 = 9 fingers, which ought to be enough for two hands).  As Craig sez, one hand on the screen for pinch, scroll and highlight and the other on the mouse for clicking and fine tuning the curser.  That would make the most sense for me rather than layers of functions or the cost and inflexibility of a custom controller.
 
@

"My understanding is that Frontier Design doesn't do this kind of work any more."
Thanks for that, it explains a lot!
 
T
 

hockeyjx

Anderton
My understanding is that Frontier Design doesn't do this kind of work any more.

Shame. But Tascam has all that info, don't they? 

I don't know. But companies usually reach out to third parties because they don't have the needed capabilities in-house. That could be the case here.

SuperG...
This puts me in mind about another thread I answered where drivers were an issue. A lot of companies will contract this out - yet it's gonna cost some 5 figures. In this case, it's much more economical to simply have a driver writer on staff. The benefits, always up to date, latest features, ability to react to product changes, not to mention the customer goodwill these generate. Yet, some companies would rather be penny-wise, pound foolish...

Unfortunately, there are companies* who write their own drivers for their own hardware who seem to think the best way to get their "users" to trash their top of the range, very expensive, fully functional hardware and replace it with the latest, shinier, more expensive but less functional hardware is to STOP updating the drivers. 
 
 
 
* I'm NOT referring to Cakewalk.