(Updated with review/feature req) Anyone tried a Dell ST2220T (multi touch) monitor ?

hi,

I'm thinking of getting a second monitor, and wonder if a touch screen is practical especially for mixing. I'll probably mix one track at a time. Dell states a 15ms response time.

I guess no one uses touch screen.. ;) I probably just get one to test it out.. 

If that thing works with Sonar's console view it's a whole new mixing console ballgame...WOW!

I must be old fashioned or out of touch.  I can't picture using a touch screen with a recording program.

I guess if it doesn't work out, you can always just use it as a regular monitor with a mouse.

I'm just imagining.. to be usable, I think the touch screen (2nd) monitor would have to be placed near flat and at a low side table or something where the arm can reach out easily, and not where the regular monitor sits. So, instead of reaching out for the keyboard/mouse, buttons such as record / playback / level can be adjusted directly - bypassing even a control surface.

Initially I was thinking about a motorized control surface, and the Behringer BCF2000 is the most I could afford.. but my local dealer wanted to charge me a bomb to import the unit in - for the price, I could get 2x Dell ST2220T ! Anyway, for none-motorized fader control, I've already have some keyboards that can do the job.

I also imagine that with the touch screen, the interface would be straight forward.. not like using a control surface where the hardware looked different from what the screen shows.

Well.. I can just imagine for now.. won't know till I really try out.

I must be old fashioned or out of touch. I can't picture using a touch screen with a recording program.

 
FWIW, I've found a touch-screen nice for some things (quick/easy adjustments)...
But I wouldn't want to use one exclusively (especially not for more detailed control).
If you have RSI... holding your arm up for hours a day can cause major issues with tendonitis/etc.  The touch-screen would have to be built into your desk to allow more ergonomic position/use.
 

Here is an interesting video using touch screen, it's on logic.. It's interesting logic enable users to customize the mixer screen (if I understood correctly from watching the video).

http://youtu.be/-59BxTuHFio
Viewing the X1 mixer section even on my 27" lcd, while the fader width is good, I felt the travel length is a bit short for effective touch screen usage - I know most users complaint about how much space the track faders taken up and the narrow strip handles that. Most touch screen is from 19" - 24" ..so i felt the fader will be even shorter on those monitors.

Just an update. I ordered the Dell ST220T multi touch monitor, received today and got it setup.

In summary.. touch screen won't work for X1..for now (yeah.. that's fast to discovered) ..the mixer faders do not response correctly to the finger 'drag' such as click and drag using a mouse (submitted a 'bug' report) ...hopefully it will be fixed.

Here's the longer version.

The native screen resolution is 1920 x 1080 (21.5 inch monitor), and is fine and clear for normal usage, but it's too small for touch screen usage. To be effective, the resolution needs to be set lower, so the faders and buttons will appeared bigger. And since this setup will be in multi monitor environment, setting the screen to a lower resolution is not an issue. Only stuffs like mixer and transport control will be placed on this monitor.. so i hoped.

I set mine to 1280 x 720. At this setting, the transport buttons are just nice - fitting for the finger tip. The mixer fader is about 2 inches in length, and all the other buttons (mute, solo, etc..) are easily engaged with a touch.

Holding the scroll bar works as expected, same as a mouse drag, and it's fast to see all the tracks.

Holding the fader.. well it won't work as expected. Moving the finger tip will cause the fader to move 'double' fast. 1 cm of finger movement caused the fader to move 2 cm.. like it's accelerated. And I did not 'flip' my finger.. I just move it real slow - imitating the mouse dragging the fader movement.

In comparison, I opened up Windows volume control. I was able to drag the Win volume up/down in stable and expected movement.

So.. my excitement stop short after the fader test.

Attached is the pic of the monitor set to 1280 x 720 resolution. Well..that's all for now. Let me know if there is any feature you liked me to try out.. 

set it back to 1920 and try to move the faders again just a thought..

if you have an ipad then you can use something like this - http://homemusicproductio...trol-surface-for-ipad/ there are similar things for android...just a thought if you wanted touch-screen control...

Scott, 

Thanks for your though.

I did the initial test on it's native resolution (1920 x 1080) and the error of the fader response is first discovered at 1920x. At this resolution, it's even harder to move the fader, due to the error itself and the finger covering too much of the fader to view it effectively.

mgh,

Thanks for your thogh too.

My initial target is to use a Behringer motorized control surface - I like the hardware fader to physically reflex it's actual representation of the screen, otherwise playing catch up to the screen is confusing (if using a none motorized control surface). However my local dealer is charging very high to bring in the Behringer unit, so I was thinking it might work if I can 'touch' X1 directly, since I'm also planning to get another monitor. If it works (which it didn't), this would bypass even a control surface (for my budget).

I don't have an ipad and using another screen to control X1 is not my main target.

Update on Touch Screen

28 May 2011 - Submitted a feature request on Touch screen / Step sequencer editing - feature to disable a note. While touching a note behave similar to clicking a note, touch-hold (which is suppose to perform a right-click) does not disable a note. 

27 May 2011 - Cakewalk responded to the touch screen controlling the mixer fader issue (fader does not response correctly to touch), and upgraded my report into a feature request and offers a work around (holding shift key while moving the faders). Test result : In mouse / fader operation, shift key enable fine fader adjustment. In touch / fader operation, shift key will slow down the fader acceleration.

? May 2011 - Submitted a feature to enable mixer fader to be enlarged for better touch screen control. I found out a work around later, which is to lower the screen resolution, effectively enlarging all display objects. However, this is only practical in multi monitor setup.

Update..

29 May 2011 - Submitted a feature request.

Touch screen / Control Bar to be more flexible to display all modules.

The current behaviour is, as modules are added into the control bar, the bar will grow wider, and as documented, if the video resolution is not large enough, some modules will be hidden. A more flexible way is to enable modules to be stacked into 2nd or more rows.

Since this is regarding touch screen (and using multi monitors), users may adjust the touch screen resolution lower to enable objects to be larger and easier to touch (instead of having X1 to enlarge desired objects which will be too much work for developers / end user customization).

Another option is to enable the control bar to have a split area, so that when the control bar is placed in between 2 monitors, there is no blind spot. Then ojbects that requires to be touch-controlled can be place into the desired end of the control bar.

I had also pondered the notion of using touch screen monitors, but I thought to myself that the screen res would be too high....I wouldnt even feel comfortable unless the screen was at least 40 inches wide......sounds like the future though...definitely forward thinking.....Thanks for detailing your experience....