Control Surface for Touch Screens / Windows Tablets

Discussion in 'PC' started by twoheart, Jan 12, 2021.

  1. twoheart

    twoheart Audiosexual

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    @Futurewine had given me the idea to look again for other controllers and for touchsensitive screens again.

    At first we had dealt with the XotoPad. However, I am not convinced because all controllers have to be rectangular and the controllers also have to be arranged in a rectangular matrix. It is not possible to move individual controllers freely on the screen. The program is more than five years old and is apparently no longer maintained.

    After some research, I became aware of OSC Pilot. (https://oscpilot.com/)
    The program is still relatively new (end of 2020) and is currently in version 1.2.2 but is already very good to use and also visually much more sophisticated than XotoPad.

    With the OSC Pilot, I either swipe down from the Top Right to Bottom Right of the Tablet surface or use the TAB key to reach the Edit mode to create or alter a Controller Page.
    In this mode, various controls can be placed on the tablet and positioned freely. Resizing is also easily done by touch.
    Currently, the following controls are provided: Button, Slider, Dial, Pad, Label, Image, Keyboard.

    The individual controllers can be colored as desired. To do this, you create a palette with colors, or expand the existing one. (But be careful, it quickly becomes confusing. Therefore, you should at best directly save the standard palette once)

    You can now assign a MIDI channel and a MIDI note or a CC value to the individual controllers. Depending on the controller, further properties are available. For example, there is a setting for the "Dial" that ensures that it jumps back to a default value when released (e.g. PAN).
    After editing the surface, you leave the editing mode (save first!) by swiping from the bottom right to the top right, or by pressing TAB once with the keyboard.


    Really interesting is the control with an external Windows tablet. For this you need a program that transmits MIDI over the LAN/WLAN: rtpMIDI https://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/rtpmidi.html
    It must be set up on the PC with the DAW and the tablet einmailg. Once the connection is established, rtpMIDI remembers the settings at the next start.

    Once rtpMIDI is set up, start OSC Pilot on the tablet and set the PC with the DAW as MIDI OUT DEVICE in the edit mode under "Settings". OSC Pilot remembers this.

    After the first test, I created an interface to operate Syslenth1 on my Surface Pro 4 within about 2 hours. Since I'm pretty slow at this kind of work, you should be able to finish it faster.

    After that time I fell in love with OSC Pilot and hope they will further develop the app as this way my touch devices will reach a whole new level.:)


    OSC Pilot.png



    OSC Pilot costs $49.99 and is available here https://oscpilot.com/

    PROS und CONS:
    + Freely distribute over surface
    + free coloring
    + different controller types
    + Stability of operation
    + deadmau5 uses it

    - Somewhat fiddly operation in edit mode (better use mouse/pen)
    - a bit high footstep on processor power
    - deadmau5 uses it


    P.S.: As of today (01/12/2021) there is a version 1.3.3 out
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2021
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  3. luizcifer

    luizcifer Ultrasonic

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    Pros: deadmau5 uses it
    Cons: deadmau5 uses it
    :hahaha:
    Thanks for your insights twoheart :goodpost:
    i will have look and maybe it will be good to use on my Acer T2 Series (T272HL)
    cheers
    Luiz
     
  4. Futurewine

    Futurewine Audiosexual

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    @twoheart thanks for the share. looking forward into it. it's gonna be my very first experience with touchscreen monitor and DAW. GUI-wise i'm liking how it brings the feel like to music making :yes::wink:

    @luizcifer wut? t272hl works with win 10..? i was like a click away but decide to go for 24" dell becauseIreadSomeUsercomplainITSNOTWORKINwithWIN10 argh noo haha .. BLEURgj:rofl:

    dhygojftigjoksgkkjjnxggtkkkllggk
     
  5. luizcifer

    luizcifer Ultrasonic

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    yep it works good with w10
    i think those who complain did not use the calibration tool on w10 :guru:
    in Studio One and Bitwig i have no problems at all
    :wink:
     
  6. albert001

    albert001 Producer

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    I saw this app on gearnews, and it looks very promising.
    Those Universal control apps in combination with an app like traktor or bidule are perfect for live usage, but I ran in to issues when I used those in a studio context.
    The biggest and for most problem is, to have bi-directional midi control (Midi Feedback) in certain DAW's and especially with VST2 Plugs.
    I had success with some VST3 Plugs but, there are certain limitation in the VST-Standard and in certain Daw's that bugs me since my first iPad(Ipad2)...!

    I use a similar app to OSCPilot called Chameleon, maybe it is not on Paar with OscP but, it is also a lot cheaper and has some functionality that I never saw anywhere else.

    https://savethehuman5.com/chameleon/

    It's 5 bugs right now, maybe worth a try.
     
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