Stream Deck

[paulears]

I've just bought a Stream Deck. I was going to buy the little box to fire off Qlab, but bought this instead, pretty much on a whim and it's really neat! I got it working qlab quite easily - I'm programming it with the downloaded companion software rather than the one that comes with it, and just discovered in the drop down menus loads of other stuff it can control - my X32/M32 mixers, MagicQ (and high end and MA) plus projectors and switchers. For the price a pretty versatile device with 15 buttons - all of which can be programmed to do all sorts, and they're customisable in terms of text, colour or even pngs. My DSM likes buttons with labels, hates keyboards and mice, but this could be rather useful - give him a GO button and he's happy.

 

The programming is via a simple visual web interface and there's an emulator so you can test everything until the last minute when you plug in the real panel.

[abbotsmike]

Yep, got one of the XL versions. Very handy for driving graphics packages, doing fancy stuff with ATEMs, all sorts!

[timsabre]

What an interesting gadget. It is not clear from their game-oriented website, does it have to be attached to a PC with their software running all the time, so the panel is just talking to their software which then sends out the required commands. Or can the panel generate commands directly? It appears to only be USB so I assume if it's controlling X32 over IP it must have a PC app running all the time.

[Modge]

I know a couple of people doing corporate sound things with them - they seem to like them.

[sameness]

You can use either the Streamdeck software Elgato provide, or a piece of software called Companion which is more geared towards our side of the industry.

 

Yes, the panel talks to the software to send the commands, and does have to be hooked up to a PC/Mac runnign the control software

[paulears]

You run the small app, and then when you plug in the USB connector, the buttons light up with your last configuration. With companion to programme it, it's done through a web browser. Rather neat - especially as there are 99 pages of buttons - so 99 x 12 buttons. Quite neat and hardly more expensive than the normal USB controller with just a few buttons that needs tape and a sharpie to mark up. It's also metal, not plastic!

[Shez]

I bought one recently to control an ATEM switcher - great integration with that. I'm looking forward to seeing what other uses I can find for it as it appears to be cable of controlling at least half a dozen other bits of kit I have!

[dosxuk]

They appear to the computer as a generic USB HID device, and all the commands have been reverse engineered, so if it's your thing you can develop your own software and get them to interface with anything. I've got a couple of them for doing various things, including my own software for controlling graphics in CasparCG.

 

Keep an eye out for black Friday / prime day deals on Amazon as they're normally significantly discounted.

Edited October 30, 2019 by dosxuk

[empyfree]

You can setup and test companion without a stream deck. It has a full emulator mode, and a web interface too.

 

Stunningly powerful bit of kit. We use it with a small app on remote Pcs to control Powerpoint. Also to trigger playback pro plus, and control the switcher! You can create multiple action buttons, so a single press can switch our Ascender to the correct input, then fire the VT on a MacBook.

[TomHoward]

Out of interest how is it controlling qlab - is it keyboard button press or is it Midi input etc?

[empyfree]

OSC would be my choice.

[pmiller056]

I like the idea of it. Rather than buying yet another bit of new 'stuff', has anyone emulated this with an old, serviceable mobile phone cluttering a drawer (or similar USB connected small touchscreen device)? May as well try and re-use something instead of binning it....

[pritch]

I don't know what they had it connected to, but AC had one on their stand at PLASA Focus in Leeds running some demo programs for some lights that I was looking at.

 

It seems that Elgato are advertising it as a gaming thing, but I think they've rather missed a trick by not talking about the other possibilities.

[timsabre]

It seems that Elgato are advertising it as a gaming thing, but I think they've rather missed a trick by not talking about the other possibilities.

I would have thought the gaming/livestreaming/youtuber market will be enormous compared to the other types of user so perhaps they are spending their marketing money wisely. But Paulears should be on commission from them as I wouldn't have heard about it otherwise.

 

[indyld]

One of the latest examples of our industry taking stuff intended for something else and using it for our purposes. Streamdeck's availability coincides with a peak in requirements for flexible control interfaces for everything from lighting, sound and video control that can likely change from show to show. I believe that it's already becoming a standard interface solution to basic vision mixing tasks when coupled with software, along with uses for hands on control of lighting and sound software. I can imagine that such a device may become stock in both theatres and events production.