My short list of PC shortcomings for post

[feakerboo]

While I can totally understand mixing music on the screen, I can't imagine mixing a film or TV show w/o an interface. With film you are constantly looking at the movie screen not the faders or the computer monitor. This is not to say that I don't use it at all, It makes for a great track-sheet and I do cut while mixing only when I becomes necessary. Lets face it, the PC is great for the money when you consider what a film mixing console costs but a lot is lacking. In my opinion however, a lot of the "issues" are software based and not related to the Pro-control. A quit hit list:

Pro-Control Issues:

1. PC does not have touch sensitive knobs for automating pans and plugins. (yes I know you can fader flip but thats a drag too.)

2. The faders on the console are weak. We break at LEAST 1 a month and go through a joystick once a project.

3. You might as well have left the audio I/O off the console as it is useless. The surround functions in particular.

4. Really need to have the lights on the console to tell you when you are back to the null point when automating.

5. It would be really cool if you could assign tracks to groups ON THE CHANNEL STRIP.

6. Also if you had a little more control over exactly how the Bank feature worked that would be cool too.

PT Issues:

1. Can't group pans, and even if you could It take too many steps to create a group that you might use once. (Yes I realize that I can just copy the automation but thats a LOT of steps and I want to hear it as I make the move.)

2. Can't automate buss assignments or output assignments.

3. We need a WAY bigger automation buffer. It is ANNOYING when you make a long pass that the system says that you have overloaded the automation buffer and have to start over.

4. I know that music guys does need transport controls anymore but us film guys wanna rewind and see the pic at the same time so we know where to stop. QT only rewinds in shuttle. W/ AV|XL the rewind speed is so slow.

5. I haven't seen the new machine control software yet but PLEASE tell me it works better now.


Any thoughts or additions?

-brad

[cmaynes]

Hi-

I just wanted to say that your list was quite thoughtful-

The rewind issue can be kind of addressed by having the PT numeric pad prefs set for transport. This allows the keypad to drive scrub rewind/fast forward.

The surround monitoring is not at all flexible but still useful if you do not have an outboard controller.

the other stuff I think are PT app limitations.

cheers!

charles maynes

[feakerboo]

usually end up setting the keypan controls for scrub anyway but it would be nice and easier to explain to mixers who are PT guys.

I've added another couple.

1. would it not be cool if there where say ten button that were quick keys for markers. I know that you can type in on the keypad but this would be cooler.

2. Also what about being able to quickly assign groups say have 5 group enables on the console so you could quickly assisgn and unassign. Right now its too many clicks.

-b

[spigots]

If I remeber from my Fairlight days, it had the memory recall feature of which you speak.

My suggestion is: Since the 'Snapshot" status function hasn't been implemented, whay not make that a markers recall? It can't be that hard to code, can it?

Wouldn't that be cool? You could dedicate the A bank for locates, the B bank for track show hides, zooms etc. Man, now THAT would speed up work flow!

Frank