I built a Dolby Atmos capable hardware panner

[Jonathan Roesch]

Hey community,
for my bachelor thesis in 2020 a friend and I built a fully motorized surround panner with a motorized hight axis. It`s very much a prototype but it works fine. It`s capable of HUI and MIDI, so it works with Nuendo. Is there a possibility to code for EuCon with the new Pro Tools SDK?



I know that Harrison has a patent on motorized joysticks in the US, but our design is patented in europe.


Also, I've made a pretty wonkers video for a possible binaural mixing scenario. But one can guess the usability.


https://youtu.be/DS-aVLPg-SY


If anyone has an idea of how to integrate this to the Pro Tools mixing environment, please let me know!!

[Cheesehead]

Interesting Jonathan!
I would be in the market for an Atmos capable joystick but that looks just too big for me I'm afraid. I would have nowhere to put it on my desk and I bet your arm gets tired holding it at that angle? Is it a prototype of something which would be smaller in production?
I guess you've seen the old JL Cooper joystick? That was capable of Atmos panning by twisting the joystick top for height. I used it at Dolby in the UK years ago and it was good, but it didn't follow track selection. It only worked with the Dolby Atmos panner which was controllable by midi.
I'm not sure what the opening up of the Avid SDK has allowed. No one has given the details of how much of the Eucon protocol is now available.
I know that the guys at Soundflow are working with Avid and using the new SDK availability to integrate Soundflow macros into Eucon. Maybe you could ask them if the panner interface is available?
AFAIK Eucon is the only way to access all the parameters of the Atmos panner and get it to follow the active track.
Good luck with the project!

[Jonathan Roesch]

Hey Cheesehead,
yeah it's pretty much a prototype. It's way too big for a casual workflow. Of course it could be realized much smaller with the same design. But without EuCon ability there is no need for improving this project.
Greets

[Jonathan Roesch]

Thanks a lot haven't thought of the Soundflow guy. I'll write them a mail!

[smurfyou]

Avid has not opened Eucon for control. They keep that proprietary. Only receiving Eucon commands is open to other developers. HUI would be the only option for PT. Which only allows for 7.1 I believe.

AFAIK the Soundflow "integration" just allows triggering Soundflow from Eucon assignable buttons.

[Jonathan Roesch]

Hey Will, thanks for clarification. It's a bummer but I can understand Avid's reasons holding back EuCon SDKs. Greets

[smurfyou]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Roesch

Hey Will, thanks for clarification. It's a bummer but I can understand Avid's reasons holding back EuCon SDKs. Greets

Just watched your video.

Gut gemacht!

[Cheesehead]

Hang on though Will.
If you can receive Eucon commands, doesn't that mean you could receive the protocol for the surround panner?

After all Pro Tools is receiving those commands from PT Control or the S6?
Or have I over thought it?

Apparently you will be able to trigger Soundflow macros from PT Control softkeys in a future release, so we're not too far away?

I guess only Avid knows the full answer, it would be great if they opened it up fully.

[its2loud]

Avid is not licensing Eucon to be used with 3rd party hardware. The Eucon SDK is available to software developers to allow for their software to be controlled from Avid control surfaces.

[Cheesehead]

Ok, but a bit sad. Thanks for the clarification.
I suppose if they did Behringer would make an S6 for £200.00.
I can see why they don't.