I just bought the S1 for use with Media composer

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I hope that this will be help for anyone thinking of buying an S1 for use with Avid media composer.

Ok the good…

I have managed to live mix (key framing) using the surface.
It actually works quite well once in the zone and also adjust the clip gain.

A lot of the time rushes will come in and the audio is everywhere.
The first thing for me is find the best audio channel (which is normally very low in level) Using the GUI Mixer tool to max out the gain, then use rubber banding to increase level or fine adjust.

I managed to use a 3rd part app (keyboard Maestro). Which switches the GUI mixer into each mode allowing me to adjust both modes from the S1.

It works great. And I feel that editing have sped up a lot.

The bad…

The Eucon software that sends messages to and from the S1 unit is terrible. It very flaky and glitchy.

To be honest it feels like a beta app from the 90’s.
You cant drag and drop functions into different slots like it’s 2022.

There is no search function for the wanted parameters within the chosen app. Instead, you have to drill down through menus.
And it you put the function in the wrong place, you have to start all over again.

Only the soft keys are mappable and have limited functions. And not all the Media composer functions are listed either.
On top of this Avid / Eucon have massively hampered the hardware for Avid editors. For instances the top row of buttons are dead within media composer as are the insert buttons next to the rotary encoders. And they are not mappable either.
So they literally do nothing. An absolute waste of potential function.

The other sad part of this story is that none of the plugins are adjustable from the S1 unit. Not even from the iPad control app.
I just don’t understand why Avid didn’t add this as function. So the control app mirrors the MC software / plugins window.

Overall the unit feels well made and gives back that tactile experience on the faders. But like most things with Avid. They gave up where it really matters.

Hope that is of some use to someone.
M