Euphonix Debuts MC Control Surface at AES
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MC with LCD Display
(Click for a close-up) |
October 31, 2004As part of their end-to-end solution for audio production, Euphonix today introduced the MC Intelligent Application Controller. The MC is a workstation control surface aimed at the professional who demands precise and fast control. The MC is designed to speed up working with any application as the surface detects the latest active application (the application that is up front) and resets all controls to match. The MC has a full sized keyboard with dual trackballs for standard operations, and 56 LCD SmartSwitches, 4 faders, 9 rotary controls plus a monitoring section for the ultimate in extended control.
The MC connects to a host workstation computer, running an MC driver, via Ethernet. In its simplest form the workstation sees the MC as a normal keyboard and trackball. The MC's LCD display SmartSwitches can be programmed to send complex macros and simple keystroke commands, such as Ctrl-X, and named so their function is obvious. Users can lay out keys in any order and with any function to build a surface that matches their way of working.
Key mappings are saved to 'Application Sets', which automatically change as each different application is activated. This means that the MC speeds up operation of any workstation applications including professional video editing and audio workstation applications that have hundreds of keystroke commands.
EuCon is a high-speed protocol originally developed by Euphonix to allow communication between the System 5 control surface and S5 software applications. Its flexible design has enabled EuCon to be adapted to allow the MC and the Euphonix System 5 console range to have high-speed network access to any function in a EuCon software application. MIDI is fine for basic control but lacks the speed and complexity necessary to control applications such as workstations or video editors at a professional level. The EuCon protocol is bi-directional which means that the MC can receive high-speed data such as metering and processing status graphics from the EuCon software running on the workstation for display on the MC surface. When used with a EuCon aware application such as Steinberg's Nuendo or Merging's Pyramix, the MC can very tightly integrate with the application for fast and intuitive control.
The MC includes Euphonix's Studio Monitor Pro which provides professional surround sound monitoring controlled for the MC's surface.
For more information, visit their web site at www.euphonix.com. | 
