The Quick Access Panel

[WK154]

There isn't enough real estate on an ipad to put all of it up on top and still leave the buttons large enough to use.  Even my dock's monitor doesn't have the space of the top of a MixWiz.  So for the lighter weight and smaller footprint, we had to give up something.  I consider it a good tradeoff.

In any analog mixer you have the first layer as the control surface and yes this is far larger than most displays. I consider the second layer the outboard gear required to match the feature set of a digital mixer, even more real-estate. The question is what do you need for a live venue for speed and control and what is used mostly for setup? In the analog world there is a lot of unnecessary clutter that can be intelligently separated with a digital mixer with layers thus reducing the display/control space required for a "live show mixer". The problem with the DL1608 is that utilization of the real-estate is poor at best. I have many times stated that it is a poor attempt to meet that goal. The DL is a form over function design. Yes sex sells and Mackie is all about sales and not about music or functionality. The UI (user interface) needs a major overhaul. Let's look at the MF layout and point out the big space wasters. The faders take up 50% of the screen to display and control loudness. The need for such a space waste for meters and a scale that doesn't even show accurate levels is beyond me. If you need more than your ears to find the right balance then don't quit your day job. Moving faders requires far less real-estate than 50% as demonstrated by other iPad apps from the competitors. Next there are the channel labels or scribble strips. They serve no live control value and in my opinion are in the wrong location for information. Your eyes have to focus on the bottom edge of the display for information required in the middle of the screen. Let's go to the top. Right below the title bar is normally a place for major functions or drop down menus even in the fruit computers. This area is half empty and of little control value at present. This area should be for second level access not some value display. Then there is the cute little pic for eq's which again serve no purpose other than access to a second level which should have been in the prior area. I forgot it provides an annoyance for the use of mute. I could go on but at this point I've already freed up a significant part of screen area for useful control and display necessary for live operation. You'll need to go elsewhere for functionality over form.

[sam.spoons]

On the iPad big faders rule, I use the A&H iLiveo software at work and it's a real PITA with the important bits (the faders) being far too small for accurate use. For me at least, the reduced feature set of Master Fader (which allows decent sized faders) is what makes it useable.

[WK154]

They use an 1/1/4" as opposed to 3" on the MF somewhere in between  would be a good compromise. Fader button size is also to small on the iLive leading to response problems (PITA) as you stated. UPDATE: the fader button is not the target as in MF but the whole fader area. I like it better than "slow and grow" from Mackie and the fader value is at the top. I had less of a problem getting fader movement from that approach. Two extremes to compare. Soundcraft use 2" but leaves a lot of dead space that could be removed. X32mix is 2.5" made for lefties (meter on right side) but better layout. Presonus is 2" and has a better layout for live although I don't know what the faders move since their not motorized.

[ijpengelly]

I just think, say on my Avid Venue, it would be awesome to have some lightweight flat racks with 1 RU and/or 2RU touch screens surround by encoders. You could buy as many as you wanted and they'd be linked to the console w/ CAT5.

You sort of can with the DL1608 if you are prepared to buy more iPads and have them laid out on a desk or a surface, afterall it supports 10 devices 

[sam.spoons]

They use an 1/1/4" as opposed to 3" on the MF somewhere in between  would be a good compromise. Fader button size is also to small on the iLive leading to response problems (PITA) as you stated. UPDATE: the fader button is not the target as in MF but the whole fader area. I like it better than "slow and grow" from Mackie and the fader value is at the top. I had less of a problem getting fader movement from that approach. Two extremes to compare. Soundcraft use 2" but leaves a lot of dead space that could be removed. X32mix is 2.5" made for lefties (meter on right side) but better layout. Presonus is 2" and has a better layout for live although I don't know what the faders move since their not motorized.

You know I'd never realised that (in my defence I usually use the Mac version if I'm mixing in software, while the boss has the iPad), It would be an improvement to MF if it worked the same way. 

[Wynnd]

Don't suppose that there's a mac version for the DL1608.  It would be nice to be able to use keyboard shortcuts.

[WK154]

Since development for iOS is done under OsX there is of course a version on the Mac. The problem of course is the lock-down on the development platform and the possibility that Mackie is outsourcing the development and don't own the rights to that version. There are also development platforms on Windows and Linux but Apple is down-right hostile to them and eventually you need to recompile under Mac OsX to publish on the iStore. Welcome to the poison fruit development environment.

[sam.spoons]

There is no OsX version available for public consumption sadly though, as WD says, there must be development versions running under OsX. I did wonder if ther was an iOS emulator which would run Master Fader on my MacBook.

[WK154]

Under development   http://iemu.org/index.php/Main_Page     . Wouldn't be surprised if Apple used a variant of Qemu.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QEMU    Jobs and Co. are the biggest IP thieves on the planet.

[ijpengelly]

Hmm, wonder how the heaven / hell re-branding is going LOL 

[sam.spoons]

Hmm, wonder how the heaven / hell re-branding is going LOL 

God only knows   

[WK154]

When you see angels eating apples or skewered apples on the horns you'll know. You never had to deal with him, I did.