DigiDesign D-Command Instrukcja Użytkownika Pobierz pdf (Strona 2)

Digidesign D-Command

operate ’Tools with virtually no recourse to the mouse

or keyboard shortcuts. This may not sound like a

big deal… but I can assure you that it’s a major step

forward. The ergonomics of the control surface are

such that I was able to learn most of the normal editing

and mixing functions and be able to run it all from the

D-Command.

Command Performance

The D-Command is able to control the Digidesign mic

pre’s directly from the rotary encoders on the channel

strip. So as far as the user is concerned it is like any

other console – only this rotary encoder can be reas-

signed to different functions. The next part of the

system is the X-Mon. It connects to the D-Command

with a multi-pin connector and communicates via

Midi and RS422. It is really a digitally-controlled audio

router that takes the various outputs from ProTools

and allows the user control over the 5.1 output to

your monitors (the D-Command is 5.1, not 7.1 like

the flagship D-Control). X-Mon also allows you to set

reference levels for film and post purposes, routing

for cue sends and monitoring external inputs. (One

complaint I would make here is that you have to reach

for the Studio Level control. Most desks have this

placed in a more accessible position.) The X-Mon does

not have any sort of bass management system, which

is necessary if you’re creating mixes for DVD (though

there is a plug-in for ProTools that does accommodate

bass management and monitoring). It would have

been nice to see bass management included, as well

as the ability to monitor a 5.1 fold down to stereo (with

a number of presets) as part of the general feature

set. Monitoring has become a very complex business

since we were thrust into the world of surround. Even

setting up a calibrated monitoring environment is no

simple task (you’d think that some clever Joe would

have created a plug-in that could – with a calibrated

mic – help set up a studio 5.1 system, wouldn’t you?).

All the connections to the X-Mon are via D-Connector,

so you’ll have to provide cables to make the link from

192 and 96 I/O to the various inputs and outputs. The

manual describes this process in good detail, and the

cables are off-the-shelf items (or you can purchase the

cables from Digidesign with the Digi Snakes). Once

this is done the X-Mon and D-Command look after all

of the routing.

There is a very sophisticated talkback system that

includes the ability to have two mics connected with

independent level controls. A footswitch is provided

as well as a dedicated talkback button. Interestingly,

there is a mode called Auto Talkback that turns the

talkback ‘off’ automatically when you press Play, and

‘on’ when the transport is stopped. A word of warning:

this mode could prove very dangerous indeed with

some clients and should only be used with people that

you know really well! To warn you of this ‘danger’ the

talkback button flashes white and bright when you’re

in this mode as a constant

reminder, insisting: “don’t

say anything bad about

the guy, don’t say anything

bad about the guy, don’t…”

Command Modules

What first strikes you

about D-Command is

the enormous phalanx

of buttons on the right

hand side (more than

200 at my last count!). To

Digidesign’s credit, they’ve

made the task of navigat-

ing these buttons easier

by grouping them quite

logically. However, at

times, I still found myself

groping for the mouse

out of frustration, simply

due to the overwhelm-

ing number of controls

– I know, it’s sometimes

difficult to teach an

old dog new tricks. But

my experience does

underscore one point: D-

Command does demand a

commitment from the user,

and unless you’re familiar

with the D-Control then

you’ll need some time

to feel at ease with this

way of working. This

was certainly my experi-

ence – each day with the

D-Command became

more comfortable but years of mouse/keyboard reflex

actions are hard to suppress.

Get Customised

To encourage you to take the plunge and wean yourself

off the mouse, D-Command offers you some rewards

– you’re not just re-learning the task of interfacing with

’Tools for the sake of it. One of the main advantages of

working with the D-Command is that it doesn’t merely

act as a glorified remote – where what’s taking place

on the console is simply mimicked by the GUI, and

vice versa. Many of the functions on the console act

independently of the software interface, offering more

complex and intuitive control over the audio than the

two-screen software interface can allow. One of these

independent features is Custom Faders.

As we all know, computer-based recording has

dramatically increased the number of tracks that you

can have in a project. It is routine now to have 60, 80

or 100 tracks in a ProTools mix. With all of these tracks,

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