Next Generation Productivity Tools?The Elgato Stream Deck multi function keyboard is tested

Mondo Technology Updated on 2024-01-28

Hello, here, I'm Kankan.

Content creation is a very complex affair that can involve research, writing, filming, production, and post-production. Sometimes you see a short article, or a short article, that requires a lot of time, effort, and a lot of tools. Especially when doing image processing, I also use shortcuts, but there are so many tools, so many shortcuts, I can't remember (respect to designers and post-workers). In addition, if you use the mouse to select one by one, you will feel that your productivity will be disturbed and interrupted. So, I've been looking forward to having a center console that can be deeply customized to improve my productivity, and I can do complex operations at the touch of a button.

When I was thinking about it, I saw that there was a very popular device abroad, which was produced by elgato, a multi-functional programmable keyboard dressed in the skin of a live broadcast console, with super custom functions, I studied it, and it was a pity that this thing was only used for live broadcasting, and it was a pity to treat our image processing workers as outsiders!Its DIY attributes are so strong that everyone can find its usage. For daily work efficiency, editing, graphic design, etc., it can also bring a huge increase in productivity, and the playability is extremely high.

I've been using it myself for a few months, and with a one-time configuration, I can greatly simplify all kinds of daily use. I think it's an efficiency artifact, and it's also very advanced on the desktop, which brings a different experience to the desktop. Next, I will show you a variety of usage scenarios and implementations, and take you to experience with me how this stream deck+ can improve my daily work efficiency, **editing, *design, etc.

The first time you see this Stream Deck+ product, you're going to think it's a lot like a macro keyboard, or you're thinking this is a launcher, it's a mini director. I think that's true, but these are just some of the features of the Stream Deck+, and they don't capture the full picture of the product. It's more powerful and complete than you think.

Stream Deck+ is not just a console to launch an application or simply open a program, but can complete a series of more complex operations to control software tools. I'll give you a simple example, I'm going to do some basic repetition before I do a ** edit. Here I use a number of operation functions in the keyboard to add my own operation requirements.

For example, my own daily use is Jianying, I just need to press it, and I can automatically complete a series of batch operations: 1Open the Editing Software, 2Create a new clipping file after opening, 3Then ask the system to open the ** recording folder for me. You can also insert a delay in the middle of each of these actions, so that my preliminary preparations are ready.

And the whole process, I only need to press a key, this is the biggest difference between Stream Deck+ and the macro keyboard, support one-click multi-layer commands, all commands support customization, you can expand according to your actual needs.

Or for example, after you**edit is completed, you can export it with one click, and then open it**, upload it directly to your current ** and many other operations.

Of course, if you use other aspects of the software, in fact, this operation is the same, you can use this multiple operations, it is very convenient to use in the scene, it helps you do a lot of preliminary work, completely leave it to you to play your own creativity.

Macro keyboard, do you still have a bunch of small stickers, put them on the keyboard?Not to mention, one key corresponds to one function in the macro keyboard, and this bunch of small stickers alone is troublesome enough.

Behind each button of the Stream Deck+ is a small LED screen that can display the icon of the current application, or the icon of the function operation. You can also add a text description below the icon. Some functions also support giving you feedback, such as my timer here, after clicking, a 30s countdown will appear here, and you will be prompted by sound when the point is reached. Of course, you can also set up more functions here, such as executing certain programs after the countdown is up.

All programs can be modified, you can make your own icon or go directly to the Stream Deck+ market.

In addition to the normal LED screen with buttons, the Stream Deck+ is also equipped with a knob control group and a bar touch screen.

One of the most important and special features of the Stream Deck+ is the knob operation, which allows you to switch between functions and control parameters such as the progress bar. Ideal for graphic design, *Editing tools that require parameter adjustment. For different software, I only need to do the configuration file once.

In addition to operating the computer, this knob function can also be used to control the console, such as brightness adjustment.

The bar touch screen in the middle is operated by the corresponding knob, which can be directly controlled by the knob to send feedback and knob function name. This screen is also a touch screen, which supports key functions and can be configured to add shortcut keys through the software. At the same time, the control bar also supports pagination buttons, you can set multiple pages, switch between different pages by swiping the touch screen left and right, and after switching, it will also follow the different functions of the current page, and change accordingly. Especially like the Touchbar on previous versions of the MacBook Pro.

Note here that after switching between left and right pages, the functions of the knob and the touch screen can be reset, and the multi-page design allows the deck to have more room for settings. Of course, if you need to call up the knob presets for different pages, you can add a folder function to the buttons, which I describe below.

The Stream Deck+ official marketplace also supports a large number of plugins, *footage, *audio**. For some specific software, you can find the free version of the plugin directly. For most plugins, *icon** free is sufficient.

For professionals, such as very professional ones such as Leonardo da Vinci, there are paid versions of preset plug-ins. In terms of efficiency, I think it's worth the expense.

For designers, *editors, some of the must-have PS, PR, FINALCUT PRO, LR have pro preset programs. Of course, I combined it with my own use, and I made my own set of configuration files, which I shared if everyone wanted.

In addition to setting a set of default configuration files, you can also set exclusive configuration files for different applications, such as when I am in use, I have configured a set of files for Jianying, LR, daily desktop and other scenarios, which is convenient for immersive use. The power of Stream Deck+ is that it automatically recognizes the open apps and automatically switches to the corresponding button layout, so you can get to work in no time. For example, when I start the LR software here, the console will automatically switch to the LR button interface that I have bound.

My daily use is mainly in **editing** graphic design** processing, daily use of the system and so on, to give you my own daily use demonstration.

When editing daily, there are two key directions that need to be easily operated, one is editing, and the other is the alignment of the timeline. Editing **high-frequency operation is for the segmented cutting work, I set the shortcut keys into the buttons, such as the commonly used mouse selection mode, mouse cutting mode, as well as splitting, restore audio.

Because there are only eight buttons here, there will be a lot of functions that are not enough for daily operation. Don't worry at all, I've set up a folder here, and all at once there are additional control buttons. The advantage of using folders is that the knob function I set earlier has been completely retained, which means that the knob function has become a global function, and you don't need to move it after adjusting it once, you need to have additional key functions, you only need to create different folders, theoretically, there are unlimited functions here.

If I need to go back to other preset profiles, I just need to add a profile jump button, and I press it to go back to my default page, and then I can open other apps. How about such a convenient operation, is not all of a sudden imagination unlimited.

When editing**, use the knob to manipulate the timeline, and you'll get far more comfortable with it than with a mouse. The timeline zooms in and out, transitioning between animations for each cut of the timeline. There's a quick timeline browsing, as well as a fine timeline, which is so comfortable that it's hard to find the most precise frame with your mouse adjustments. I also set the **and pause functions on the touch screen, and you can see the current ** with one click.

The Stream Deck+ can be used to control the live stream, acting as a console. For example, presets for pre-live recording, debugging, subtitles, lighting effects, etc. Stream Deck+ can also be used as a gaming keyboard, with a wide range of game shortcuts.

In daily plane processing, we will use professional software such as PS or LR, and they have a lot of shortcut keys, which can bring us more efficient work efficiency, but there are really too many. Once, in order to memorize these shortcuts, I also went to buy a mouse pad printed with shortcut descriptions, and put it in front of me to memorize it. Now with Stream Deck+, there is no such concern.

For example, I'm using the features that I use on a daily basis and putting them on the first level. If you are familiar with Lightroom, you know that the most commonly used is to paste metadata, copy metadata, and paste the previous settings, which are the three most used. After setting the shortcut key here, I only need to press it once, and the speed of operation here has been greatly improved. Of course, I also set up cropping on the first layer, grid switching. The functionality is not enough to open an additional folder. Incorporate more features that you might use for everyday adjustments.

In terms of knobs, I use the front and back **selection, *scaling, and modification items here. The modification items are very convenient, in lightroom, I often make some details to adjust some hues, **degree, contrast, highlights, and shadows, I used to use a mouse or keyboard to adjust them one by one, but now switch to the knob, it's really easy to use, and I twist it directly.

In fact, the use of this shortcut key is not only the best processing work, but also has more extensions for daily use, such as tabulation excel work, daily office, engineering personnel, and programmer development, stream deck+ This console can easily improve production efficiency if you use it well.

The daily use of Stream Deck+ is not only for professionals, this is practical in the system function, or it can be used by ordinary computers. I like the minimalist desktop every day, and I don't put anything on the basic desktop, so the advantage is that one is to maintain a sense of privacy, and the other is comfortable to look at. But it's a bit of a hassle to open apps on a daily basis, I have a lot of preset apps in Stream Deck+, and you can open my apps with just one click. Efficient while keeping the desktop clean.

There are also a lot of system-level shortcuts for Mac computers, and I know that Mac's trackpad is handy. But when I put these shortcuts in the knobs, I think it's more convenient, such as the front of the stage scheduling mode, the launch pad, etc.

The control center, all of which can be called up via a rotary knob. There's also a daily console, multitasking mode, and more.

Daily software can also be configured, I open QQ** here, automatically switch to my previous profile, here directly click on the previous song, next song, * pause, you can also control the volume, display lyrics, whether you like this song and so on. In fact, according to this logic, you can configure many applications that you use every day, and Stream Deck+ basically depends on how much you imagine, without which you can't do it, only you can't think of it.

Stream Deck+ is a great digital desktop that simplifies your workflow and enriches your desktop experience, whether you're a professional app. I've heard that there are people who use it to play games and do live streams, and this DIY ability is really unmatched.

The Stream Deck+ experience as an productivity tool is not just an ordinary launch shortcut button, but a multi-function console that supports multiple combinations, and these features can be combined to exert extreme power:

Customizable graphical buttons. It's more intuitive than shortcuts.

Support multiple operation functions and call multiple functions.

The function of the button can be automatically switched with the current software.

Stream Deck+ adds 4 new knobs.

There is also a touchscreen that gives the user feedback after the operation.

There are still shortcomings in such an excellent product, mainly because the degree of localization is not enough, the number of installed plug-ins is still not rich enough, and there will be fewer domestic applications to support. In the future, if there is a national bank store, a domestic plug-in team, or a user plug-in exchange, we will launch some presets and plug-ins that connect with localized software. Then it will make this product even better.

In the process of use, I have also prepared several reference plug-in configuration files such as LR, Jianying, etc., and if more people communicate with this configuration file in the future, then this console can become more user-friendly. If you need to leave a message in the comment section.

What else is not clear, Welcome to leave a message in the comment area Isn't such an eye-catching article collected?Praise the three generations, pay attention to the rich life!If you like it, like, collect, and follow it three times in a row

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