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Adding a computer keyboard and track pad to NI S88

Rob Ainscough

Plenty of room for a computer keyboard and trackpad. When one is working with audio mixers, speed editors, color panels, desktop space is at a premium so a computer keyboard integrated into the S88 would be most welcome.

This is the current "solution" I'm using but integration would be welcome in maybe a Mk4?

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S88 MK3

Comments

Vocalpoint

Cannot imagine how much that would add to the cost - or add to the potential technical headaches if the keyboard and/or trackpad suddenly decided to fail one day.

Not even to mention how "personal" keyboards and mice/trackpads are to each unique user worldwide. Like me - I would never use a trackpad for anything.

For me to even consider this idea - unless the peripherals were made by Keychron and using their professional level series build and related parts - it would be a non-starter for me.

PoorFellow

One only thinks that something 'integrated' is great until one of the integrated parts get faulty or stops working , for same reason then even a keyboard with built-in track-pad is not a very good idea . Anyway , while I usually use neither then I think that I'd prefer a track-ball over a track-pad if it was supposed to act as a mouse alternative.

By the way , it sounds to me as if "peripherals made by Keychron and using their professional level series build and related parts" only rarely or almost never goes faulty 🙂

Rob Ainscough

The keyboard I have on my S88 cost me $19.95 retail … so mass produced integrated would be at most $5 for NI … not exactly gonna break the bank.

Could you folks be more pessimistic? I've used 100's of computer keyboards over the decades (from super cheap to very expensive) and not a single one has failed me (retired software engineer so I used them A LOT). Only time I had an issue with a few keys was due to being messy with the keyboard (aka crumbs), if you treat them well and clean them regularly or cover them, they don't fail. You folks live in a barn or smokers or spill liquid all over or something that would make you suggest "failures"?

Agree on the "feel" of track ball vs. touch pad but a track ball would raise the total height of the S88 so it would require more under desk tray clearance.

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/269501#Comment_269501

"Could you folks be more pessimistic?"

This is not about being pessimistic in any way. It's about being realistic in every way.

It's about choice. It's about ease of use. It's about keeping the actual "musical" part of this thing - very separate from anything else on board.

And for the new owners of this company - the bottom line (as always) - is about moving product.

To do that - you need to be build something that people actually want to buy. A LOT of people.

The last thing new owners would want right now is both existing and the all important new customer - dismissing a product outright - because there is suddenly a keyboard/trackpad right in their path - forming some expectation of usage.

Another small reality check - if you really believe adding a $15.00 keyboard and a $2.00 trackball to a $1500 keyboard will make the final price $1517.00 - you need to spend some time in technical R&D coupled with about three years of design and test time to see what the product like this would really cost.

The irony of this idea is that to hear NI tell it - the entire primary directive of NKS and the S-Series controller ecosystem all those years ago - was to get all us AWAY from the keyboard and mouse - and focus on using the controller to keep us in the creative flow. And you want to add one back in?

Rob Ainscough

I guess we strongly disagree.

The S88 MKIII doesn't actually produce any music or audio output without it being connected to a computer.
99.9% usage case are folks using S88 with audio software that requires computer keyboard/mouse interaction … what people want to buy.
It's a computer keyboard, NOT some new quantum computing device with lidar motion interpretation, the design of computer keyboards dates back to 1950's. It's not expensive to integrate into anything.
Integration of a computer keyboard would increase the creative flow due to convenance without having to reach for separate devices and hence retain focus on a single device that does it all … this will improve creativity.

So do tell me how you operate PreSonus Studio One Pro (aka Fender Studio Pro) without a keyboard or mouse/trackball/tracking device? In fact, lets look at Fender Studio Pro's website where their own marketing video shows someone using a mouse?

The S88 MKIII is $1299 not $1500.

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/269516#Comment_269516

Not sure how that matters or applies to the idea in any way.
100% of us already have a mouse/keyboard/trackpad. Why would I need another?
"It's not expensive to integrate into anything" Not even going to attempt to quantify this one
Not the way NI tells it. Every time an oddball question is brought up about the Komplete Kontrol software - they are incredulous - wondering why anyone would ever "need" a keyboard - since the whole point of NKS is to use the actual S-Series to control everything. You will have a garganuan task convincing anyone over there on this idea.

"How you operate PreSonus Studio One Pro (aka Fender Studio Pro) without a keyboard or mouse/trackball/tracking device?"

You already know how we all interact with our DAWS - with the keyboard and mouse we all already own.

But what if I need my keyboard at a specific height for ergonomic purposes, or to avoid carpel tunnel? Or like me - to write 16 page voiceover scripts on the DAW and the billions of other things I use the keyboard/mouse for on that specific machine day in and day out?

Are you saying - if owned a S88 - I would have to build out custom woodwork so this thing would be at the proper height to work? Or is the thinking that all of us with DAWs and S-Series keyboards simply do nothing but play around with NI stuff all day long?

Finally - the S88 MKIII might be $1299 where you live:

More like $1800.00+ where I hang out.

Rob Ainscough

Sweetwater brand new:

B&H Photo brand new:

Perhaps NI need to listen more to users and perhaps them not listening is how they got themselves into financial hardship and looked for another company to buy them out … aka inMusic Brands. Which is exactly what happened … so NI can either look to change or do same old same old which will most certainly NOT be good for them. So I really don't care what NI think, the pitch is to inMusic Brands not NI as they clearly failed.

As far as ergonomics, have multiple devices (mouse, pc keyboard, controller keyboard) at different heights and position will be far more likely to induce carpel tunnel … you only have two arms/hands so keeping that at the correct position at all times is a BENEFIT. Like you admitted, the mouse and computer keyboard is used 100% of the time in conjunction with controller keyboard.

Actually, the S61 and S88 would have enough room if they moved the panel and knobs over left or right side, heck they could even offer left/right handed people options.

I could somewhat understand your objections if this were like my KORG Pa5X which doesn't require a computer nor audio software, but the NI keyboards are 100% reliant on a computer and audio interface to produce sound, a KORG Pa5X is not.

Vocalpoint

"So I really don't care what NI think, the pitch is to inMusic Brands not NI as they clearly failed"

Well - good luck with that.

And NI did not fail. It was their idiotic partnership with their prior private equity firm that failed them.

Maciej Repetowski

A thoughtful SPACE for keyboard and pointing device on top of the controller would be great. I prefer to choose my own peripherals, though.

nightjar

Nope to a built-in QWERTY + trackpad.

Less "fixed integration"… instead a more "modular integration" is a smarter direction.

Separate the brains & display from the user's preferred layouts and methods for performance and operational inputs.

A vibrant ecosystem that accommodates many ways to turn thoughts and motions into sounds.

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