I love innovation. Tell me a better, faster, or cheaper way to accomplish something in the time-tedious world of A/V postproduction, and I'm listening. Recently I heard about the ShuttlePro from Contour Design, a “productivity enhancement tool” geared especially toward video and audio editing.
What I found was a cross between a professional video editing jog shuttle and a mouse on steroids. Let's face it: Video and audio editing applications are keyboard- and mouse-intensive. Setting in and out points or other functions sometimes means a repetitive set of keystrokes. Any time you can automate five or six keystrokes down to the push of one button, you'll save time and wear.
This product is truly an exceptional computer interface device. Available for the Mac or PC, the ShuttlePro is ergonomic, fully programmable, and downright stylish. Of course, ShuttlePro is not the only such device on the market. The CommandPro from Videonics (now Focus Enhancements) is a bulky, less-capable cousin with a T-bar approach and a shuttle wheel.
ShuttlePro is much more streamlined and easier to hold than the CommandPro — or even a standard mouse. Simply rest your wrist on the bottom portion with your palm on the shuttle wheel, and your fingers will be within easy reach of almost all of the 13 programmable buttons.
ShuttlePro supports all the popular video editing programs, including Final Cut Pro, Premiere, After Effects, Avid, Media 100i, and Vegas. For audio Pro Tools, Sound Forge, Acid, Digital Performer are supported, among others. Also supported are Photoshop, QuickTime, and Flash.
The install was easy. Just plug into the nearest USB port and go. I was thrilled that the software didn't cause extension conflicts like that of most USB devices. One small problem I had while installing under Mac OS 9.2: I needed to download the latest driver of Apple Game Sprockets 1.7.5. No problemo. The auto software updater in Sherlock 2 updated the driver. Once the ShuttlePro is hooked up to a USB port and the software is downloaded from the website, you're ready to work.
Almost all NLEs have interfaces with standard play, rewind, and fast-forward functions. ShuttlePro's buttons can trigger these operations. Each of the 13 buttons can be programmed to perform a specific function. Nine of them have removable caps that can be labeled for various functions. With a few clicks or assigns via pulldown menus, the software memorizes functions that take many keystrokes and lets you assign all that to a single key press. Add to that one of the smoothest shuttles I've ever used.
But it's the software that really sets the ShuttlePro apart. I tested the 1.2 version of the software on a Mac G4. For a new product, there have already been quite a few updates. Also, pre-established hot-key shortcuts for new applications are continually being posted to the Contour Design website. So it seems like the company is listening to the users.
The ShuttlePro's software drivers downloaded with basic built-in application settings. So even if I was unfamiliar with an application, shortcuts showed me how to do a function faster.
A new version of the ShuttlePro software drivers offers full native Mac OS X computability. Besides being more stable, the drivers provide compatibility with the new USB protocol for faster response times. They also support the easier-to-use Aqua interface that's the hallmark of the new OS.
Navigating quickly through video or audio and stepping through video, frame by frame, I found the jog shuttle has the feel and response of professional units that cost many times what the ShuttlePro does. I tested it with Final Cut Pro 3 and Pro Tools, and after a while I found myself using the keyboard only to enter values. I almost never touched the mouse. Once mastered, the ShuttlePro is a faster way to interface with a computer.
With a list price of $129 and a street cost of around $100, this is an investment that you cannot afford to pass by — especially given the productivity boost it brings to your desktop. Add to this the growing number of video and audio editors turning up with carpal tunnel syndrome, and this is an inexpensive investment indeed.
Note that at this affordable price, the unit does not ship with software. Instead, the user is directed to the product website to download the latest drivers and user manual. Another downside to being so inexpensive is that the unit is a little light. If I had my way, the device would be made of a heavier material or be weighted to ensure that it does not slide around on the desktop.
Padding the area where you rest your wrist would be another nice touch for those super-long edit sessions. Because I like to work in low lighting, perhaps the buttons could light up, with different colors signifying different functions. Finally, a laptop-like, touch-sensitive area beneath the four main function buttons would be a final step toward scrapping the mouse entirely. But such enhancements would add to the cost, which has clearly been kept as low as possible.
The bottom line is that I was more productive using the ShuttlePro than with a traditional keyboard/mouse setup. After a while it was more fun, too. Those of you who have followed my reviews over the past year or two are aware of my love for dual-monitor systems. Adding a productivity enhancement like the ShuttlePro from Contour Design is a little like adding a second monitor: You'll wonder how you ever got along without one.
