Control Surface - An opportunity...

If I listen to Phillip Hodgetts's opinion on using Color, I would need to spend $20K setting up a room for it... And, in actuality, I have a room that is not too far off from what he describes. However, one of the sticking points is a control surface. JL Cooper makes the cheapest one that I can find at $5K+.

Looking at their unit, I see:

3 backlit trackballs.
8 toggle buttons with indicator LEDs marked Page 1 - Page 8.
6 pots each adjusting a value indicated in a digital display.
6 more buttons with LEDs.

And a case that looks like it was built to withstand a war. Clearly, from the looks of the thing, they have used top notch components and I know it has some I/O expandability.

Now, for all of the new Color owners out there, this seems to me to be a golden opportunity to make a scaled back type of unit - Something on the order of < $1K.

So all of you entrepreneur types, get on the stick here. I want one!

how about a model number and link?

JL Cooper MCS Spectrum
[www.jlcooper.com]

price seems less that you suggest:
aprox $3,400 for the unit plus a USB card

this is more fun of course:

JL Cooper Eclipse cx
[www.jlcooper.com]

no price on this one.

a super lo-cost alternative would be sweet!
but then i guess you would charge more for colour correction.


nick

I haven't seen the related thread that you reference but have you checked out The Lemer by Jazz Mutant? It's half way between your price extremes of 1K and 5K but it may fit the bill and has serious geek chic attached to it.

bscene ,

Color was introduced less than sixty days ago. It's going to take awhile (like 6months to a year) for more affordable control surfaces to hit the market. I have no doubt that entrepeneurs are working feverishly to create and market such inexpensive panels. Look at approximately a $1K price point.

Meanwhile, you're stuck with either the JL coopers or the even more expensive "Tangents".

Where is it written that the tools of professional video post production must be priced for the consumer to afford? Ain't gonna happen (at least this year! )

mark