I’ve been meaning to get one of these for similar purposes en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dial_box

(And to build my own, modular, motorized, input peripheral, but that project is pretty thoroughly on hiatus :/)

My original plan was to build something, but ultimately the cost/benefit on the time investment didn't make sense.

Another way to approach things like this is consuming Osc messages from apps such as this one. Effectively giving you a palette of controls that you can customize. Of course, you need a device to act as the touch controller.

apps.apple.com/gb/app/touchosc-mk1/id288120394

Sure! I've used phones and tablets as outboard controllers for at least a decade now, but I hate it! 😹 The haptics of rubbing a piece of glass don't agree with me. I really want more tangible interfaces that allow me to look at the screen (i.e. artwork) while frobbing the controls.

I'm reminded of this thread.

I ended up buying a pair of Teenage Engineering Ortho Remotes. Bluetooth connectivity issues undercut what is otherwise a lovely input mechanism. They've become indispensable aids for editing the podcast.

All that is to say: tangible interfaces are underrated, and this text from the Dial Box wiki hurts my soul: "Currently they have been replaced by standard computer mouse interaction techniques."

Those colors are oddly specific. As for fingers on glass if one must, taps can go a surprising long way. A simple test for whether the UI is tangible is whether you can operate it without looking.

I bought monogramcc.com with the intention of using them for Houdini and my own interface, and they are really really gorgeous tactile devices... but atm they are gathering dust.

@Ulysses Popple Those were on my list, but I ended up wanting programmable labels for the knobs and buttons. In any case, they look great! How are they working out for you?

I also have the steam deck, and I've use that more because they have a really easy interface to set up button functionality. However the monogram controllers are really lovely and tactile - a lot more detailed control than any other form of input I've tried. If I were a video or photo editor, or used them for audio, they'd have a permanent place on my desk.

It's also nice they can output a midi control.