Pro Tools's Big Love: Digidesign Command 8 Control Surface for Pro Tools

The Digidesign Command 8 control surface puts full control of Pro Tools TDM or LE at your fingertips more affordably than ever before - for both Windows XP and Mac OS X. While there are several compact control surface options from third-party manufacturers compatible with Pro Tools, only Command 8 was made by Digidesign and Focusrite specifically for Pro Tools. As a result, Command 8 provides a great deal more sophisticated control with Pro Tools software, and has been tested and qualified specifically for Pro Tools.

Borrowing elements from Digidesign's higher-end control surfaces, Command 8's eight bankable channels of moving faders, rotary encoders, and displays enable you to control Pro Tools with the hands-on feel of a traditional analog console. What's more, its onboard monitor system features Focusrite audio performance and quality, accommodating Pro Tools audio along with external inputs, speakers, and separately controlled headphone outs. Through a simple USB connection facilitates communication between Command 8 and your computer.

Command 8 also includes an integrated, fully editable MIDI interface and features a stand-alone MIDI controller mode, allowing you to use it with your favorite third-party MIDI applications and devices - any that accept MIDI control change messages for level, panning, solo, mute, MIDI Machine Control, and other mappable parameters.

For post production suites, Avid products are natively supported by Command 8, including Avid Media Composer. When used with Avid products, Command 8 can be used to control the Automation Gain Tool for recording dynamic volume automation as well as Solo, Mute and Snap Mode on and off. Better yet, Command 8's onboard monitor section alleviates the need for an external mixer for speaker control.

Features:

Inexpensive, full-featured control surface specifically designed for Pro Tools

Supports both Pro Tools TDM and LE systems (independently)

Simple USB connection to your PC or Mac

Compact size; comfortable ergonomic layout

8 touch sensitive motorized faders, 8 automatable rotary encoders with LED rings

Big, bright, 110-character (55 characters x 2 rows) backlit LCD display for easily viewing information

Integrated 1-IN/2-OUT MIDI interface (16 channel in, 32 out)

Standalone MIDI controller mode

Flexible Focusrite onboard monitoring section

Works natively with the Avid family of products. Automation Gain Tool

May be used in conjunction with ProControl, Control 24, and Digi 002

Same Day Music is an authorized dealer of Digidesign products.



Dynamic Range: 102dB (unweighted, 105 dB or better A-weighted)

THD+N: better than 0.0015%

Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz, +/- 0.2dB

Maximum input level: +22dBu balanced (matches max. output level of 888 24s or 192 I/Os, +4dBu nominal; -18 dBFs reference level)

Dimensions (HxWxD): 4.75 x 16.375 x 17.125 in. (12.07 x 41.6 x 43.5 cm.)

Weight: 11.3 lbs / 5.13 kg

110-character LCD Display: Displays track names, track & plug-in parameter values, timecode, etc.

Channel View Controls:
Plug-in or Pan/Send controls for a selected INSERT or SEND
Buttons: EQ, DYNAMICS, INSERT, PAN/SEND/PRE, PAGE, Master Bypass, ESC

Console View Controls:
Controls status display of pans, sends, or inserts across all channels simultaneously
Defaults to channel pan position; select A-E to determine which SEND or INSERT values are displayed in the scribble strip

Modifier Keys: Correspond to their computer keyboard counterparts

Fader Section:
100 mm touch-sensitive moving faders with support for +12 dB fader scale
SELECT, SOLO and MUTE buttons and color-coded LED indicators
Multi-purpose rotary encoders with 11-LED rings displaying pan position, send level, etc.
Five-segment LED meters (0 to +42 dBFS)

Control Room and Headphone Controls:
Control Room: Mute, Mono, and External Source monitor selectors; dedicated volume level control
Headphones: 1/4 in. stereo headphone jack; dedicated volume level control

Miscellaneous Controls and Indicators:
Record-enable, Pan/Meter (with L/R indicators), Enter, and Undo selectors
Standalone button - Places Command 8 into stand-alone controller mode
USB and MIDI activity indicators

Master Fader/Flip Controls:
Master Fader: Activate to move master fader control to the rightmost faders
Flip: Activate to move PAN/SEND or INSERT control from rotary encoders to faders

Navigation Keys: Four-key navigation pad enables you to BANK through software mixer eight faders at a time, NUDGE through mixer one channel at a time, or ZOOM in or out on track data horizontally or vertically, and move the play selector horizontally and vertically

Specialized Function Controls: Including Utility,Midi Edit (for MIDI mapping), PRE/Midi recall (recalls MIDI controller sets, MIDI maps, or Digidesign PRE parameter values), Fader Mute, and plug-in Focus

General Controls: Select Pro Tools interface window (Plug-in, Mix, or Edit), Loop Play, Loop Record, Quick Punch, and Memory Location

Transport Controls: Control common transport functions within Pro Tools (Play, Record, Stop, etc.)

Interfaces:
1-IN/2-OUT MIDI interface
USB connector
1/4" Punch In connector

Outputs: Speaker outputs - 1/4" TRS (balanced/unbalanced) connectors with +4 / +10 push button

Monitor Inputs: Main and External Source stereo inputs - 1/4" TRS (balanced/unbalanced) connectors with +4 / +10 push button per pair

Power:
Power cable connector
Power switch