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Best size of touchscreen

Buying or building computers for Hauptwerk, recommendations, troubleshooting computer hardware issues.
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Reserpine

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Best size of touchscreen

PostMon Jun 15, 2015 3:53 am

I am just setting up. I currently have two manuals, a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 interface, a 16GB PC and a pair of Yamaha HS8 monitors.

Next, I need a pair of touchscreens and I was wondering what size I'd need. Would I need 15", 19" or larger? Just wondering what people's experience tells them?

Also, I have heard about something called a Launchpad, but it just seems to be a square array of buttons, so I am not sure how you'd know which stop was which? Any experience of those? Are they any use?


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mdyde

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Re: Best size of touchscreen

PostMon Jun 15, 2015 4:30 am

Hello Reserpine,

Reserpine wrote:Also, I have heard about something called a Launchpad, but it just seems to be a square array of buttons, so I am not sure how you'd know which stop was which? Any experience of those? Are they any use?


Novation Launchpads (as with touch-screens) are very popular amongst Hauptwerk users, and Hauptwerk has dedicated support for controlling their buttons' LEDs, so that you can pick the colour in which each button lights up. For example, you might use red for couplers, green for stops, yellow for pistons, or whatever you prefer. You could optionally also assign the buttons in the same layout as the controls appear on the organ's stop jambs, so that their positions are easy to remember (for larger organs that might need more than one Launchpad). Some people also use home-made detachable transparent overlays for labelling the buttons.

Searching the forum for 'Launchpad' should find quite a few posts, pictures and descriptions of how people like to use them. E.g. Andrew Grahame's console here uses four Launchpads with overlays:

http://forum.hauptwerk.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=11506&p=104701#p104701

Here's a photo I took with a layout assigned for St. Anne's (without overlays):

http://forum.hauptwerk.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8410&start=30#p62970

Another possibility is to use touch-screens for stops (occasional hand registering and programming combinations) and a Launchpad (which may be slightly more convenient/quicker to interact with in real-time while playing than a touch-screen) for pistons while playing.
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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Reserpine

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Re: Best size of touchscreen

PostMon Jun 15, 2015 4:58 am

Thanks mdyde, that's interesting.

I suspect I would prefer using touchscreens, though, to be honest. I may find Launchpads a little confusing.

What about the first part of my question on size of touchscreens?

Thanks again for your help!
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IainStinson

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Re: Best size of touchscreen

PostMon Jun 15, 2015 5:29 am

I use two iiyam 24” screens http://www.iiyama.com/gl_en/products/prolite-t2451mts-1/ in portrait orientation. I mount them on two Ergo Mount arms http://www.ergomounts.co.uk/ultraview-401-desk-mount-lcd-monitor-arms.htm which are attached to the console base. With most of the newer sample sets this provides a good simulation of the drawstop jambs.

The 24” screens (measured across the diagonal in inches) are really nice to use and generally easy to read and comfortable to use. They don't feel too overpowering when seated at the console - larger screens might.

Iain
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Reserpine

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Re: Best size of touchscreen

PostMon Jun 15, 2015 6:03 am

IainStinson wrote:I use two iiyam 24” screens http://www.iiyama.com/gl_en/products/prolite-t2451mts-1/ in portrait orientation. I mount them on two Ergo Mount arms http://www.ergomounts.co.uk/ultraview-401-desk-mount-lcd-monitor-arms.htm which are attached to the console base. With most of the newer sample sets this provides a good simulation of the drawstop jambs.

The 24” screens (measured across the diagonal in inches) are really nice to use and generally easy to read and comfortable to use. They don't feel too overpowering when seated at the console - larger screens might.

Iain


Thanks. I was wondering if they needed to be that large, but perhaps they do.

Presumably I wouldn't also need a third screen to just generally run the PC with? I am thinking of booting up, starting Hauptwerk etc, loading an organ. I could just use one of the two "side" screens, presumably?
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mdyde

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Re: Best size of touchscreen

PostMon Jun 15, 2015 6:13 am

Reserpine wrote:Presumably I wouldn't also need a third screen to just generally run the PC with? I am thinking of booting up, starting Hauptwerk etc, loading an organ. I could just use one of the two "side" screens, presumably?


Correct.
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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Organorak

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Re: Best size of touchscreen

PostTue Jun 16, 2015 4:16 pm

Touchscreens in the 23 or 24 inch widescreen size in portrait orientation work very well for 3 or 4 manual organs as they are about the same surface area as stop jambs. In fact most touchscreens probably are that size these days as Windows 7 and 8 really opened up the market for them.

A central monitor isn't essential as you can control your PC functions using either touchscreen, but if you can cope with a bit of fiddly computer configurating, it makes a huge difference to be able to display sheet music pdf files on a central music screen (controlable by thumb or toe pistons), such as what I did for my house organ:

Image
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ChangedForever

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Re: Best size of touchscreen

PostTue Jun 16, 2015 5:59 pm

Reserpine - I'm using the "middle monitor" to display musicreader and Hauptwerk for my sheetmusic (Dell 24"). The main is not a touchscreen, though. I'm to get the touchscreens for stops soon, though....quite like Organorak has his system set up (did he read MY mind or did I read his?...).

Hook the musicreader up to a biteswitch and never have to push a button again... :D

Thanks,
Mark
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murph

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Re: Best size of touchscreen

PostTue Jun 16, 2015 6:06 pm

I have a 15" elo that I never really use. A Viewsonic TD2420 replaced it, and I was happy with that. Recently I purchased a HP TM23 for the amazing price of €205 inc vat!!!!. (Due to currency blips, it is now €225, but still a bargain). I am seriously considering dumping the viewsonic (or using it for score display) for a second HP.
The picture quality is far superior, as is the viewing angle with them in portrait.
I highly recommend them. (No Vga, however. HDMI or DVI only. Also, no XP drivers).

(I also have a launchpad, but find I prefer the touch-screens for versatility. If I only used one sample set most of the time, the launchpad would probably win. However, variety is the spice of life..)
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Reserpine

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Re: Best size of touchscreen

PostWed Jun 17, 2015 4:07 am

I am very grateful to all of you for your advice
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GrahamH

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Re: Best size of touchscreen

PostWed Jun 17, 2015 4:55 am

I have 15" touch screens in portrait mode. They work well for me because I use jOrgan to create my own virtual stop jambs which sit over the top of the Hauptwerk display and make the best use of the available "real estate". But for use with the GUI's that come with most Hauptwerk sample sets, they would not be very suitable.
I bought my monitors over five years ago, before the wide-screen models became generally available at a reasonable price. If I were buying touch screens today I would go for at least 19" and probably 22/24".

Graham

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