Top-10 Insane flaws of the speed editor

TOP-10 INSANE FLAWS OF THE SPEEDEDITOR

Nr 1 No button to ripple trim to the playhead position
Nr 2 No customizable buttons
Nr 3 No way to customize buttons that does nothing when not in use (such as 1-9 Multicam buttons)
Nr 4 No redo-button
Nr 5 Rare (useless) buttons that only 1 in 100 editors press
Nr 6 No way to prevent The Scrollwheel from being disabled when STOP/PLAY or spacebar starts playback
Nr 7 No Send-feedback-directly-to-Billionaire-Grant-Petty-button
Nr 8 No firmware updates (almost all issues have ez fixes)
Nr 9 No key/button illumination
Nr 10 Misleading product name

Happy Thursday fellow editors! Let me know in the comments if you don't agree with my list!

Well… the Speed Editor I bought a year ago is still in its original box unopened.

Ok, so you don't like it. I have no problem using mine all the time in the Edit page.

I use mine all the time. Much faster and more fun.

Nr 8 No firmware updates (almost all issues have ez fixes)

I just installed another firmware update for the Speed Editor a few days ago. Although I have no idea what it fixed (if anything).

I agree it would be good if you could customize the unsued buttons but overall I think it's a great piece of kit, Personally, I'm faster with the speed editor and DR than I am with FCPX.

Ok, so you don't like it. I have no problem using mine all the time in the Edit page.

Charles, you are missing the point.
I challenge you to set up shortcuts on your regular keyboard (Trim Start / Trim End) Then when you have tried that, you will know what I'm talking about and you will be better equipt to comment on it.

We all have different ways of working. Your keyboard shortcuts suit your workflow. The Speed Editor way of working suits mine. Neither is right or wrong. I am sure that when the IPad Pro Resolve app becomes available there will be similar views with those that love it and those that hate it.

I very much agree with 1-3.

1 is in fact a joke, since it's one of the most performed actions for many editors.

The Multi-Cam buttons just collect dust on most desks and could be well used for mapping user actions.

Does BMD care? Doesn't look like it.

Anyone know if the full size editors keyboard supports re-mappable keyboard shortcuts? I assume it does.

Just fix 3 and 6 on the next firmware and I can start using it. Better yet, a firmware upgrade so it can be used in the Edit page too.

Ellory,

Many of us use the SE in the Edit page on a daily basis. It works great

What SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU is missing from SE functionality on the Edit page?

We all have different ways of working. Your keyboard shortcuts suit your workflow. The Speed Editor way of working suits mine. Neither is right or wrong. I am sure that when the IPad Pro Resolve app becomes available there will be similar views with those that love it and those that hate it.

I'm sorry to have to say it Charles, but the reason the speededitor suits your workflow is most likely because you are slow.
I think it's arrogant that you did not mention my challenge, and more so, that you don't try to think outside your own head on this one. The difference between our differnt "ways of working" is that I'm trying to improve mine and yours and you are trying to stop that. It does not seem that BMD is reading the forum, but if they do, you are hindering development.

Carl,

Being aggressive, rude, and insulting is not going to further your cause.

Stick to commenting on BM software & hardware only.

This forum is both monitored and moderated by Blackmagic.

Carl,

Being aggressive, rude, and insulting is not going to further your cause.

Stick to commenting on BM software & hardware only.

This forum is both monitored and moderated by Blackmagic.

+1

Don't agree with the tone but I too observed some strange brand protectionism culture on these forums, especially from more active members. Not sure how that is beneficial to anyone.

The Speed Editor is great but there's no denying it could be much, much better with probably just rather simple firmware updates.

Terrible tone to this thread. I will stick to my comments regarding Nr 1-10 from the OP.

Nr 1 No button to ripple trim to the playhead position - true - would be handy - in the meantime, use your keyboard
Nr 2 No customizable buttons - true - would be handy, in the meantime, use your keyboard
Nr 3 No way to customize buttons that does nothing when not in use (such as 1-9 Multicam buttons) - same as Nr 2, really (the Multicam buttons are also used for 1-4 track selection in the cut page)
Nr 4 No redo-button - true - would be handy, in the meantime, use your keyboard (SHIFT + CMD + Z)
Nr 5 Rare (useless) buttons that only 1 in 100 editors press - unable to fact-check the claim that 1/100 don't use some of the keys, however, I don't use half the shortcuts on the keyboard, either
Nr 6 No way to prevent The Scrollwheel from being disabled when STOP/PLAY or spacebar starts playback - true - room for improvement if you'd like the scroll wheel to override playback (might be useful)
Nr 7 No Send-feedback-directly-to-Billionaire-Grant-Petty-button - pointless comment derails the thread
Nr 8 No firmware updates (almost all issues have ez fixes) - fact check - untrue - there have been firmware updates
Nr 9 No key/button illumination - true - would be handy to have illuminated keys provided the feature could be disabled as well
Nr 10 Misleading product name - opinion - some users find the product actually does speed-up their workflow

One of the issues with the speed editor is that it is clearly not a keyboard replacement. For that, BMD offers the editor keyboard product. The speed editor in combination with a keyboard provides much better coverage.

The hostile nature of this thread is unfortunate. Personal attacks are unwarranted and should be moderated.

Yes, it seems that the full size Editors keyboard may be a better solution for many.

Can anyone confirm that it does support keyboard shortcut remapping?

Ok so now I'm banned? (That might be some kind of snowflake world record!)

I'm sorry if my tone is offensive and causing anybody pain.

[quote="Steve Alexander"]
Nr 1 No button to ripple trim to the playhead position - true - would be handy - in the meantime, use your keyboard (Regarding this tip to use my keyboard - Imagine if you got a Ferarri and it only had the first gear and support was like - yeah sure more gears would be great but in the meantime just use your bike.

Nr 7 No Send-feedback-directly-to-Billionaire-Grant-Petty-button - pointless comment derails the thread
I think people misunderstood this one. Grant seems to be a very smart and reasonable guy, and if somehow, the news of how flawed the speededitor is was to reach him, and how easy It could be fixed, I really do think he would set a plan in action to fix it. I gladly pay top dollar for a product that works well and I have no problem helping Grant earn his second billion.

Nr 8 No firmware updates (almost all issues have ez fixes) - fact check - untrue - there have been firmware updates
* firmware upgrades.

Nr 10 Misleading product name - opinion - some users find the product actually does speed-up their workflow
"Some users" This comment gave me a true lol-moment! Thank you for that!

Yes, it seems that the full size Editors keyboard may be a better solution for many.

Can anyone confirm that it does support keyboard shortcut remapping?

I have been +1 on this question for years!
(a safe bet is you can't remap anything on that thing)

Nr 9 No key/button illumination - true - would be handy to have illuminated keys provided the feature could be disabled as well

Hey Steve, I wish I can also disable the illuminated keys on the micro panels when not in use without having to unplug the USB.

Nr 1 No button to ripple trim to the playhead position - true - would be handy - in the meantime, use your keyboard (Regarding this tip to use my keyboard -

Imagine if you got a Ferarri and it only had the first gear and support was like - yeah sure more gears would be great but in the meantime just use your bike.

The Speed Editor is no Ferrari. More like upgrading your bike to a tandem one.

Let’s move on. Cheers all!

Well… the Speed Editor I bought a year ago is still in its original box unopened.

The Speed Editor is no Ferrari. More like upgrading your bike to a tandem one.

So you didn't even try it and you already passed judgement?

You also didn't bother to answer my question to you above. Presumably because you haven't actually used the thing.

I'm sorry if my tone is offensive and causing anybody pain.

The written word is often misunderstood. No worries Carl.

Well… the Speed Editor I bought a year ago is still in its original box unopened.

The Speed Editor is no Ferrari. More like upgrading your bike to a tandem one.

So you didn't even try it and you already passed judgement?

You also didn't bother to answer my question to you above. Presumably because you haven't actually used the thing.

Hey Mark, you are being presumptive. I have used the SE several times and I can pass judgement whenever I want. That’s my prerogative. For one, I am not a fan of it because it was designed for the CUT page, one tab that I do use at all. I prefer to edit in the EDIT page. I got the SE when it was new in the market. I didn’t open mind but my other collaborators had it and I have used theirs a few times. Also the Ferrari and the tandem bike, that was me being jokingly sarcastic to the poster who said that the SE was a Ferrari with a single gear, so they have to ride a bike, or so however they put it. That was not passing judgement.

And oh, I didn’t read your post in response to mine. Here is my answer. It’s not design to be for the EDIT page, and wasting 9 keys all for multicam, what were they thinking? So there you go. That’s my response. End of story.

BTW, I don’t have to answer everyone post because I don’t have to. So don’t be presumptuous.

Hey Ellory,

YOU wrote " ...still in its original box unopened"

So, no presumption by me.

Also, no need to repeat yourself. I can read fine thanks!

Best regards,

Mark.

Nr 9 No key/button illumination

This was a question asked at NAB when both the Speed Editor and the Editor Keyboard were introduced at NAB: "why aren't there illuminated keys?" And the answer was, they looked into it and the cost would have been through the roof and impractical. They pointed out that Avid, CMX, Sony, and several other companies had released editing keyboards over the years, and none of them were illuminated (for similar reasons). Note that the very-similar CMX and Sony editing keyboards were about $3000 when they were being sold in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Nr 10 Misleading product name

You know, I've never been able to edit quickly on the Speed Editor, but I consider myself a colorist and not an editor... even though I've waded in the pool of being a finishing editor for about 10 years. I've seen people be lightning-fast on the Speed Editor, and you can watch the demos on YouTube to see for yourself. A lot of it boils down to lots of time, practice, and experience -- do it long enough, and you'll be very fast.

The Cut Page isn't appropriate for the way I work, but I know people who love it and use it every day, so it's one of those "choose a way to work and go with what you like" situations.

I know people who've purchased inexpensive macro keyboards and tied them to the Speed Editor just to give them the ability to customize keys and do lots of different things -- even jumping out of Resolve, going into a Note program, making a note, then coming back to Resolve. A lot of this involves changing your way of thinking. If you spend more time learning the software (and the hardware) and less time complaining, I guarantee you you'll be more productive.

]If you spend more time learning the software (and the hardware) and less time complaining, I guarantee you you'll be more productive.

Still, many of his points are true.

For (intuitive) editors, Nr. 1 is a constantly used action. Having to interrupt the flow over and over again by looking down and moving your hands to the keyboard to press a shortcut, or to the mouse, and then back again to the SE, is not just slowing the process if you have to do it several times a minute, but it also interrupts the flow. And flow is critical to make good decisions.

Make the multi-cam keys programmable (how many people use them?) and any editor can assign what they actually, individually, need to be "speedy".

I like the SE a lot but it could be MUCH better with some firmware tweaks. Probably won't happen :/

Probably won't happen :/

Sad, but true. Folks have been asking for some of these most obvious and useful shortcut omissions to be addressed, pretty much since launch, and they'll certainly have seen the feedback... but if a no cost feature update was going to happen, it feels like it would have already happened by now. They did release the (paid) Advanced Panel Key Caps upgrade post launch tho ... but given the Speed Editor's price, perhaps an entirely new Speed Editor unit (v2), at some point, is more likely.

entirely new Speed Editor unit (v2), at some point, is more likely.

So further to this idea... what should v2 look like?

Personally, I have concluded I will always need a keyboard handy so a reduced size & shape that fits more nicely side by side would work best for me. The search dial is hands-down the best feature, with perhaps a few other customizable buttons.

Thoughts?

I have given the speededitor and the cutpage some more time now and I conclude the following:
Using SPLIT + RIPL DEL or SPLIT + scrollwheel back + RIPL DEL to trim down a timeline is a nice feature, although the left hand is in a somewhat uneasy position compared to the regular keyboard. Albeit nice, it does not come close to the Trim function in the cut page. And with a regular keyboard I can Shift+V +Cut +RIPL DEL or TRIM on the Cut page, so even if I start using the cut page full time, the regular keyboard is faster and unlocks editing functions that are blocked on the speededitor.

What is the reason "Selection follows playhead" is disabled in the cut page alongside Swap Clips, Move Clips Vertically and so on? All design is by will, there must be a good reason, unless it is a mistake.

At this point, I'm starting to doubt the speededitor could be upgraded in a way so it can catch up to a regular keyboard but just in case, is there anybody here in the forum that knows any person or has an email or phone number of any developer or team leader that might actually put work into this?

what should v2 look like?

It will look like this! :)

Design_CGI_Lightworks_Console_Mark_1.jpg (265.06 KiB) Viewed 3244 times

Tho to be fair, as much as I loved my old Mark I Lightworks controller, it will hopefully look more like the Mark II version, which included 8 user customisable macro keys.

I think a SPEED EDITOR should only have 5 keys that you can cut and edit and entire timeline with just 5 keys using the fingers in one hand. That’s the true definition of speed editing. The question is what are these 5 keys?

Just wanted to add---
1) I like the speed editor even with its current limitations.
2) Making the buttons remappable would be freakin' awesome!

For me it's not that much about the number of keys but the way they are working. I am using the SE with my left hand only so all functions that are activated by holding down a key are more or less useless.
A toggle on/off would be much more handy.

Nr 9 No key/button illumination

they looked into it and the cost would have been through the roof and impractical.

There are plenty of 10-dollar bicolor illuminating keyboards out there that work fine.

At the point where you give up on the speededitor and decide to use it as a good scrollwheel alongside your regular keyboard - another brick wall hits you hard in the face. Nr 6.
Since the Scrollwheel is programmed to NOT overwrite playback (as it obviously should - overwriting playback is THE ONE THING A SCROLLWHEEL SHOULD DO) this ill-advised and counterproductive decision literary blocks the speededitor from being a good scrollwheel alongside your regular keyboard.
And the fix is just sitting there, a simple firmware update away.

There are plenty of 10-dollar bicolor illuminating keyboards out there that work fine.

Not sure why you'd want that, except for being another source of garish light pollution when you're working. I guess the track select and mode buttons on my mixer light up to indicate modes, maybe it could do that? There are already LEDs for toggleable things.

What would making it light up do?

At the point where you give up on the speededitor and decide to use it as a good scrollwheel alongside your regular keyboard - another brick wall hits you hard in the face. Nr 6.
Since the Scrollwheel is programmed to NOT overwrite playback (as it obviously should - overwriting playback is THE ONE THING A SCROLLWHEEL SHOULD DO) this ill-advised and counterproductive decision literary blocks the speededitor from being a good scrollwheel alongside your regular keyboard.

What exactly do you mean, "overwrite playback"?

...the Scrollwheel is programmed to NOT overwrite playback (as it obviously should - overwriting playback is THE ONE THING A SCROLLWHEEL SHOULD DO)...

What do you mean by "overwrite playback"? Did you mean to write "override", as in "playback should not be interrupted by accidentally nudging the scrollwheel"?

...the Scrollwheel is programmed to NOT overwrite playback (as it obviously should - overwriting playback is THE ONE THING A SCROLLWHEEL SHOULD DO)...

What do you mean by "overwrite playback"? Did you mean to write "override", as in "playback should not be interrupted by accidentally nudging the scrollwheel"?

No, the opposite. The playback SHOULD be interrupted by nudging the scrollwheel That is the whole point.
If you are in playback after pressing Play on the speededitor or The Spacebar on your keyboard, you cannot change the speed of the playback using the scrollwheel, it is disabled by design, you have to first stop the playback using stop or spacebar, and then you can start controlling the playback using the scrollwheel.
Most likely this is not due to a mechanical limitation as the J K L functions work after you hit play or spacebar and the scrollwheel is basically just a J K L knob. This means that the people behind the speededitor think that editors prefer to stop the playback before they speed up the playback if their intention is to go from playback to fast-forward playback. This lack of basic understanding of editing explains most of the other shortcomings of the speededitor.

Must be a Windows thing. If my SE is set to shuttle, it takes over from playback if I touch it.
It doesn't for jog or scroll, which makes sense to me.

My findings are thus. On all pages with Shuttle selected all will enter that mode from playback if you move the wheel.
Additionally, in the Fairlight page with Jog selected it will enter that mode from playback if you move the wheel.
There is no need to press the Spacebar to stop playback. If you press the Shuttle, Jog, or Scroll buttons whilst playing back, playback will stop and you will be in the selected mode controlled by the wheel.
Just hit the Spacebar to go back to playback. You can do this with your thumb when your hand is on the wheel.

Whether right or wrong this is how the SE is programmed.

Blackmagic is a great value proposition, but ignoring the limitations that come with an affordable price point is , well, a waste of time. It makes sense to me that BM can't include all the features of a $3,000 edit controller into one that is a fraction of the price.

It appears to me the OP needs a more expensive controller to work as fast as required( Although I am a bit curious why you need to edit so fast..., are you editing daily news)?

Since the beginning of film and TV production people made or modified custom equipment, or at least got someone else to make custom equipment. Maybe there is some kind of affordable programmable edit controller that will allow you to edit as fast as you need to?

I don't think its protectionist to defend a product you have invested in, but SOMETIMES these clickbait message threads are being created because the OP picked the wrong product...,the cheaper solution.

My findings are thus. On all pages with Shuttle selected all will enter that mode from playback if you move the wheel.
Additionally, in the Fairlight page with Jog selected it will enter that mode from playback if you move the wheel.
There is no need to press the Spacebar to stop playback. If you press the Shuttle, Jog, or Scroll buttons whilst playing back, playback will stop and you will be in the selected mode controlled by the wheel.
Just hit the Spacebar to go back to playback. You can do this with your thumb when your hand is on the wheel.

Whether right or wrong this is how the SE is programmed.

Shuttle via the scrollwheel is 100% useless for the situations I am talking about. Btw the shuttle is borderline broken on the speededitor as it jumps back and forth like craze, it is much too sensitive. It is nearly impossible to use it as you desire and many times it confuses backward with forward.

It seems that you do not understand the use case I am talking about. Say you are in playback and you see something on the frame, it may be an issue with the coloring or you found a good frame to start or end a clip, or you need to review a specific part or frame, for whatever reason, this might happen 10-10000 times during a workday. At these times you want to quickly grab the scrollwheel and have the ability to easily go back a few frames or seconds, depending on your turn speed, and then go back and forth. This is an awesome feature and the speededitor does this beautifully in JOG mode. But you have to stop the playback before you can enter this mode, and this is the problem.
If you claim that you can use shuttle mode to make the same kind of adjustments as you can in JOG mode, it is very likely that you are the son of God.

Why should you? I keep my thumb and pinky on the wheel and the other fingers are switching modes.
The only thing I miss is the good old spring action that was snapping shuttle back to zero when you let go (oh yes, the Sony BVE). But that would have to be switching off for the other modes, probably something impossible for the price.

Carl, as I said in my previous post, you only need to press the Jog button to stop playback and enter that mode. There is no need to press the Spacebar first.
What is this nonsense about using Shuttle mode to make the same kind of adjustments as Jog? I said nothing of the kind.
You do seem to be putting obstacles in the way of using the SE. Maybe you should just use keyboard shortcuts instead.
After all, even Avid no longer make dedicated controllers for Media Composer, only keyboards which don't have a jog wheel.

Uli, I don't know how close the Editor keyboard mimics the BVE, but it does electronically put in the end stops in Shuttle mode, so may also mimic the spring return to zero as well .

Carl, as I said in my previous post, you only need to press the Jog button to stop playback and enter that mode. There is no need to press the Spacebar first.
What is this nonsense about using Shuttle mode to make the same kind of adjustments as Jog? I said nothing of the kind.
You do seem to be putting obstacles in the way of using the SE. Maybe you should just use keyboard shortcuts instead.
After all, even Avid no longer make dedicated controllers for Media Composer, only keyboards which don't have a jog wheel.

You fail to contemplate what it is I am saying Charles!
I'm not saying that you CAN'T switch over to jog mode! I am saying that you should not have to!
It should always be there.
Every time you jump on that scrollwheel during playback it should be there.
If it turns out that it's not just you that always wants to first press a button to activate the Jog before joging then there could be an option to do so in the preferences. This way this change would not have to terrify you so much.

And btw, you cannot quickly press the Jog button without looking directly at it unless you already have your finger resting on it - and having your finger on the jog-button actually creates a strain on your hand, similar to the strain from a computer mouse. The speededitor is in fact too high to allow for an actual Resting position on the buttons.
Yes, you can have your thumb and pinky on the wheel and your index on the Jog, but this way you are passively wasting 50% of your hands at all times plus creating this strain.
Can you really not see that there is a better way, just a simple firmware update away?

Carl, now you are insulting with statements like "This way this change would not have to terrify you so much."
After 50+ years in professional audio for film and radio, plus being a lighting cameraman and editor in video, I can assure you nothing "terrifies" me.

........ I too observed some strange brand protectionism culture on these forums, especially from more active members. Not sure how that is beneficial to anyone.

The Speed Editor is great but there's no denying it could be much, much better with probably just rather simple firmware updates.

I agree 100% on both points.

The attitude of some of the more active members to the brand and their particular workflow discourages others. As does their attitude to any sort of user who is not in their group. It discourages many from participating here. This means the majority of Resolve users (and ATEM mini users) don't user the BMD forum.

As for the Speed Editor. A good product spoiled. It might have been designed for one use case but the serious design flaws ruin it for the majority. Illuminated full size QWERTY keyboards start at around $15 and in any case 4 of the SE keys already have LED's on them. Change them for bi-colour and you change colour for the active one.

As for the Nine multi cam keys.... these should be reprogrammable. It would be trivial for BMD to change the mapping with an app inside Resolve. That would not even need a firmware upgrade. Actually most of the updates people want could be done in Resolve rather than the SE.

The only thing that does need a FW upgrade is to have a permanent turn off/on of the blue tooth via the USB It is ludicrous and I think illegal in some places to have a transmitter running that you can't turn off. Not just on aircraft.

I would love illuminated keys and reprogammable keys in the Center Multicam cluster. I also think there should be next/prev keys to jump back and forth. I use the Speed Editor located to the right of my MacBook and often rest my left hand on the MacBook keyboard to perform certain trim operations and next/prev operations. I love having the jog/shuttle control and the specialized use on the cut page. I'm actually surprised how much i enjoy using it, despite its shortcomings.