[doogerdog]

I have used dedicated key pads for video/photo editing on my desktop mac for many years. I’ve found that what matters most to make it more efficient and enjoyable is the quality of the key switches.

I started with a Genovation CP24 that triggers macros in Keyboard Maestro. I was very happy with the setup, but when Stream Deck arrived I got the big one and dove into making it work for me. Stream Deck is pretty impressive but the switches on the Gennovation are just better, so I went back. With the Gennovation a finger can just reach where it needs and feel that the click has been done. I could never get that level of comfort with the Stream Deck keys.

I also found that I preferred just making a paper label and popping it under the cover worked better that the cute Stream Deck key system. I can very quickly make paper labels that visually group similar keys. I can also make a key that needs to stand out from the rest. (Such as my universal delete key that works in all applications – saves me a lot of time but I had to learn to not be hitting it by accident.) Once I have labeled my keys just as I like, I don’t change them so the Stream Deck system seems like overkill.

I now have two Genovation CP24’s and one CP48 hooked up to my mac. I am so dependent on them that I browsed eBay to pick up some spares incase I ever need them.

Keyboard Maestro is the other indispensable element to my system. I has it’s quirks but seems to me that everyone should know it (or the PC equivalent) backward and forward. I have about 50 macros that get used every day. I have 252 macros in Keyboard Maestro right now. (I keep a lot of old ones around to serve as notes for making new ones, or for when software updates make one not work.) I can work on other peoples machines but I REALLY love using mine. There is just nothing like having a dedicated key that does a series of steps that you need done very often. It frees up my mind. Some of my macros in DaVinci Resolve do many operations without me having to think about stepping through each one. Same with Pixelmator Pro.