Front panel poll

Is the front panel fine how it is or could it use some improvement?

  • Fine How it is

    Votes: 94 37.2%

  • Needs improvement

    Votes: 77 30.4%

  • rats behind, don't use it enough to have an opinion either way

    Votes: 82 32.4%
  • Total voters
    253
  • Poll closed .
laxu said:
Yes the onboard UI's block/row/column system is rather overcomplicated. In general the feature most commonly used is "move block to another spot". This should be a process that looks like this:
  1. Go to "Arrange blocks" page.
  2. Select the block you want to move with nav keys or big knob.
  3. Click Enter to pick it up.
  4. Use nav keys/big knob to move it where you want.
  5. Click Enter to drop it in place.
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I meant, but explained better. 👍

laxu said:
6. If there is something else already in that spot either replace it or swap their positions. The current functionality of swap is perhaps better because you don't lose that block's settings.
Click to expand...
What I meant by "insert" in my previous post is that dropping the block should rearrange the other blocks accordingly, cuz that's probably the most common usage imho.

Example:
We have this chain (with no shunts):

IN1-DLY-AMP-CAB-OUT1

If we move the delay to the right by two positions we should get this:

IN1-AMP-CAB-DLY-OUT1

Instead of this:

IN1-CAB-AMP-DLY-OUT1

Or at least we could have two options to drop the block, SWAP or INSERT

Currently we can do the "insert" (both in axe-edit and on the front panel) only by moving one position at a time or by moving the entire column (but the latter works only if you have just one row populated with blocks)
 
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DLC86 said:
That's exactly what I meant, but explained better. 👍


What I meant by "insert" in my previous post is that dropping the block should rearrange the other blocks accordingly, cuz that's probably the most common usage imho.

Example:
We have this chain (with no shunts):

IN1-DLY-AMP-CAB-OUT1

If we move the delay to the right by two positions we should get this:

IN1-AMP-CAB-DLY-OUT1

Instead of this:

IN1-CAB-AMP-DLY-OUT1

Or at least we could have two options to drop the block, SWAP or INSERT

Currently we can do the "insert" (both in axe-edit and on the front panel) only by moving one position at a time or by moving the entire column (but the latter works only if you have just one row populated with blocks)
Click to expand...
With more complicated signal chains it can break more stuff by putting things in between so I guess Fractal has determined just swapping the blocks is the least likely to fail option.

For your example you would have gotten your desired result by moving columns to the right instead.
 
laxu said:
With more complicated signal chains it can break more stuff by putting things in between so I guess Fractal has determined just swapping the blocks is the least likely to fail option.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I get that, but there are workarounds to avoid those issues, for example the "insert" option could be available only when the block is moved along the same row and/or when there are no connections with other rows involved.

Obviously I'm not a programmer so I don't how hard it is to implement, just an idea.

laxu said:
For your example you would have gotten your desired result by moving columns to the right instead.
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I know but, as I already said, that works only if only one row is used
 
I go through Axe Edit most of the time, but I've found the interface workable anyway. Figured out how to add/remove/edit blocks, it's not that difficult. It's just faster to do in Axe Edit.
 
laxu said:
Except the system works by "Enter = Open thing" everywhere except Layout grid. Edit button only does its labeled function in the Layout grid.
Click to expand...
You have it backwards. The Edit button does its labeled function everywhere (think of it as "Edit Block" button if it helps you).
IMO the functionality of Edit and Enter should be reversed in the layout grid. You Edit the connections, you Enter the selected block. Then the functionality would be consistent across the entire system.
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lol semantics. You could just as easily say "you Edit the blocks, you Enter in the connections."
There's a lot of small "need to remember" type things in how the onboard UI works. Sure, everyone can work around those but that does not mean they are good design.
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Agreed... but a lot of the criticisms are silly.
 
I use the performance page on gigs but home or studio I use a laptop with edit. Personally I'd like to see a version without a screen, shrink it back to 2 spaces and I'll use a laptop. Incorporate the screen into the FC like the FM9 for performance pages.
 
yek said:
Yup. It takes 10 - 15 minutes to learn to operate the front panel. Yet people spend MUCH more time writing complaints.
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10-15 minutes to learn to operate the panel, well, like anything else this is true when you learn it and then consistently spend time using it for a MUCH longer period of time.
 
Lots of good UI suggestions in this thread!

One other major function missing from the front panel is Block Copy either within a preset or across presets. This would almost be a showstopper for me if AE didn't exist - but it's annoying for me to have to plug in my computer to use AE (sometimes requiring an AE update) simply to do basic preset building/management. (But I have few gripes overall. )
 
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Phhhh ...You could've polled "Who's happy with the AX3 Firmware" two-weeks after it's initial release and most would have said "It's Great! Leave it the Hell Alone!" ...others would say "Yeah ...BUT..." and THOSE guys? ..those guys would have gotten their ears bent about that, ....yet .. come the following Friday - Presto-Changeo - New Firmware and all the ear-benders would lose their minds out of sheer gratitude.

It's easy to knock respectful suggestions for improvement when you already like a thing, but it doesn't carry a product forward. And we might also like to consider why we are so thankful when improvements come along when we are so happy to begin with.

One of the more unique things about Fractal is that they do seem to listen to their users. Not just the "I'm ComPlEtEly Happy! You can StoP Right There!" crowd... All of them. They seem to separate the wheat from the chaff, add their own secret sauce, and regularly improve their products. We all know this.

I voted could use an update. ...'Cause, why the hell not. Let's see what they can do with this thing in its next iteration - is why.

Fractal will make this thing better anyway in the future.. 'cause that's what they always do. Make already great stuff better. So, I don't see the problem with anyone 'nudging' - suggesting improvement or erring on the side of some-form of practical-certainty for suggesting revisions that we all know are likely to come.

...aaaaand no. I'm not going to argue about that. :0)
 
@Admin M@ agreed, yet to first-order it looks like a 1/3 pattern someone mentioned.

It would likely be different if a predicate for the poll was "for those who use the front panel as their primary interface, rate the following... "
 
Joe Bfstplk said:
Rat's @$$ here.

For the IV, hopefully the screen will be bigger, even if it means upping the size to 4U, and hopefully it will double or quadruple the processing power....
Click to expand...

Hopefully not. Since most people are using Axe Edit I would opt for a smaller screen on the IV instead of an even bigger screen. And return to 2U instead of 3U. No need for a bigger screen and form factor if you ask me.
 
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Mark-B said:
I voted could use an update. ...'Cause, why the hell not. Let's see what they can do with this thing in its next iteration - is why.
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The way I see it is Fractal's resources are a finite quantity. As stated, they DO listen rather closely to the comments and concerns about their product which is one of the many things I love about FAS. For my vote of one, I think organizational management within the unit as well as a few handy recording features are much more important than trying to figure out how to get 80,000 parameters on a patch instantly adjustable in an intuitive way from the front panel. I'm a case study of one and I understand that. Whats the potential tradeoff in getting this? Waiting longer for a few new models, a few new effects or other new features? God only knows if R&D is going on for a new product altogether or if somehow resources are needed to get FM9s out to the waitlist. May be worth it to you, only you know but not to me.

P.S. Im not arguing this is just how I speak ;)
 
chris said:
i think the poll options are a bit leading.

"needs improvement" is so general that even someone who thinks it's fine as it is could vote it needs improvement, because what couldn't use a little improvement?

just my opinion. probably leads to a skewed result.
Click to expand...
Interestingly, so far NI is trailing in the poll, suggesting even a broad definition of NI still isn't giving the choice much traction.
 
Bodde said:
Hopefully not. Since most people are using Axe Edit I would opt for a smaller screen on the IV instead of an ever bigger screen. And return to 2U instead of 3U. No need for a bigger screen and form factor if you ask me.
Click to expand...
As previously stated, I'd opt to save a few hundred and get a blank faceplate version if the IV were made available that way.
 
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