As you know, in today’s society, many tools support graphic designers and architects. Prominent among them we can mention is Tourbox, a software that supports almost everything a visual designer needs; Tourbox helps them focus on their creative work. It also helps to optimize the processing and editing capabilities of designers.
Below I will give you some experience and knowledge in choosing the best tourbox for yourself. These experiences are essential not only for a graphic designer but also give you a lot of knowledge about Tourbox.
What is a Tourbox Controller?
TourBox is the most advanced creative control for Photoshop, Lightroom, SAI, and other image processing software.
It is specially designed for photographers and designers who want to improve their work efficiency and experience a new modern method for editing content.
It frees users from endlessly repetitive tasks like drawing and editing using a new intuitive, convenient and natural approach. Customize your output, make it simpler to enter information, and improve your work.
Users can give Photoshop, Lightroom, or SAI different tasks on the fully customizable TourBox device.
Additionally, you can modify the TourBox to work with any software. Create a TourBox uniquely tailored to your workflow to eliminate the need for tricky keystrokes or key combinations.
TourBox is intuitively designed to work with the user’s mouse and tablet. Easily and simultaneously control brush size, flow, opacity, and hardness while you work to stay focused on your creativity.
Tourbox is a plug-in editing console with editing software (audio, photo, and video) to speed up a professional’s workflow.
Although Tourbox may be set up to function with any software as long as there are keyboard shortcuts, we only tested it with Adobe Photoshop and DaVinci Resolve for the sake of this review.
Main function:
- Three assignable dials, one with a press function
- 11 buttons with seven different sizes, all user-specifiable
- Support for any software with existing shortcuts
- USB pass-through
Benefits of using TourBox
- Provides the ability to optimize the creative design
- The function of TourBox in design
- Tourbox can connect with
1. Provides the ability to optimize the creative design
The TourBox Neo surpasses the capabilities of a regular keyboard by delivering unparalleled speed and total control over your digital media creative endeavors.
Watching the fingers of graphic designers work magically as they work is fantastic. Looking at them was like seeing Tiger Woods holding a golf club as if the club was part of his body and the TourBox was like that.
The Tourbox with the graphic designer as if he was working when working is a fantastic thing. And believe it or not, elite graphic designers of all kinds perform equally impressive creative feats.
If you’ve seen a master editor edit a film or crop a beautiful photo, you know it takes skill and aptitude that only a select few possess.
But just like Van Halen needs his Frankenstein or Tiger needs his TaylorMade club, a top editor needs the right tools to represent their genius properly.
The TourBox Neo ($127.50 with coupon VDAY2021 from TNW Deals) may be that prestigious tool for media artists, a digital editing Excalibur made to make decent editors appear excellent and compete with the greatest of them.
Instead of using a traditional mouse or even a keyboard, the TourBox Neo is a handheld controller that optimizes the editing workflow for any graphic media editing software user.
2. The function of TourBox in design
This desktop controller has 14 distinct switches, knobs, sliders, and buttons, all of which may be used to edit your video in the manner you choose.
The entire device is programmable, depending on your software. You can use the knob to adjust the speed of your footage when editing videos with a program like Final Cut Pro or to change the size, flow, transparency, and hardness of your brushes in drawing software like Clip Studio Paint.
Once the user gets used to the TourBox, the controller begins to feel like second nature, precisely calibrated for superior speed, accuracy, and acceleration, with an ergonomic hands-on layout that allows Quick access to all your most frequently used controls.
Whether digital painting, design, photo editing, or video editing, keyboard shortcuts and multi-button combinations can make tasks less daunting and faster. It is to improve your overall creative experience.
3. Tourbox can connect with
TourBox syncs with more than a dozen of the most widely used digital creation products, including Adobe Creative Suite, and can be used with a mouse or tablet.
From image editing in Lightroom and Photoshop to video projects in Premiere to graphic design and artwork in Illustrator and InDesign, TourBox is configured to get the most out of the application and for yourself.
TourBox works with many creative-enabled applications, including Final Cut Pro, Capture One, Clip Studio Paint, Comic Studio, DaVinci, and Windows and Mac OS systems.
Considerations to make when choosing to purchase TourBox
- Compared to similar products
- Arrangement and control
- Setup and install
- Using Tourbox
- The habit of using the dominant hand
1. Compared to similar products
The Tourbox has a single price of less than $200. Similar functionality is available from rival products like the Loupedeck CT ($550) and Monogram ($330), but at a price that some consumers find hard to justify.
Although less expensive options are available, such as Elgato’s Streamdeck ($92), they lack the Tourbox’s Tourbox’s haptic interface.
After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Tour box was first made available and is now available for $170.
2. Arrangement and control
The TourBox’s outward appearance, which includes the product’s thickness, is the first thing you need to pay attention to.
TourBox designs are vast and different from others, depending on the user’s needs. This might be because it is made to stay put on your desk.
A 5ft side USB-C to USB-A cable and the instruction manual, which is very helpful for those using the TourBox for the first time, are included with the device. The actual device is contained in the box.
Many TourBox models have soft rubber finishes, which can corrode and become sticky over time. But honestly, the rubber on the TourBox gadgets protects and cushions the users.
Additionally, you shouldn’t worry too much because TourBox’s rubber materials have been upgraded and are no longer a concern for users.
It is best to consider how quickly the TourBox can accumulate stains or fingerprints. Because you undoubtedly don’t want your cherished TourBox to look unsightly from use-related yellow stains and fingerprints.
Most TourBox designs are a tactile interface; Tourbox generally has four large main buttons (3 on the main surface, one on the left) that are easy to use and has a click-like operation with minimal movement.
Many TourBox devices have the central center knob that feels a bit lost when in use and may experience more friction.
The scroll wheel (top left) is moderate in terms of resistance and can be clicked inside, providing extra functionality.
The dial (bottom left) can benefit from a sensitivity adjustment; it’s too sensitive for some users and tends to slip a bit.
I am sure that you will need to consider it in choosing to buy a TourBox; you would not want to buy a TourBox device that does not feel comfortable when used, right?
For a few people who have used it, the 4 D-pad buttons are small, and their position is too close to the center dial. The rounded C1 and C2 buttons (upper right) are also on the small side.
You’re sure to use the TourBox’s component buttons often, so I think you need to try them. Unfortunately, if you find the TourBox buttons uncomfortable or unusual, try another model.
3. Setup and install
You note upon purchase, for everything to work, you’ll first need to download and install the Tour box Console app available for Mac and PC – there’s currently no support for Andriod, iOS, or Linux.
You need to know your TourBox if you want to use it will have to download what software. Software installation is a bit more complicated than usual because you must install the drivers separately. I’ve used it on a self-built Ryzen (1700X) PC running Windows 10, and I’d like the installation process to be a bit more streamlined.
Currently, the Tourbox Dashboard doesn’t load automatically with Windows or MacOS.
TourBox models do not automatically load with Windows or MacOS, typically the TourBox Console. Currently, the Tourbox Console does not automatically load with Windows or MacOS.
It must be launched before using your preferred editing program. However, a remedy for this is coming in a later release of the program. Manually creating a shortcut in your starting items folder is one approach to get around this.
By utilizing the supplied connection to connect to your computer, the Tourbox may also pass another USB device through its convenient USB A 3.0 port.
4. Using Tourbox
As previously mentioned, the Tourbox features a variety of buttons and dials that can be used individually or in combination.
The TourBox can be set up to have 38 user-defined functions, which correspond to software shortcuts. These functions can be set differently for each software you want to use, Tourbox.
The software comes preloaded with keyboard shortcuts for Lightroom and Photoshop, but it’s straightforward to change these keys and set up new ones.
The software is responsive and easy to use – many have used it with no stability issues – and it only takes a few seconds to run and recognize a connected Tourbox.
However, a few mistakes when using TourBox are when you accidentally type in the key assignment field when you want to enter a description. You must select the edit icon before adding a report; you can’t order it directly in the area.
The software already has shortcuts for Adobe’s Photoshop and Lightroom pre-programmed, and it’s simple to modify or add new ones. You can mainly use it with DaVinci Resolve and Photoshop. It will undoubtedly take time and many iterations to determine precisely which control is best to assign to a function.
It will take time to determine which controls are best for which functions.
You’ll find the main dial most useful for erasing one-by-one frames in Resolve or resizing brushes in Photoshop.
Many users have specified the mouse-like wheel at the top left in both programs to zoom in and out of the image.
Large buttons can be assigned to common modifiers like CTRL or ALT, but they can all be used for other functions.
This is only a little illustration of how these restrictions may be used.
5. The habit of using the dominant hand
With your right hand on the mouse, you can easily use the Tourbox with your left hand; that’s how it was designed. However, there’s no reason why you can’t use this with your right hand; in fact, I think some of the controls placed this way are better, mainly the side buttons and the dial.
Possible restrictions
It should be noted that the black/gray controls on the black/gray body can be challenging to see in low-light environments like the retoucher or classifier. However, with practice and patience, you ought to be able to use Tourbox without having to look at it.
Size is also always an issue for some people – for some to comfortably use the Tourbox, it should ideally need to be about 20% larger overall (and if you don’t have big hands).
How will TourBox work for you?
Since the size and physical design may not be suitable for all users, selling an editing console like this can be challenging. After you set it up, there is a learning curve, even though your workflow will eventually become faster.
You’ll probably need to use the Tour box for eight days or so on a semi-regular basis before you can get your hands on it. You’ll also need to spend some time rearranging the buttons and dials to make them more functional for you. The main controls are easy to set up, but regulators take time to cooperate.
This has sped up your workflow after the initial setup, reducing the time your hands are on the keyboard. It is indeed simple to return to the previous way of doing things.
The most significant change is that using the wheel to control virtual tools is now more satisfying in that it makes it simpler to change settings like brush size and move through video timelines.
The Tour box differs from most of its rivals due to its distinctive combination of various controls and costs. The product, however, could benefit from additional development work in both the hardware and software fields. Who knows, perhaps a Pro version won’t be too far away.
The pros and cons of TourBox
The advantages of TourBox that you can easily see when using
- Good selection of various tactile controls
- Dense and stable on a desk
- USB throughput
- Separate Cable
- Support for a wide range of software
Disadvantages of TourBox
- Approximately small in size (very subjective)
- No friction on the primary dial
- The software requires some refinements.
- Working it successfully into one’s workflow requires some learning.
Reaction of the user
A luxurious black box contains the TourBox. The device comes with a USB-C to USB-A cable, a user manual, and a quick start guide. Users’ first impression of the TourBox is likely to be its weight.
The device’s weight and durability both significantly improve performance. When you use it, it stays put on the table.
The TourBox is very comfortable and has a smooth, matte finish. The apparatus is light enough to move even though it is heavy.
It almost looks like a game controller, but it has many additional buttons, knobs, and wheels that a controller for a video game does not have.
They find the sheer number of input options intimidating at first. The layout of the buttons appears to have no rhyme or reason, but each control and wheel is only marginally different from the others.
Many people think that the TourBox’s layout lets users sense where precise controls are without actually seeing them.
As you learn to type, you put your fingers on the “main row,” symbolized by the raised notes above the F and J keys.
You discover from that row that the letters you’re looking for can be located by moving your fingers in a specific direction.
This device’s design is based on a similar idea. You pick up the controller’s feel very quickly, and once you’ve mastered it, you can use it with any vehicle to become a much more productive creator.
Determining the hardware of the TourBox is only one piece of the puzzle. The TourBox software is the second component.
Both Windows and macOS support this. It is only accessible through tourboxtech.com. The video editing section of TourBox’s software has just undergone optimizations in version 2.2. Some of its attributes are:
- New combinations have been added with the 2.0 firmware upgrade: C1 and C2 are short buttons together.
- added built-in functions for Premier
- Default added presets for Premiere Presets for editing and color grading in Premiere.
- There are now 30 presets that can be stored.
- Multiple presets can be connected to the same software to support various workflows.
- You can switch between multiple presets connected to the same software using the built-in function “Switch Presets.”
- There is now a slow mode for rotary operations.
- The Tall, Short, Top, and Side buttons can send commands after release.
- Various software will remember the HUD’s size, position, color, and transparency when enabling the “auto-switch presets” function.
- Added a switch to enable the HUD Notifications with improved display
- updates to the Lightroom plug-in and bug fixes
- improved the console’s user interface
- Newly supported languages: Italian, German, French, and Spanish
Regular upgrades are one of the features of TourBox that users value. The TourBox team frequently releases updates to their software to increase its functionality and user experience.
The App Store or the ability to upgrade the software through the app itself are the only things that could improve it. When an update was made, users had to revisit the website to download it.
A braided cable is provided with the TourBox to connect it to your computer via a USB-C to USB-A connection.
When they plugged in the TourBox after installing the software, their computer recognized it immediately.
You’ll have to admit that your natural inclination when using a new device is to use your right hand
. They are right-handed in either case. They had to move the TourBox and the mouse with their right hand to maintain a good working position, making this a strenuous exercise.
They believe that this is impossible. They spent more time switching between these two devices than they did use just a mouse and keyboard to edit this picture.
This cannot be what the TourBox’s creator had in mind.”
The TourBox was then transferred to their left hand. It seems so much more organic now! The user’s index controls the C1 and C2 buttons and middle fingers, while the side and top buttons are by their petite, medium, and ring fingers.
The user’s thumb rests on the high and short buttons that can be used with a dial or roller. The device is much easier to control in this position.
This implies that the user must learn how to use their passive hand to operate this kind of device. So for some users, this might only be a minor obstacle. Keyboards and game controllers have made us all ambidextrous.
You can pick up the TourBox and use both hands just like you would with a gaming controller, even though they think it is primarily made to be operated with your left hand.
This can help you quickly evaluate a photo session in Lightroom as you make your decisions. Users thought it was a magical way to make the TourBox come to life after trying it, even though they saw another reviewer mention it first.
Some Tourboxes I can recommend for you.
Image | Name | Price Link |
 | Graphics Tablet Console, Upgraded TourBox NEO | On Amazon, you can see the price right here. |
 | TourBox Elite – The Advanced Bluetooth Editing Controller for Digital Drawing | On Amazon, you can see the price right here. |
 | TourBox NEO – The Photo and Video Editing Console for Lightroom, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, with Customized Creative Inputs, Macro Supported (with Storage Bag) | On Amazon, you can see the price right here. |
Final thought
If users use TourBox correctly and take the time to learn it, it has the potential to revolutionize the way creative professionals work.
Some people might give up in the face of learning difficulties. Long-term time savings, though, come from taking the time to learn the tool.
I would ask the TourBox designers to make a Bluetooth version of the device to remove the need for an additional cable on my desk.
Aside from that, I’m positive I’m thrilled with the gadget and look forward to seeing how the TourBox you decide to buy performs.
I can help you choose the best TourBox for your needs using the knowledge and experience I’ve listed above.
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