The Tangent Devices Element Tk Panel is the "Trackerball" panel of a set of four Element panels that replace a keyboard and mouse in operating select functions of supporting software, such as of supporting color-grading software. The panels can be used to achieve precise results quicker and with more technical gratification than possible with a keyboard and mouse. The list of supporting software is a growing one and includes such applications as DaVinci Resolve, SCRATCH, On-Set Dailies, Mistika, and YoYo.
The controls of the panels can be programmed and reprogrammed to operate different functions. The manufacturers of supporting software designate the functions that each panel and its controls can operate, and the manufacturers make available the details of their designations in either the respective software manuals or by phone or email upon contact, depending on the manufacturer.
Upon a control's being programmed, its functionality gets labeled on the display screen of its panel. When reprogrammed, its functionality gets re-labeled. The display screens have white OLED bulbs and show crisp, high-contrast, high-resolution easy-to-read characters.
The Tk panel has three programmable trackerballs and three programmable rings atop the balls. It has separate reset buttons for each ball and ring, and two buttons to program functions like ALT and Shift into. The trackerballs and rings work by optical laser pickup for high-precision and extended life. The trackerballs can be removed for cleaning, and they can be reinstalled quite easily.
The different panels can be used individually or all together in a set. More than one of each type can be incorporated into a set, and a widely-functional control system can thus be put together. The panels are made from precision laser-cut solid aluminum. They neatly attach to each other's sides by magnet, and they take up a desk footprint of only 7.9 inches deep. They are USB-powered and connect to a computer each by a single USB cable via plug-and-play functionality, without need for drivers to be installed. The panels can also optionally be used with Tangent's HUB service, which allows the layouts of the panels' controls to be customized. (Supporting software would have to also support HUB API.)
