TourBox Elite, Bluetooth Controller for Video Photo Editing Color Grading, DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor, MacOS/Windows, Photoshop Lightroom Premiere Programmable Keyboard

Out of the box this is a most impressive piece of kit. The packaging and presentation are impeccable - almost up to Apple standards - and the TourBox itself is weighty and solid and feels as though it means business.Having downloaded and installed the TourBox Console software without any issues (2018 MacBook Pro, macOS Sequoia), I paired the TourBox up with Bluetooth and was immediately prompted for a firmware upgrade. I ok’d that and then sat watching, with no indication of progress. After five minutes or so the upgrade was confirmed and I was able to get started with the Console software and the TourBox itself.The hardware comes with detailed customisation settings for Adobe apps including Photoshop, Lightroom and Premier. This I believe is because Adobe opens up almost every aspect of its applications to automation. You can for example automate exposure, white balance, sharpening, blur… And TourBox can pick up on that, and control those adjustments with its buttons, knob, scroll and dial.Great…But if you choose not to be scalped by Adobe, your options are slightly more limited. For image editing I use Affinity Photo, and this is what I’m mainly writing about here. There’s no doubt that the TourBox works with it, but the slick automation of adjustments available in Adobe apps just isn’t there in Affinity. Not through any fault of TourBox, but essentially because there are no external accessibility/automation features in the Affinity apps, so TourBox can only work with their built-in keyboard shortcuts.You can download preset files for apps like Affinity Photo from the TourBox website. Importing them into the Console app is very straightforward, but they’re pretty basic and seem to be just minor modifications to Photoshop presets.So if you want to get TourBox to work the way you want, you first have to set up keyboard shortcuts in Affinity Photo exactly the way you want them, and then apply those shortcuts to the buttons and menus within the TourBox Console app.And unless you are really familiar with whichever app you want to use with Tourbox, it’s could be an extended process. I’m a long-time user of Affinity Photo, but even then I’ve had to go back and fine-tune my knowledge of the ins and outs of its shortcut settings and management to develop a workable relationship with TourBox.I would say though that every hump I’ve come up against has involved a work-round or modification within Affinity Photo rather than a limitation in TourBox. I won’t go into details but unless you have a very clear understanding of what Affinity Photo can and can’t do from the keyboard, you won’t get very far with TourBox beyond the basic zoom/scroll/click button stuff that comes with the preset files.Eventually though I was able to build a TourMenu that gave me really quick access to the basic tools within Affinity Photo. It was probably an hour’s work, and involved re-configuring some of the shortcuts within Affinity Photo before applying them to the TourMenu. And I have to say I’m really pleased with the results in terms of speeding up my workflows.Using TourBox to control filters and adjustment parameters in Affinity Photo is more complex but can be done. I mapped the up/down/left/right keys on the TourBox to the corresponding keyboard arrow keys. If I now open any adjustment or filter panel I can tab into the appropriate numeric field and then up/down or right/left on the TourBox to adjust the settings. (You have to tab, not click into the field. Thanks Affinity.) But I get the impression this would be easier with Photoshop.I do have a few general reservations about the TourBox itself:First, I find the haptics on the rotating knob/scroll/dial controls too clicky. It’s good that you can turn them off and get a smooth effect when you’re scrolling/rotating/changing brush size etc. But you can’t turn off the click sounds on the various buttons, and that gets a bit irritating after a while. That’s a personal preference, but I’d rather have everything quiet and soft.Second, if you draw with your left hand, you may find it difficult to work the TourBox with your right.Third, it comes with two AA batteries and I’ve yet to find out how you’ll be alerted when they go flat.Fourth, the accompanying documentation and online help are more geared to telling you what you ‘could’ do, with far less focus on explaining how you actually do it. A lot of room for improvement there.That said, it’s a great piece of kit. You need to devote time (hours not minutes) to getting it set up, you have to decide which shortcuts to allocate to which button, and then you have to remember those allocations. But if you’re prepared to put in the time and effort, I think you’ll see a return on your investment.Next stop macros… and DaVinci Resolve…Love it to bits.

The TourBox Elite is a fantastic addition to any creative professional's toolkit. This upgraded Bluetooth controller is great looking and feels premium thanks to the high-quality materials used. It works seamlessly with Capture One, Lightroom, and Photoshop, making it a versatile option for photo and video editing, colour grading, and illustration.The ergonomics of the TourBox Elite are well thought out, fitting comfortably in your hand. The button clicks and haptic feedback are amazing additions, enhancing the editing experience by providing precise tactile responses.One of the highlights of this controller is the included software and presets, which serve as a great base. To truly unlock its full potential, especially the handy macro abilities, it's worth investing time in customising it to your liking.However, there is a notable flaw with the button assignment feature. If you assign a function like "UNDO" to a single click of button A and "REDO" to a double click of the same button, the controller will always activate the single click function first, making the double click feature unusable. This limitation can be frustrating, especially considering the price of the device. TourBox has acknowledged this issue and is working on a fix, which is reassuring.Overall, the TourBox Elite is a powerful tool with some limitations. Despite these, it remains a great asset for creative work, but be aware of its current constraints.My RatingsPackaging - 5Ergonomics - 5Value for Money - 3Ease of Use - 4