The Professional's Source 800.606.6969 / 212.444.6615
The B&H SuperStore will be open on Memorial Day from 9:00AM EDT - 7:00PM EDT

Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller

  • Price: $37.99
  • B&H # COSX
  • Mfr# 00497-0

Product Highlights

  • USB
  • Mac and Windows Compatible
  • Jog Wheel + 5-Button Control
  • Programmable Buttons
 

What item is right for you?

Ask our Experts!

800.606.6969
Live Chat
Close

Add frame by frame control to your existing NLE system with the Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller. Cross-platform and pre-configured for most NLE editing software applications, the Shuttle-Xpress features 5 fully programmable buttons to customize for your most frequently used editing commands. You can also monitor which program you are in to adjust your programmed commands accordingly.

The jog, located in the center, is alloy and can be turned forward and backward 360 degrees for frame by frame control. The Shuttle ring is rubberized and spring-loaded, which will perform fast forward and rewind in varying speeds depending on how far it is turned.

Jog/Shuttle Control
Use the jog/shuttle knob for frame by frame control of your footage while editing.
5 Programmable Buttons
Customize the Shuttle-Xpress with presets for your 5 most commonly used editing commands.
Pre-configured for most NLE Software
The ShuttleXpress comes pre-configured for many of the leading Audio and Video applications.
Cross-platform Compatibility
Use the Shuttle-Xpress on either Mac or PC computers.
Interface
USB Yes
PS2 No
Supported Operating Systems Mac: OS 8.6 through OS X 10.7
Windows: 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP/Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit)
General
Dimensions (WxHxD) 4.3 x 4.3 x .9" (11 x 11 x 2.25cm)
Weight .32 lbs (.15 kg)
Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller
  • Software CD
  • One (1) Year Warranty - Extended to Two (2) Years if Registered Within Thirty (30) Days
  • REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

    by PowerReviews
    Contour DesignShuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller
     
    4.2

    (based on 30 reviews)

    Ratings Distribution

    • 5 Stars

       

      (15)

    • 4 Stars

       

      (11)

    • 3 Stars

       

      (2)

    • 2 Stars

       

      (0)

    • 1 Stars

       

      (2)

    89%

    of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

    Pros

    • Easy to set up (11)
    • Easy to program (9)
    • Easy to use (9)
    • Ergonomic (9)
    • Highly compatible (9)

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • In the studio (7)
      • Independent films (4)
      • Complex projects (3)
        • Was this a gift?:
        • No (13)
        • Reviewer Profile:
        • Professional (9), Power user (5), Tech savvy (4), Business owner (3)
        • Primary use:
        • Business (13), Personal (7)
        • Computer Platform:
        • PC (3)

      Most Liked Positive Review

       

      Good and bad surprises

      When I ordered the Shuttle Xpress, I was expecting it to feel cheap and plastic, and to slide across the table whenever I pushed it too hard. So I was pleasantly surprised to find...Read complete review

      When I ordered the Shuttle Xpress, I was expecting it to feel cheap and plastic, and to slide across the table whenever I pushed it too hard. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that it managed to stay put, and that it had a nice rubber grip, textured plastic buttons and a strong, smooth spring.However, not all is well with the Shuttle Xpress. It has two serious problems, both of which would be trivial to fix.The shuttle can report 15 different positions to the driver (-7 to 0 to +7). The driver, in turn, lets you assign a key combination to each of those positions, and also to each position change (that is, you can tell the driver to simulate pressing 1 when the shuttle gores from 0 to +1, simulate pressing 2 when the shuttle goes from +1 to 0, and so on).However, if you move the shuttle too quickly, it can jump from one position to another without reporting the intermediate positions (ex., jump straight from +7 to +4). This, in itself, is a hardware issue, and probably not easy to fix. But the driver should be clever enough to figure out that, if the shuttle went from position +7 to position +4, it also passed through all the intermediate positions, and should therefore issue all the relevant commands (i.e., the command for +7 to +6, then the command for +6, then the command for +6 to +5, and so on). But it doesn't. The result is that, if you assign progressive actions (ex., speed increases and decreases) to the transitions, moving the shuttle too quickly can make you lose sync.The 2nd problem is even more ridiculous, and is a good example of crippleware; how some hardware manufacturers deliberately disable features to force consumers to buy more expensive products.The actual driver for the Shuttle Xpress and its bigger brother (called Shuttle Pro) is the same. However, if the driver detects that you're using the Xpress, it disables macros (key sequences). In other words, although the driver has built-in support for macros, it cripples itself unless it detects that you are using the (more expensive) Shuttle Pro. This means that, using the Xpress, you cannot assign a button or shuttle position to Alt+F, V, for example (print preview, in some applications). You can only assign one keystroke to each button. I contacted Contour about this as soon as I noticed it, and their reply was to buy the Shuttle Pro or use 3rd party keyboard macro software.Since the Shuttle Pro is much bigger (and, in my opinion, hideously ugly), the latter is the only solution. So I've had to configure the Shuttle Xpress to send out weird key combinations (that must be carefully selected not to interfere with the software that's running), like Ctrl+Shift+9, and then use the 3rd party keyboard macro software to decode those strange keystrokes into the actual key sequences that I want to use (ex., Alt+F, U, [return]).All this despite the fact that the code to execute key sequences is already included in the Contour driver, and is probably even loaded into my system's RAM...!Ignoring those issues for now (although they're hard to ignore when you're actually trying to configure the device), I find the Shuttle Xpress almost useless for video editing. Maybe I'd have a use for it if I had three hands, but since I only have two, I find the keyboard + mouse combination a lot more practical. Shuttles make sense with tapes, not with NLEs.I do, however, find the Shuttle Xpress very useful when creating animations. I can use it with my left hand to jump between keyframes or flip through short sequences, while using my right hand to draw or manipulate 3D objects with a mouse or stylus.Conclusion: the Xpress is a well-designed device, crippled by its own driver, and not very useful for experienced NL video editors. For animators it can be a good investment, if you don't need key sequences.

      Problems Encountered: The driver unnecessarily cripples a well-designed device by disabling access to key sequences. See review for more details.

      VS

      Most Liked Negative Review

       

      Not all I had hoped.

      I ordered this product to use with Pro Tools 8. Setup was quick and easy. I loved that you can simply program the buttons to any key command. While editing offline I found the...Read complete review

      I ordered this product to use with Pro Tools 8. Setup was quick and easy. I loved that you can simply program the buttons to any key command. While editing offline I found the shuttle express to be very useful and do everything it promised. However, I bought this device to use for online video deck control (machine control) and it will not work at all. It's a shame because Pro Tools controllers that will roll a deck are extremely expensive.

      Reviewed by 30 customers

      Sort by

      Displaying reviews 1-20

      Back to top

      Previous | Next »

       
      4.0

      Excellent hardware for scrubbing videos

      By wirelessed

      from Pittsburgh, PA

      About Me Power User

      Verified Buyer

      Pros

      • Comfortable Design
      • Fast Response
      • Highly Compatible

      Cons

      • Difficult Setup

      Best Uses

      • Professional

      Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

      great affordable tool for video editors, filmmakers and animators to scrub through videos and animations frame-by-frame, customizing shortcuts for Premiere, Final Cut, Maya, fcheck, media player etc.

      • Primary use:
      • Personal
      • Computer Platform:
      • PC

      Share this review

       
      5.0

      Works good with lightworks

      By pvillese

      from Madison, WI

      About Me Casual User

      Verified Buyer

      Pros

        Cons

          Best Uses

            Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

            I've set it up to use with Lightworks (search the Lightworks forum for guidelines) and it works good. It makes it much easier than trying to remember what keyboard keys do what and the wheel helps make it easier to move around in your video clips. For the price this thing is great. It is thin and light but feels solidly built.

            The configuration program is easy to use. It took some time to set up since you need to assign keys in Lightworks to some actions and find the keys for other so I could assign everything to do what I wanted. It was all easy to do, it just took some time.

            • Primary use:
            • Personal
            • Computer Platform:
            • PC

            Share this review

             
            5.0

            AMAZING!

            By Matt Klopot

            from Toronto

            About Me Power User

            Verified Buyer

            Pros

            • Comfortable Design
            • Durable
            • Easy To Set Up
            • Fast Response
            • Highly Compatible

            Cons

            • None

            Best Uses

            • Audio Editors
            • Video Editors

            Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

            Buying the ShuttleXpress was one of the best things I have ever done for my workflow. I am an assistant editor for a very busy production company, and this fantastic piece of machinery has increased my workflow by A LOT! With such a low sticker price, I assumed it would feel a bit cheap, but was amazed by how 'pro' it felt. The rubber feet keep it firmly planted (even on my glass desk), the buttons feel firm, and the shuttle and job wheels are very responsive.
            Another thing I love about this guy is that it is programable to almost any application! I program the buttons for Avid, and then go and set a different set of commands for another application, and when I switch between apps, the shuttlexpress changes its program to the new app (example: In avid, button 2 is MARK IN, and when i move from avid to safari, button 2 becomes GO BACK, no need to tell the device what program you are in!)

            The ONLY negative I can mention, is I wish the device had a microUSB port, instead of a built in cable, as the cable is quite long, and I only need it to go 6", but that is just me nitpicking.

            If you are constantly scrolling through footage, this is the device for you! BUY IT!

            • Primary use:
            • Business
            • Computer Platform:
            • Mac

            Share this review

             
            4.0

            The right look

            By Danimal

            from Terre Haute, IN

            About Me Power User

            Verified Buyer

            Pros

            • Comfortable Design
            • Visual Design

            Cons

            • Plastic

            Best Uses

            • Editing w Premier Pro

            Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

            I bought this in combination with a logic keyboard for Adobe Premier Pro. The keyboard is build from an Apple thin line aluminum keyboard so I was expecting the same from the shuttle. However, the shuttle is actually plastic painted to look like aluminum. The only negative comment I have is that it is neither better nor worse than any other shuttle out there. The construction seems to be solid. The controls are fluid yet firm. Only time will tell how well it holds up to wear but for now it fits in with the rest of my editing suite.

            • Primary use:
            • Business
            • Computer Platform:
            • Mac

            Share this review

             
            4.0

            accelerating my working flow so much

            By Uncle Super

            from Taipei, Taiwan

            About Me Power User

            Verified Buyer

            Pros

            • Fast Response
            • Highly Compatible

            Cons

            • Difficult Setup

            Best Uses

            • Everyday Use

            Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

            5 slightly bigger buttons(than Shuttle Pro V2) to work as the most important hotkeys, especially "Ctrl-W" to close hundreds web pages I have to open automatically every morning.

            • Primary use:
            • Business
            • Computer Platform:
            • PC

            Share this review

             
            5.0

            Fun and Versatile

            By Shifty-Eyes

            from Wilmore, KY

            About Me Film Student

            Verified Buyer

            Pros

            • Compact Design
            • Easy To Use
            • Highly Compatible
            • Improves Performance

            Cons

              Best Uses

              • In The Studio

              Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

              I bought the shuttle to use with Adobe Premiere Pro, intending on just getting it out when editing, but I've found it able to work in many other programs. It is incredibly easy to install. I've had no problems. And every program I've tried to set it up to run (including iTunes) works great. Wonderful product.

              • Was this a gift?:
              • No

              Share this review

               
              5.0

              Great Device!

              By Andrew

              from Los Angeles, CA

              About Me Professional Artist

              Verified Buyer

              Pros

              • Compact Design
              • Easy To Use
              • Highly Compatible
              • Improves Performance
              • Professional Quality

              Cons

                Best Uses

                • Complex Projects
                • Independent Films
                • In The Studio

                Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                Works perfectly, user friendly and customizable.

                • Was this a gift?:
                • No

                Share this review

                 
                4.0

                Nice little piece of equipment

                By ZoomLizard

                from Pasco, WA

                About Me Business Owner

                Verified Buyer

                Pros

                • Compact Design
                • Easy To Use
                • Lightweight

                Cons

                  Best Uses

                  • In The Studio

                  Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                  We use this shuttle as a prompter scroller and so far it's working great. It a good size and doesn't skid across surfaces, it stays put. Sometimes you can push the buttons and skip by mistake. All in in for the price it's good.

                  • Was this a gift?:
                  • No

                  Share this review

                   
                  5.0

                  Must Buy !

                  By GrahamTV

                  from Sydney, Australia

                  About Me Documentary Filmmaker

                  Verified Buyer

                  Pros

                  • Easy To Use

                  Cons

                    Best Uses

                    • Complex Projects
                    • Independent Films
                    • In The Studio

                    Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                    Great for my work on my timeline, it makes life easier, instead of jumping between my mouse and keyboard all the time. Fewer movements, More Efficiency. Try it you'll see what I mean !

                    • Was this a gift?:
                    • No

                    Share this review

                     
                    4.0

                    Great. takes me back to linear editing

                    By German

                    from Caracas

                    Verified Buyer

                    Pros

                    • Easy To Use
                    • Improves Performance

                    Cons

                    • You still need a mouse

                    Best Uses

                      Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                      It's a nice product. Not indispensable but nice and comfortable especially if you are used to editing in linear systems.
                      You still need the mouse.

                      • Was this a gift?:
                      • No

                      Share this review

                       
                      4.0

                      Super useful!

                      By James

                      from NYC

                      About Me Business Owner, Director, Professional Artist

                      Verified Buyer

                      Pros

                      • Easy To Use
                      • Highly Compatible
                      • Improves Performance

                      Cons

                        Best Uses

                        • Complex Projects
                        • In The Studio

                        Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                        Great little device that after reprogramming works great with FInal cut and Protools. Super time saver!

                        • Was this a gift?:
                        • No

                        Share this review

                         
                        3.0

                        Nice unit, hard to program

                        By Neil

                        from Highland Park, NJ

                        Pros

                        • Compact Design
                        • Easy To Use
                        • Lightweight

                        Cons

                        • Misleading
                        • Not a true controller

                        Best Uses

                        • Audio
                        • Video

                        Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                        It works (mostly) with Logic Pro, but it took several tries for the drivers to successfully install. Once it's working, it works well. Beware that Logic doesn't recognize the unit as a proper controller, but instead it works as a USB device that passes keystrokes to the OS.

                        • Was this a gift?:
                        • No

                        Share this review

                         
                        4.0

                        Great function, great price

                        By Jacob

                        from Vancouver, BC

                        About Me Business Owner, Film Student

                        Verified Buyer

                        Pros

                        • Compact Design
                        • Easy To Use
                        • Highly Compatible
                        • Improves Performance

                        Cons

                        • Poor Design

                        Best Uses

                        • Home Movies
                        • Independent Films
                        • In The Studio

                        Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                        This does exactly what it is supposed to. Very useful with a wide range of applications, and easy to program for alternative function configurations for new applications or different tasks in the preset applications.
                        Only down sides are that the button "click" is not as nice as my macbook pro keyboard and the rubber feet are not exactly level, resulting in a tiny bit of rock on my desk.

                        • Was this a gift?:
                        • No

                        Share this review

                         
                        4.0

                        Thought it would be Black but it was Whi

                        By Nicolas

                        from Seattle, WA

                        About Me Tech Savvy

                        Verified Buyer

                        Pros

                        • Durable
                        • Easy To Program
                        • Easy To Set Up
                        • Ergonomic Design

                        Cons

                          Best Uses

                            Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                            This item came in Silver/White instead of Black. Would have preferred black.

                            The jog wheel itself is quite nice. For some reason I thought the outer wheel would continuously rotate but it can only be spun about 90 degrees left or right. This works out well.

                            • Was this a gift?:
                            • No
                            • Primary use:
                            • Personal

                            Share this review

                            (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

                             
                            1.0

                            issues with Vegas Pro 9

                            By DKA

                            from Washington, D.C.

                            About Me Professional

                            Pros

                              Cons

                                Best Uses

                                  Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                  The Shuttle-Xpress DOES appear to have issues with Sony Vegas 9 and 10 on Windows 7, 64 bit, at least for some users (like me). I ordered after reading the reviews here, and, alas, it does not work (even after downloading updated driver and installing the shuttle xpress .pref file that is preinstalled on Vegas, as suggested here in another review by AVP). The Contourdesign forum has a thread (which unfortunately I discovered only after my purchase) that recognizes this as an issue and states that they are working on a fix, but as of Jan 2011, there is none. So if you plan to use it with Vegas on Windows 7, 64 bit, beware - you might get lucky and it will work, or, like for me and many others, it won't do squat.

                                  • Primary use:
                                  • Business

                                  Share this review

                                   
                                  5.0

                                  Excellent Product

                                  By AK

                                  from Chambersburg, PA

                                  Verified Buyer

                                  Pros

                                  • Easy To Program
                                  • Easy To Set Up
                                  • Ergonomic Design
                                  • Nice Button Configuration
                                  • Nice Features

                                  Cons

                                    Best Uses

                                      Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                      Bought one, loved it so much that I got two more. It's VERY versatile, you can customize things even more than the literature says and it is very user friendly.

                                      • Was this a gift?:
                                      • No
                                      • Primary use:
                                      • Business

                                      Share this review

                                       
                                      5.0

                                      Works as said in Sony Vegas pro 9 64bit

                                      By AVP

                                      from Easton PA

                                      About Me Full time Editor, Professional

                                      Verified Reviewer

                                      Pros

                                      • Durable
                                      • Easy To Program
                                      • Easy To Set Up
                                      • Ergonomic Design
                                      • Nice Button Configuration
                                      • Nice Features

                                      Cons

                                      • Doesn't make coffee

                                      Best Uses

                                      • Multi-Camera Edit

                                      Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                      ATTENTION! before you say it doesn't work, or the JOG doesn't work, FIRST open the unit's control panel, go to options / import settings. The go to your DRIVE C, locate Sony Vegas at the "programs"and you will see that the unit has installed options into Vegas already. Click Sony-Vegas template that matches your product like "shuttleXpress.pref and you are all set. Then to customize your buttons is a breeze and that is very easy on the manual. You can even scroll up and down internet with the JOG button.

                                      • Was this a gift?:
                                      • No
                                      • Primary use:
                                      • Business

                                      Share this review

                                      (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                                       
                                      5.0

                                      Good product

                                      By Smvzhouse

                                      from Bossier City LA

                                      About Me Professional

                                      Verified Buyer

                                      Pros

                                      • Easy To Program
                                      • Easy To Set Up

                                      Cons

                                        Best Uses

                                          Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                          Works great with FCP.

                                          • Was this a gift?:
                                          • No
                                          • Primary use:
                                          • Personal

                                          Share this review

                                          (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                                           
                                          5.0

                                          Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller

                                          By tx_bandit

                                          from Dallas, TX

                                          About Me Gearhead, Tech Savvy

                                          Verified Buyer

                                          Pros

                                          • Easy To Program
                                          • Easy To Set Up

                                          Cons

                                            Best Uses

                                              Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                              Purchased to use as a controller for a multimedia PC. Easily programable to execute various commands with a push of a button. I use the center dial for volume, the jog dial for FF/RW and the pushbuttons for switching sources.

                                              • Was this a gift?:
                                              • No
                                              • Primary use:
                                              • Personal

                                              Share this review

                                              (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                                               
                                              5.0

                                              Works like a dream in Windows 7

                                              By Rob

                                              from Castle Rock, CO

                                              About Me Tech Savvy

                                              Verified Buyer

                                              Pros

                                              • Easy To Set Up
                                              • Ergonomic Design
                                              • Nice Button Configuration

                                              Cons

                                                Best Uses

                                                  Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                  I am very pleased with this product, and my only regret is not buying this months ago. It has been a real time saver in my video editing, but I was really surprised buy how well it works with all the programs in Adobe Production Collection, not just Premiere and After Effects.

                                                  I am running windows 7 64-bit, and have had no issues. Just download the most up to date drivers from the website and didn't bother using the driver disk that is included. I don't know if the program interface has changed because I found it very easy to program the buttons for additional programs, where other review said they were having problems.

                                                  The Construction is solid, doesn't feel cheep, and fits my hand wonderfully.

                                                  • Primary use:
                                                  • Business

                                                  Share this review

                                                  Displaying reviews 1-20

                                                  Back to top

                                                  Previous | Next »

                                                  REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

                                                  by PowerReviews
                                                  Contour DesignShuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller
                                                   
                                                  4.2

                                                  (based on 30 reviews)

                                                  Ratings Distribution

                                                  • 5 Stars

                                                     

                                                    (15)

                                                  • 4 Stars

                                                     

                                                    (11)

                                                  • 3 Stars

                                                     

                                                    (2)

                                                  • 2 Stars

                                                     

                                                    (0)

                                                  • 1 Stars

                                                     

                                                    (2)

                                                  89%

                                                  of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

                                                  Pros

                                                  • Easy to set up (11)
                                                  • Easy to program (9)
                                                  • Easy to use (9)
                                                  • Ergonomic (9)
                                                  • Highly compatible (9)

                                                  Cons

                                                    Best Uses

                                                    • In the studio (7)
                                                    • Independent films (4)
                                                    • Complex projects (3)
                                                      • Was this a gift?:
                                                      • No (13)
                                                      • Reviewer Profile:
                                                      • Professional (9), Power user (5), Tech savvy (4), Business owner (3)
                                                      • Primary use:
                                                      • Business (13), Personal (7)
                                                      • Computer Platform:
                                                      • PC (3)

                                                    Most Liked Positive Review

                                                     

                                                    Good and bad surprises

                                                    When I ordered the Shuttle Xpress, I was expecting it to feel cheap and plastic, and to slide across the table whenever I pushed it too hard. So I was pleasantly surprised to find...Read complete review

                                                    When I ordered the Shuttle Xpress, I was expecting it to feel cheap and plastic, and to slide across the table whenever I pushed it too hard. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that it managed to stay put, and that it had a nice rubber grip, textured plastic buttons and a strong, smooth spring.However, not all is well with the Shuttle Xpress. It has two serious problems, both of which would be trivial to fix.The shuttle can report 15 different positions to the driver (-7 to 0 to +7). The driver, in turn, lets you assign a key combination to each of those positions, and also to each position change (that is, you can tell the driver to simulate pressing 1 when the shuttle gores from 0 to +1, simulate pressing 2 when the shuttle goes from +1 to 0, and so on).However, if you move the shuttle too quickly, it can jump from one position to another without reporting the intermediate positions (ex., jump straight from +7 to +4). This, in itself, is a hardware issue, and probably not easy to fix. But the driver should be clever enough to figure out that, if the shuttle went from position +7 to position +4, it also passed through all the intermediate positions, and should therefore issue all the relevant commands (i.e., the command for +7 to +6, then the command for +6, then the command for +6 to +5, and so on). But it doesn't. The result is that, if you assign progressive actions (ex., speed increases and decreases) to the transitions, moving the shuttle too quickly can make you lose sync.The 2nd problem is even more ridiculous, and is a good example of crippleware; how some hardware manufacturers deliberately disable features to force consumers to buy more expensive products.The actual driver for the Shuttle Xpress and its bigger brother (called Shuttle Pro) is the same. However, if the driver detects that you're using the Xpress, it disables macros (key sequences). In other words, although the driver has built-in support for macros, it cripples itself unless it detects that you are using the (more expensive) Shuttle Pro. This means that, using the Xpress, you cannot assign a button or shuttle position to Alt+F, V, for example (print preview, in some applications). You can only assign one keystroke to each button. I contacted Contour about this as soon as I noticed it, and their reply was to buy the Shuttle Pro or use 3rd party keyboard macro software.Since the Shuttle Pro is much bigger (and, in my opinion, hideously ugly), the latter is the only solution. So I've had to configure the Shuttle Xpress to send out weird key combinations (that must be carefully selected not to interfere with the software that's running), like Ctrl+Shift+9, and then use the 3rd party keyboard macro software to decode those strange keystrokes into the actual key sequences that I want to use (ex., Alt+F, U, [return]).All this despite the fact that the code to execute key sequences is already included in the Contour driver, and is probably even loaded into my system's RAM...!Ignoring those issues for now (although they're hard to ignore when you're actually trying to configure the device), I find the Shuttle Xpress almost useless for video editing. Maybe I'd have a use for it if I had three hands, but since I only have two, I find the keyboard + mouse combination a lot more practical. Shuttles make sense with tapes, not with NLEs.I do, however, find the Shuttle Xpress very useful when creating animations. I can use it with my left hand to jump between keyframes or flip through short sequences, while using my right hand to draw or manipulate 3D objects with a mouse or stylus.Conclusion: the Xpress is a well-designed device, crippled by its own driver, and not very useful for experienced NL video editors. For animators it can be a good investment, if you don't need key sequences.

                                                    Problems Encountered: The driver unnecessarily cripples a well-designed device by disabling access to key sequences. See review for more details.

                                                    VS

                                                    Most Liked Negative Review

                                                     

                                                    Not all I had hoped.

                                                    I ordered this product to use with Pro Tools 8. Setup was quick and easy. I loved that you can simply program the buttons to any key command. While editing offline I found the...Read complete review

                                                    I ordered this product to use with Pro Tools 8. Setup was quick and easy. I loved that you can simply program the buttons to any key command. While editing offline I found the shuttle express to be very useful and do everything it promised. However, I bought this device to use for online video deck control (machine control) and it will not work at all. It's a shame because Pro Tools controllers that will roll a deck are extremely expensive.

                                                    Reviewed by 30 customers

                                                    Sort by

                                                    Displaying reviews 1-20

                                                    Back to top

                                                    Previous | Next »

                                                     
                                                    4.0

                                                    Excellent hardware for scrubbing videos

                                                    By wirelessed

                                                    from Pittsburgh, PA

                                                    About Me Power User

                                                    Verified Buyer

                                                    Pros

                                                    • Comfortable Design
                                                    • Fast Response
                                                    • Highly Compatible

                                                    Cons

                                                    • Difficult Setup

                                                    Best Uses

                                                    • Professional

                                                    Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                    great affordable tool for video editors, filmmakers and animators to scrub through videos and animations frame-by-frame, customizing shortcuts for Premiere, Final Cut, Maya, fcheck, media player etc.

                                                    • Primary use:
                                                    • Personal
                                                    • Computer Platform:
                                                    • PC

                                                    Share this review

                                                     
                                                    5.0

                                                    Works good with lightworks

                                                    By pvillese

                                                    from Madison, WI

                                                    About Me Casual User

                                                    Verified Buyer

                                                    Pros

                                                      Cons

                                                        Best Uses

                                                          Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                          I've set it up to use with Lightworks (search the Lightworks forum for guidelines) and it works good. It makes it much easier than trying to remember what keyboard keys do what and the wheel helps make it easier to move around in your video clips. For the price this thing is great. It is thin and light but feels solidly built.

                                                          The configuration program is easy to use. It took some time to set up since you need to assign keys in Lightworks to some actions and find the keys for other so I could assign everything to do what I wanted. It was all easy to do, it just took some time.

                                                          • Primary use:
                                                          • Personal
                                                          • Computer Platform:
                                                          • PC

                                                          Share this review

                                                           
                                                          5.0

                                                          AMAZING!

                                                          By Matt Klopot

                                                          from Toronto

                                                          About Me Power User

                                                          Verified Buyer

                                                          Pros

                                                          • Comfortable Design
                                                          • Durable
                                                          • Easy To Set Up
                                                          • Fast Response
                                                          • Highly Compatible

                                                          Cons

                                                          • None

                                                          Best Uses

                                                          • Audio Editors
                                                          • Video Editors

                                                          Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                          Buying the ShuttleXpress was one of the best things I have ever done for my workflow. I am an assistant editor for a very busy production company, and this fantastic piece of machinery has increased my workflow by A LOT! With such a low sticker price, I assumed it would feel a bit cheap, but was amazed by how 'pro' it felt. The rubber feet keep it firmly planted (even on my glass desk), the buttons feel firm, and the shuttle and job wheels are very responsive.
                                                          Another thing I love about this guy is that it is programable to almost any application! I program the buttons for Avid, and then go and set a different set of commands for another application, and when I switch between apps, the shuttlexpress changes its program to the new app (example: In avid, button 2 is MARK IN, and when i move from avid to safari, button 2 becomes GO BACK, no need to tell the device what program you are in!)

                                                          The ONLY negative I can mention, is I wish the device had a microUSB port, instead of a built in cable, as the cable is quite long, and I only need it to go 6", but that is just me nitpicking.

                                                          If you are constantly scrolling through footage, this is the device for you! BUY IT!

                                                          • Primary use:
                                                          • Business
                                                          • Computer Platform:
                                                          • Mac

                                                          Share this review

                                                           
                                                          4.0

                                                          The right look

                                                          By Danimal

                                                          from Terre Haute, IN

                                                          About Me Power User

                                                          Verified Buyer

                                                          Pros

                                                          • Comfortable Design
                                                          • Visual Design

                                                          Cons

                                                          • Plastic

                                                          Best Uses

                                                          • Editing w Premier Pro

                                                          Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                          I bought this in combination with a logic keyboard for Adobe Premier Pro. The keyboard is build from an Apple thin line aluminum keyboard so I was expecting the same from the shuttle. However, the shuttle is actually plastic painted to look like aluminum. The only negative comment I have is that it is neither better nor worse than any other shuttle out there. The construction seems to be solid. The controls are fluid yet firm. Only time will tell how well it holds up to wear but for now it fits in with the rest of my editing suite.

                                                          • Primary use:
                                                          • Business
                                                          • Computer Platform:
                                                          • Mac

                                                          Share this review

                                                           
                                                          4.0

                                                          accelerating my working flow so much

                                                          By Uncle Super

                                                          from Taipei, Taiwan

                                                          About Me Power User

                                                          Verified Buyer

                                                          Pros

                                                          • Fast Response
                                                          • Highly Compatible

                                                          Cons

                                                          • Difficult Setup

                                                          Best Uses

                                                          • Everyday Use

                                                          Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                          5 slightly bigger buttons(than Shuttle Pro V2) to work as the most important hotkeys, especially "Ctrl-W" to close hundreds web pages I have to open automatically every morning.

                                                          • Primary use:
                                                          • Business
                                                          • Computer Platform:
                                                          • PC

                                                          Share this review

                                                           
                                                          5.0

                                                          Fun and Versatile

                                                          By Shifty-Eyes

                                                          from Wilmore, KY

                                                          About Me Film Student

                                                          Verified Buyer

                                                          Pros

                                                          • Compact Design
                                                          • Easy To Use
                                                          • Highly Compatible
                                                          • Improves Performance

                                                          Cons

                                                            Best Uses

                                                            • In The Studio

                                                            Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                            I bought the shuttle to use with Adobe Premiere Pro, intending on just getting it out when editing, but I've found it able to work in many other programs. It is incredibly easy to install. I've had no problems. And every program I've tried to set it up to run (including iTunes) works great. Wonderful product.

                                                            • Was this a gift?:
                                                            • No

                                                            Share this review

                                                             
                                                            5.0

                                                            Great Device!

                                                            By Andrew

                                                            from Los Angeles, CA

                                                            About Me Professional Artist

                                                            Verified Buyer

                                                            Pros

                                                            • Compact Design
                                                            • Easy To Use
                                                            • Highly Compatible
                                                            • Improves Performance
                                                            • Professional Quality

                                                            Cons

                                                              Best Uses

                                                              • Complex Projects
                                                              • Independent Films
                                                              • In The Studio

                                                              Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                              Works perfectly, user friendly and customizable.

                                                              • Was this a gift?:
                                                              • No

                                                              Share this review

                                                               
                                                              4.0

                                                              Nice little piece of equipment

                                                              By ZoomLizard

                                                              from Pasco, WA

                                                              About Me Business Owner

                                                              Verified Buyer

                                                              Pros

                                                              • Compact Design
                                                              • Easy To Use
                                                              • Lightweight

                                                              Cons

                                                                Best Uses

                                                                • In The Studio

                                                                Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                We use this shuttle as a prompter scroller and so far it's working great. It a good size and doesn't skid across surfaces, it stays put. Sometimes you can push the buttons and skip by mistake. All in in for the price it's good.

                                                                • Was this a gift?:
                                                                • No

                                                                Share this review

                                                                 
                                                                5.0

                                                                Must Buy !

                                                                By GrahamTV

                                                                from Sydney, Australia

                                                                About Me Documentary Filmmaker

                                                                Verified Buyer

                                                                Pros

                                                                • Easy To Use

                                                                Cons

                                                                  Best Uses

                                                                  • Complex Projects
                                                                  • Independent Films
                                                                  • In The Studio

                                                                  Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                  Great for my work on my timeline, it makes life easier, instead of jumping between my mouse and keyboard all the time. Fewer movements, More Efficiency. Try it you'll see what I mean !

                                                                  • Was this a gift?:
                                                                  • No

                                                                  Share this review

                                                                   
                                                                  4.0

                                                                  Great. takes me back to linear editing

                                                                  By German

                                                                  from Caracas

                                                                  Verified Buyer

                                                                  Pros

                                                                  • Easy To Use
                                                                  • Improves Performance

                                                                  Cons

                                                                  • You still need a mouse

                                                                  Best Uses

                                                                    Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                    It's a nice product. Not indispensable but nice and comfortable especially if you are used to editing in linear systems.
                                                                    You still need the mouse.

                                                                    • Was this a gift?:
                                                                    • No

                                                                    Share this review

                                                                     
                                                                    4.0

                                                                    Super useful!

                                                                    By James

                                                                    from NYC

                                                                    About Me Business Owner, Director, Professional Artist

                                                                    Verified Buyer

                                                                    Pros

                                                                    • Easy To Use
                                                                    • Highly Compatible
                                                                    • Improves Performance

                                                                    Cons

                                                                      Best Uses

                                                                      • Complex Projects
                                                                      • In The Studio

                                                                      Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                      Great little device that after reprogramming works great with FInal cut and Protools. Super time saver!

                                                                      • Was this a gift?:
                                                                      • No

                                                                      Share this review

                                                                       
                                                                      3.0

                                                                      Nice unit, hard to program

                                                                      By Neil

                                                                      from Highland Park, NJ

                                                                      Pros

                                                                      • Compact Design
                                                                      • Easy To Use
                                                                      • Lightweight

                                                                      Cons

                                                                      • Misleading
                                                                      • Not a true controller

                                                                      Best Uses

                                                                      • Audio
                                                                      • Video

                                                                      Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                      It works (mostly) with Logic Pro, but it took several tries for the drivers to successfully install. Once it's working, it works well. Beware that Logic doesn't recognize the unit as a proper controller, but instead it works as a USB device that passes keystrokes to the OS.

                                                                      • Was this a gift?:
                                                                      • No

                                                                      Share this review

                                                                       
                                                                      4.0

                                                                      Great function, great price

                                                                      By Jacob

                                                                      from Vancouver, BC

                                                                      About Me Business Owner, Film Student

                                                                      Verified Buyer

                                                                      Pros

                                                                      • Compact Design
                                                                      • Easy To Use
                                                                      • Highly Compatible
                                                                      • Improves Performance

                                                                      Cons

                                                                      • Poor Design

                                                                      Best Uses

                                                                      • Home Movies
                                                                      • Independent Films
                                                                      • In The Studio

                                                                      Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                      This does exactly what it is supposed to. Very useful with a wide range of applications, and easy to program for alternative function configurations for new applications or different tasks in the preset applications.
                                                                      Only down sides are that the button "click" is not as nice as my macbook pro keyboard and the rubber feet are not exactly level, resulting in a tiny bit of rock on my desk.

                                                                      • Was this a gift?:
                                                                      • No

                                                                      Share this review

                                                                       
                                                                      4.0

                                                                      Thought it would be Black but it was Whi

                                                                      By Nicolas

                                                                      from Seattle, WA

                                                                      About Me Tech Savvy

                                                                      Verified Buyer

                                                                      Pros

                                                                      • Durable
                                                                      • Easy To Program
                                                                      • Easy To Set Up
                                                                      • Ergonomic Design

                                                                      Cons

                                                                        Best Uses

                                                                          Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                          This item came in Silver/White instead of Black. Would have preferred black.

                                                                          The jog wheel itself is quite nice. For some reason I thought the outer wheel would continuously rotate but it can only be spun about 90 degrees left or right. This works out well.

                                                                          • Was this a gift?:
                                                                          • No
                                                                          • Primary use:
                                                                          • Personal

                                                                          Share this review

                                                                          (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

                                                                           
                                                                          1.0

                                                                          issues with Vegas Pro 9

                                                                          By DKA

                                                                          from Washington, D.C.

                                                                          About Me Professional

                                                                          Pros

                                                                            Cons

                                                                              Best Uses

                                                                                Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                                The Shuttle-Xpress DOES appear to have issues with Sony Vegas 9 and 10 on Windows 7, 64 bit, at least for some users (like me). I ordered after reading the reviews here, and, alas, it does not work (even after downloading updated driver and installing the shuttle xpress .pref file that is preinstalled on Vegas, as suggested here in another review by AVP). The Contourdesign forum has a thread (which unfortunately I discovered only after my purchase) that recognizes this as an issue and states that they are working on a fix, but as of Jan 2011, there is none. So if you plan to use it with Vegas on Windows 7, 64 bit, beware - you might get lucky and it will work, or, like for me and many others, it won't do squat.

                                                                                • Primary use:
                                                                                • Business

                                                                                Share this review

                                                                                 
                                                                                5.0

                                                                                Excellent Product

                                                                                By AK

                                                                                from Chambersburg, PA

                                                                                Verified Buyer

                                                                                Pros

                                                                                • Easy To Program
                                                                                • Easy To Set Up
                                                                                • Ergonomic Design
                                                                                • Nice Button Configuration
                                                                                • Nice Features

                                                                                Cons

                                                                                  Best Uses

                                                                                    Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                                    Bought one, loved it so much that I got two more. It's VERY versatile, you can customize things even more than the literature says and it is very user friendly.

                                                                                    • Was this a gift?:
                                                                                    • No
                                                                                    • Primary use:
                                                                                    • Business

                                                                                    Share this review

                                                                                     
                                                                                    5.0

                                                                                    Works as said in Sony Vegas pro 9 64bit

                                                                                    By AVP

                                                                                    from Easton PA

                                                                                    About Me Full time Editor, Professional

                                                                                    Verified Reviewer

                                                                                    Pros

                                                                                    • Durable
                                                                                    • Easy To Program
                                                                                    • Easy To Set Up
                                                                                    • Ergonomic Design
                                                                                    • Nice Button Configuration
                                                                                    • Nice Features

                                                                                    Cons

                                                                                    • Doesn't make coffee

                                                                                    Best Uses

                                                                                    • Multi-Camera Edit

                                                                                    Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                                    ATTENTION! before you say it doesn't work, or the JOG doesn't work, FIRST open the unit's control panel, go to options / import settings. The go to your DRIVE C, locate Sony Vegas at the "programs"and you will see that the unit has installed options into Vegas already. Click Sony-Vegas template that matches your product like "shuttleXpress.pref and you are all set. Then to customize your buttons is a breeze and that is very easy on the manual. You can even scroll up and down internet with the JOG button.

                                                                                    • Was this a gift?:
                                                                                    • No
                                                                                    • Primary use:
                                                                                    • Business

                                                                                    Share this review

                                                                                    (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                                                                                     
                                                                                    5.0

                                                                                    Good product

                                                                                    By Smvzhouse

                                                                                    from Bossier City LA

                                                                                    About Me Professional

                                                                                    Verified Buyer

                                                                                    Pros

                                                                                    • Easy To Program
                                                                                    • Easy To Set Up

                                                                                    Cons

                                                                                      Best Uses

                                                                                        Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                                        Works great with FCP.

                                                                                        • Was this a gift?:
                                                                                        • No
                                                                                        • Primary use:
                                                                                        • Personal

                                                                                        Share this review

                                                                                        (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                                                                                         
                                                                                        5.0

                                                                                        Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller

                                                                                        By tx_bandit

                                                                                        from Dallas, TX

                                                                                        About Me Gearhead, Tech Savvy

                                                                                        Verified Buyer

                                                                                        Pros

                                                                                        • Easy To Program
                                                                                        • Easy To Set Up

                                                                                        Cons

                                                                                          Best Uses

                                                                                            Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                                            Purchased to use as a controller for a multimedia PC. Easily programable to execute various commands with a push of a button. I use the center dial for volume, the jog dial for FF/RW and the pushbuttons for switching sources.

                                                                                            • Was this a gift?:
                                                                                            • No
                                                                                            • Primary use:
                                                                                            • Personal

                                                                                            Share this review

                                                                                            (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                                                                                             
                                                                                            5.0

                                                                                            Works like a dream in Windows 7

                                                                                            By Rob

                                                                                            from Castle Rock, CO

                                                                                            About Me Tech Savvy

                                                                                            Verified Buyer

                                                                                            Pros

                                                                                            • Easy To Set Up
                                                                                            • Ergonomic Design
                                                                                            • Nice Button Configuration

                                                                                            Cons

                                                                                              Best Uses

                                                                                                Comments about Contour Design Shuttle-Xpress NLE Multimedia Controller:

                                                                                                I am very pleased with this product, and my only regret is not buying this months ago. It has been a real time saver in my video editing, but I was really surprised buy how well it works with all the programs in Adobe Production Collection, not just Premiere and After Effects.

                                                                                                I am running windows 7 64-bit, and have had no issues. Just download the most up to date drivers from the website and didn't bother using the driver disk that is included. I don't know if the program interface has changed because I found it very easy to program the buttons for additional programs, where other review said they were having problems.

                                                                                                The Construction is solid, doesn't feel cheep, and fits my hand wonderfully.

                                                                                                • Primary use:
                                                                                                • Business

                                                                                                Share this review

                                                                                                Displaying reviews 1-20

                                                                                                Back to top

                                                                                                Previous | Next »

                                                                                                System Extensions

                                                                                                Show more >
                                                                                                Pearstone -  USB 2.0 Type A Male to Type A Female Extension Cable (3')
                                                                                                • Price: $1.97
                                                                                                 

                                                                                                Peripherals

                                                                                                Show more >
                                                                                                Belkin -  WaveRest Gel Wrist Pad (Black)
                                                                                                • Price: $3.76
                                                                                                 

                                                                                                Cables & Cable Management

                                                                                                Show more >
                                                                                                Rip-Tie -  Mini Cable Wraps (Black)
                                                                                                • Price: $4.95
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                See any errors on this page? Let us know.

                                                                                                Close

                                                                                                Close

                                                                                                Close