Switchblade Systems VMC12 PRO vMix Control Surface with PTZ Joystick

Solid Control Surface for vMix

This is a fantastic controller for vMix—very solid and well built—but it’s not perfect. I’m using it for a simple 8-input system, and overall it works great. My main issue is with how overlays function. Using the lower-right buttons (1–4), you select the overlay channel, and then the buttons above the program bus are used to select the graphic. While these buttons can be configured to work like a DSK, the problem is that the button lights don’t indicate whether an overlay is active. One of the four buttons must always be lit, regardless of overlay status. My workaround has been to use a Stream Deck, which work great for this purpose. In a perfect world, those buttons would function as true function buttons, allowing for more flexible configuration. That said, this is still one of the best bang-for-your-buck control panels you can buy. Knowing what I know now, I might have opted for the VMC8 instead and saved a few dollars—but overall, I’m still very happy with it.