Has anybody been using touch screen monitors with AA?

....And if so, how well do they work?  Is it possible to operate the faders effectively by using a touch screen?  Thanks for any input.

I've not used touch screens with Audition but at one point we were trying to control a submarine with one. I found that buttons were fine but dragging things like knobs and faders was quite difficult. A proper control surface with real knobs and faders is much easier to use.

Cheers

James.

have not used latest generation of touch screens.  Have used pen tablets for years.  The usual process there was/is to use pen tablet to select variables (pan, volume, etc.) and an oversized marble track ball to control variable incrementally.

Video display in windows is rather obviously interactive in any case so the most restrictive element of the touch screens is the 'grain', resolution. Generally speaking that resolution is more significant then the difference between 60 mm and 100 mm faders (or between behringer & Allen & Heath).  And unfortunately, metaphorically, your fingers are almost always going to be a lot fatter then either a stylus or the mouse.  This suggests that even as resolution increases, screen size has to increase in parallel or the 'fatness' of the finger becomes a significant control issue.  Touch screens still tend to rely on styli for fine control . . .   Somewhat obviously the upper limit of screen size (with appropriate resolution) is console size (any larger and you need more then two hands to manipulate things effectively) with concomitant increase in cost. 

In collaborative graphics environments (including upscale secondary ed industrial arts design classes) I've seen screens up to 72 in. used effectively but typically members have individual tablets as well.  The screen is the collaborative interface rather then primary design surface. 

There is no reason why touch screens can't work (but you would definitely want to be able to test drive specific apps) you just adapt how you work to the tech's limitations.  I can see a large touch screen being a very useful marketing tool, but in the post 2 AM, everyone else has gone home the cheap fader (+knobs & switches) board, pen tablet, large marble track ball is about as efficient as I'm likely to get. 

I read about something called NAVISIS, which is device attached to a transparent screen you can put over a conventional monitor and with the stylus actaully draw on the monitor. 
 
Is this what you were describing, Oretez?  Can you then control the screen (faders, panning, etc.) with the stylus?

no, not necessarily

the transparent overlays are special cases of the simpler, more mature, pen tablets that have been available since monitors went interactive in the 80s

a pen tablet is simply a surface mapped to display, generally addressed via stylus (though one can use fingers).  Usually the stylus exhibit some form of pressure sensitivity.  (less useful for pure recording but an interesting feature in conjunction with virtual & synthetic instruments)

here's a link commenting on one manufacturer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wacom

my limited experience with transparent overlays is that they tend to have slower feedback times; are more prone to anomalies, but it's been a couple of years since I've reviewed them

original comments on resolution are still the critical element . . . prior to spending butt load of money the suggestion was to make sure the tech integrates with work flow . . . cheapest way to do that is a $(US)40-100 pen tablet.  Learning curve on these is speed of light (to manipulate recording variables) . . . and they can be oriented vertically as easily as horizontally . . . if you find they are a comfortable interface then mega buck touch screen monitor might be just the the ticket

I read about something called NAVISIS, which is device attached to a transparent screen.....

Navisis is the name of the manufacturing company.  I think the device you are talking about is the EZ-Canvas.  There are some details of it here - http://www.navisis.com/ENGLISH/03_pro/pro04.php?tmenu=03 - and these guys will sell you one - http://kjglobal.co.uk/acatalog/Navisis_EZ_-_Canvas.html .

Intersting that it's not a megabuck product, you'd pay no less for a tablet.