Setup and Usage
As is expected with most USB devices, the TourBox NEO is very easy to set up. After downloading and installing the TourBox Console companion software, you simply connect the NEO to your PC using the supplied USB Type-C cable, and let Windows detect and install the device. Next you simply fire up the Console application and from there is where the world opens up to customization and configuration.
With TourBox Console open, you will be presented with a very intuitive layout. In the top left section of the window you see a list of presets for various content creation applications. Many of the most popular options are here, including Adobe Photoshop and Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and CapCut. Each of these presets can be exported via the application, but TourBox also offers a wide range of presets that are available for download on their website. There are options for digital painting, photo and video editing, audio production, video conferencing, office productivity applications, and more. You can even create a custom preset for applications that might not have one, and export them to share with other TourBox users.
Just below the preset section is a top-down image of the NEO, with labeled call-outs for each input. This is a great reference for customizing the preset settings, and when you are working to adjust a certain input option, the input’s label will highlight so that you know you have the right one selected.
The meat and potatoes portion of TourBox Console is the Preset Settings section. This is where you can customize each and every input option. These controls are separated into the three previously mentioned sections – Rotating, Prime Four, and Kit. Depending on the input type, you can adjust exactly how they function. For instance, the Knob’s default function in Adobe Photoshop is to decrease brush size when rotated to the left, and increase size when rotated to the right. You can easily swap this direction by clicking the double-arrow button on this setting, and you can even adjust the speed at which the size increases or decreases with a modifier button.
There is also an option to expand the section for each input to show the combination options, and adjust them to your needs. I found this to be a very intuitive way of identifying and adjusting the options for each input and combination of inputs. And if you ever feel like you’ve really messed things up, there is a reset button that lets you start over. My suggestion would be to copy a preset first, and then make your changes, that way you can always fall back to the default if needed.
At the bottom of the Preset Settings area is a Custom Section that lets you create your own combinations or double-click options beyond the defaults. It is here where you can really customize the functionality of the TourBox NEO to your exact needs.
Another part of the TourBox Console application is the Global Setting window that sets standard options like starting with the PC, a notice when switching presets, and more. You can also toggle the General and D-Pad HUD windows that can be used as a quick, on-screen reference for the NEO. These HUD options can help you keep your focus on the screen, and reduce your reliance on going back to the Console application window to refresh yourself on button configuration.
I have recently been utilizing CapCut to create more engaging short-form content, and this review of the TourBox NEO was the perfect opportunity to learn a new application and implement the use of a dedicated editing product all at the same time. I really feel like this might be the best option to integrate a new tool, as seasoned creators may have a very comfortable setup with their workflow, and introducing a new product with an unfamiliar layout could introduce inefficiencies to their processes. That being said, I do think that spending time with the NEO, and using it on a regular basis can and will improve workflow, as it has an amazing amount of customizations available via Console, and multiple control surfaces to interact with in a small form factor.
With the CapCut preset selected, I also chose to enable the General HUD to help me acclimate myself to using the NEO. Instead of relying on hovering over options in the CapCut interface, I have been really working to learn and use the options available to me on the NEO when they make the most sense. There is no need for me to move my mouse over to the cut tool icon in CapCut when I can simply click the Up button in the Kit Section to split my video. The same thing goes for zooming in and out on my timeline with the Scroll wheel, or moving forward and backward on the timeline with the Dial, and then focusing in, frame by frame with the Knob.
I have really found the D-Pad and General HUDs to be beneficial in my limited time thus far with the NEO. Being able to quickly reference the settings for each button has been great, and having the option to move them to another monitor or even take advantage of their transparency while over the CapCut window, has been very convenient.
Now, I do want to talk about my experience using the TourBox NEO from a physical perspective. When I first started using the NEO, I found myself wanting to use it in a way that was similar to my keyboard layout. I had been using the “I” and “O” keys to set In and Out points in other applications, and figured I could just set the C1 and C2 buttons to do the same thing, which I could. However, the physical layout of the NEO just didn’t lend itself to using those buttons for those functions. I was essentially trying to force the NEO to work to my preconceived thoughts on how it should function, as opposed to adjusting my interactions with it to my advantage. I was literally placing my hand on the NEO in a way that just didn’t make sense based on its layout. Once I approached it as a tool to train me, instead of trying to make it fit my needs, things came around for the better. I found that using the D-Pad with my thumb was much more efficient, and that also gave me quicker access to the three Rotation inputs, which sped up my jogging and precision on the timeline.