How to Use Input Devices (Game Controllers and MIDI Control Surfaces)¶
In addition to the keyboard and mouse, Fast Video Cataloger can be driven by an external input device — an Xbox (or compatible) game controller, or a MIDI control surface such as the Behringer X-Touch. You can map the buttons on the device to any command in the shortcuts list — even ones with no keyboard key assigned, such as Add To Playlist — and use the jog wheel or an analog stick to scrub through video frame by frame.
This is especially useful for reviewing and logging footage: keep one hand on a jog wheel to shuttle through a video while tagging, rating, and capturing frames with the other.
Turning it on¶
Device bindings live alongside keyboard shortcuts in the same window. Open the application menu and choose Shortcuts to open the Input window.
At the top are the device types the app can use. Both are off by default — tick the one you have:
- Xbox / game controller — use a connected game controller.
- MIDI control surface (X-Touch) — use a MIDI surface. It is found by name; the default matches the Behringer X-Touch. Leave it off if your surface is used by another program, such as a DAW.
A dot next to each row shows whether that device is currently connected.
An Xbox controller works with no setup. A Behringer X-Touch must be switched to MCU (Mackie Control) mode for the default mapping to line up — see your device manual for how to select the mode.
Binding controls to commands¶
The main list has one row per command, showing its keyboard shortcut and its device control side by side, so you can see everything that triggers a command in one place.
- To set or change the keyboard shortcut, click the shortcut cell and press the new key combination.
- To bind a device control, click the Device cell and press the button (or move the control) on your device. Press Delete to clear it.
A command can have more than one device control bound to it (for example, both a gamepad button and an X-Touch button); they are all listed in the Device column.
Scrubbing & transport¶
Controls that move continuously — jog wheels, sticks and faders — don't map to a single command. They appear in the Scrubbing & transport section at the bottom. Each row shows the control, the function it performs and a short description:
| Function | What it does |
|---|---|
| Scrub | Moves the playhead as you turn the jog wheel or push the stick. |
| Shuttle | Sets the playback speed from the amount of stick or knob deflection; back for reverse. |
| Timeline | Maps a fader's position directly to a position in the video. |
| Fine toggle | Switches scrubbing between coarse and single-frame steps. |
Pick a function from the drop-down. To use a different control for a function, click its Control cell and touch the control you want. Click Remove to remove a row. Use Add from device and touch a control to add it; press Esc if you change your mind. A button added here can only be the fine toggle — the other functions need a continuous control such as a wheel, stick or fader.
Click OK to save both your shortcuts and device bindings, Cancel to discard, or Reset to return everything to the defaults.
Default mapping¶
Xbox / game controller
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| A | Play |
| B | Pause |
| X | Capture frame |
| Y | Toggle full screen |
| Left / Right bumper | Previous / Next video |
| D-pad left / right | Jump backward / forward (repeats when held) |
| D-pad up / down | Previous / Next video |
| Start / Back | Play / Stop |
| Left stick (horizontal) | Scrub |
| Right stick (horizontal) | Shuttle |
Behringer X-Touch (MCU mode)
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Jog wheel | Scrub |
| Scrub button | Toggle fine / coarse scrubbing |
| Play / Stop / Record | Play / Stop / Capture frame |
| Rewind / Fast-forward | Jump backward / forward (repeats when held) |
| Select 1–5 | Set rating 1–5 |
| F1–F5 | Assign keyword 1–5 |
| Mute 1 / 2 | Set clip start / end |
| Fader 1 | Timeline position |
| V-Pot 1 | Shuttle |
Scrubbing tips¶
- Scrubbing pauses playback while you move the control and resumes where you left it. Turn the jog wheel slowly for single-frame steps; turn it faster to cover more of the video per turn.
- Use the Fine toggle control (the Scrub button on the X-Touch) to switch between coarse and frame-accurate stepping.
- Scrubbing requires the built-in video player. It is not available when the external MPV player is selected.
Your mappings and settings are saved with the program, so the device is ready to use the next time you start Fast Video Cataloger.