Introduction
Prior to Corsair’s acquisition of Elgato, the streaming company’s breakout product is their family of capture cards. Close to them joining the Corsair family was their release of the Stream Deck product family.ย Many who have tried the programmable LCD keypad have had mixed success but today, Elgato’s Stream Deck stands as the de facto standard for the programmable keypad.
The Stream Deck family of products has expanded from the simple 15 button v1 Elgato original to the newer Mk2 revisions and the sample we’ll be checking out today, the Stream Deck+. But the Stream Deck family isn’t just known as streaming hotkeys. The reason they’ve grown in following is because they’ve become the best programmable control pad available right now.
It has proven to be so versatile that it has reached the point that the Elgato Stream Deck has transcended being just a streaming switcher and has made its way to professional multimedia workflows, studio broadcasts and even smart homes and robotics besides the myriads of gaming usage especially with sim games that require a ton of buttons.
To support this rich ecosystem, Elgato has opened their own marketplace featuring community-developed plugins, assets, profiles, etc. that users can use. But as mentioned, the Stream Deck product line has a good run amongst professionals but there’s a barrier for use in some applications. A prime candidate is the Adobe software family and as ubiquitous as Adobe is, users have had to resort to learn the shortcut system of each software or ask profiles from Reddit or other forums.
Adobe Partners with Elgato
In a unique move, Adobe has partnered with Elgato to provide first-party integration of the Elgato Stream Deck family to Adobe products. This starts with Adobe Photoshop official Elgato pluginย with the likelihood of more plugins to be developed for their other software, particularly Premiere Pro as one of the most heavily requested .
While the Stream Deck’s software partner has made it possibly to program actions (Multi Action and logic switches (Multi Action Switch), this has a gentle learning curve that some folks don’t want to get into. The demand for a turnkey solution has brought about the rise of Elgato Marketplace’s most prevalent Adobe plugins that are priced a little bit out of reach of non-professionals.
Getting Started with the Adobe Photoshop Plugin by Elgato
Let’s jump right into the software first because its a breeze to install the plugin. Just go to the link and click get. Make sure you have the Stream Deck software installed and it will install directly to the application’s list of actions.
Under the Stream Deck+, we have access to keys and dials. Built into the software is a stacked control for the HSL slider of Photoshop that lets users cycle through Hue, Saturation, or Lightness without diving into the menus.
Users can also program Undo/Redo via the knobs as well as layer control options which allows cycling through various controls over layers.
If using the Stream Deck Neo, Mk2 or XL with no dials, the commands are straightfoward. The Stream Deck+ allows touch swiping across multiple button pages while the Neo/Mk2/30-button Stream Decks can use page buttons to cycle through pages.
For those unfamiliar, the Photoshop Play Action command a key to execute pre-defined actions under Photoshop’s Action function. This basically automates tasks and is very advanced allowing users to record actions they do repeatedly or very advanced ones via Javascript.
With unlimited possibilites, I really can’t show you the best setup as this will primarily be dictated by your workflow. I primarily prefer using the 15-button classic Stream Deck but the Stream Deck+ allows a bigger expansion of what’s already possible and below is a quick rundown of my personal setup which also integrates the Corsair K100 RGB into the workflow.
Closer Look – Elgato Stream Deck+
Testing the update is also a new addition to my workflow: the new Stream Deck+ which I’ll be giving my post-update review so-to speak. The Elgato Stream Deck+ is available in Black and White color options and arrives in full-colored packaging. A hero shot of the product is in the cover while the rear label has details on the features of the Stream Deck+.
The Stream Deck+ is held in place with packaging cardboard holders which also keeps the cable and some documentation.
The Stream Deck+ includes the control pad itself and a sleeved USB cable.
The front of the Stream Deck+ is where all the action is includes the 8 programmable LCD keys, a touch bar and the dial knobs. The newer Stream Decks use a fixed stand rather than an adjustable one from the original release. The fixed stand angles the Stream Deck towards the user and has space in the back.
Corsair/Elgato knew there’s some mods to be done here and have launched a USB Hub and XLR Dock as expansion options for the Stream Deck+ specifically.
The dial knobs are standard endless knobs that you can turn on either directions for whichever action you set-up. It has a notched tactile feedback giving a noticeable bump after a notch/step allowing granular control for an action as it can equate to a keypress or value increase/decrease. The knobs can be replaced with anodized coloreds ones from Corsair/Elgato,
Once connected, the Stream Deck+ will light up with the default profile. From there, you can use Elgato’s Stream Deck software to customize your Stream Deck+ including the new Adobe Photoshop plugin from Elgato and so much more.
Elgato’s Stream Deck software allows in-depth customization not just with action keys but the presentation itself. Users can use their images, GIFs, or create their own icons but there’s also the option of using free and paid icon sets on the Elgato Marketplace. Unique the Stream Deck+ is the touch bar background which can be customized per page.
Programming the Stream Deck+ works the same as all other Stream Decks but the key difference is the dial option which behaves different as it ties together the touch bar as well as the knob button. Its best for someone to master their workflow or game keys to have an idea how to convert it to hotkeys which in-turn leads to how best to program it in the dial knobs.
There’s simply no one way to use the Elgato Stream Deck and if you’re a macro freak you already know the raw value that it offers. For those that want a plug-and-play solution though, Elgato’s plugin marketplace is a nice start in picking up some actions to get you up and running.
Conclusion
If you’re looking at this product right now and thinking if its right for you, then you may fall in the following categories:
- you’re a streamer that wants a switcher
- you’re a content creator looking for a tool to help speed things up in editing (potentially on top of being a streamer)
- you’re a multimedia artist and you’ve seen videos showing the various ways how the Stream Deck can help speed your workflow
- you’re a gamer and you need a macro pad to help speed things up (FACTORIOOOO~)
… and probably a whole lot of others I missed. And personally, I’ve been using the Stream Deck for all of these since the Elgato Stream Deck (Mk1) came out years ago. It’s been my streaming switcher, my capture card recording control, it’s my Photoshop/Premiere Pro shortcut pad, it’s my gaming control pad, and every Windows shortcut keypad. One of those has to add something on top of what you’re already considering.
But the true advantage of the Stream Deck ecosystem is its adaptability. This was a product intended for switching scenes and muting your mic in Xsplit and OBS. Now its being used in extaordinary projects like these:
Davinci Resolve SuperSpeed Editor Custom Desk by FLATLANDERS TECH:
This project rehouses a Stream Deck Mk2, a Stream Deck Neo, and a $400 BlackMagic Design Speed Editor for Davinci Resolve and creates this excellent multi-function control pad for quick editing.
The Last Lap Broadcast Studio Setup by Alex Pettitt
This studio setup features a modular broadcast system and part of the setup uses a Stream Deck as a main switcher. Adapting this to a more personal scale, my personal streaming setup uses the a Stream Deck 15-button as a scene control with a switcher shifter on a foot pedal so everything is just 1 press away.
Stream Deck Profiles by Flight Panels
Of course games are always going to benefit from a pad like this. Sim games are easily the most common with Microsoft Flight Simulator, racing sims, and such but I’m neck deep in Factorio lately and that game massively benefits from such a setup with either a Stream Deck or Steam Deck+.
Final Thoughts: Is the Stream Deck in 2024 still good?
From an objective standpoint, its easy to argue that any of Stream Deck are just stylized mini-keyboards and that’s true but are you able to program any keyboard you want? Truth be told, it is possible with the best examples being Corsair keyboards via their iCUE software. Let say you did go ahead and customized each key to your liking to make your own custom control pad, the next challenge is remembering all those keys. You can make it easier using stickers on the keys or a pricier option are custom made key-caps but let’s be real, the learning curve is going to be steep to get into that groove. Its not impossible, but its not elegant either.
By this point in time, its a no-brainer for pros and freelancers to have one of these on their desks. The format has become so popular that we’ve seen companies like LoupeDeck follow this format and heck, even Razer and Logitech came out with their control decks. And if you feel like you need one, chances are you probably do. This is most evident if you feel like you’re pressing too many menus or juggling between apps.
With all of that out of the way, there’s really no one way to judge the Stream Deck and the Stream Deck+. You may be coming from one persepctive but eventually overlap with another which then overlap with another. I bought mine as a broadcast switcher but never expected to be able to use one for games like Factorio or my gameplay capture workflow. Ultimately, having to memorize hotkeys for Davinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop alongside the myriads of tools I work with daily, having the Stream Deck and Stream Deck+ is just a reliable way to just stay on top of your apps without having to keep up with all the new shortcut keys after every update.
Elgato made a hit with the Steam Deck product family and the only thing missing from the product is first-party plugins and icons to make the Stream Deck the most accessible workflow tool out-of-the-box. Really hope that Corsair/Elgato dedicate a team in developing more first-party plugins and profiles for popular applications. But as it is, if you have deeper grasp of your applications hotkeys like Adobe Photoshop and many more, then the Stream Deck and Stream Deck+ is an excellent way to expand your toolset.
Corsair/Elgato backs the Stream Deck (Mk2,XL,Neo) and the Stream Deck+ with a 2-year warranty. An easy recommendation for all users.
