While primarily aimed towards live streaming, products like the StreamDeck and particularly the Loupedeck Live have proven to be invaluable for photographers and filmmakers. They allow you to simulate keyboard shortcuts and potentially even talk directly to software through their own API. But such products are relatively expensive. Sure, the time they save makes up for their cost but wouldn’t it be better if there was an even cheaper alternative?
Well, thanks to Pedro at DSLR DIY CNC, there is! He designed his own “macropad” called the InfiniteDeck, based off an ESP32 with a capacitive touchscreen display that offers a very familiar interface and a very customisable system. It just plugs into your computer, emulating a keyboard and doesn’t even require any drivers.
While there have been other solutions in the past for DIY alternatives to products like the StreamDeck and Loupedeck Live, this one has a particularly interesting feature. The ESP32 display has a built-in microSD card slot, and DSLR DIY CNC’s code actually allows you to save and load macro sets to and from the card, allowing for a lot of easy customisation without worrying about ever losing your settings.
As long as you’ve got a backup of the settings somewhere, you can recall them. And if you ever want to change them, you can do so while keeping a copy of your old setup, just in case you change your mind. Or, if you’re regularly switching between different tasks – say, video editing and gaming – you can recall the different tasks for each as needed.
If I didn’t already have a Loupedeck CT, this would definitely be going on my list of projects to build!
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