Loupedeck Live vs Stream Deck

Interesting Competitor to StreamDeck which I had not been aware of before

The rotary dials and different programming logic seem intriguing

Who has tried both and can offer insight?

1 Like

Elgato decided to make its hardware with a fixed cable (until the MK.2), whereas Loupedecks have a removable USB-C connection.

Stream Deck XL has always had a removable USB-C cable.

You can nest multiple tasks under folders to expand your options nearly endlessly, but the general interface remains fixed. So, if you wanted to control Ableton and Photoshop, for example, you might have a top-level button for each. That button would then link through to a subfolder of actions and/or more subfolders (one for editing, one for exporting actions and so on). These buttons remain fixed no matter what application you are using at a given moment.

With Loupedeck, it’s all about dynamic profiles. That’s to say, if I am working in Ableton, the Loupedeck will automatically switch to that profile and all the buttons and rotaries will change to whatever I have assigned them to for Ableton.

Stream Deck literally has this exact same feature, but the Engadget article makes it sound like Loupedeck does and Stream Deck doesn’t.

I assume the author just doesn’t have much actual experience using the Stream Deck, or, if they did, they failed to notice this feature in the Stream Deck software…because it has been there for a long, long time.

2 Likes

Do you know if the dials are programmable for any two keystrokes (up/down, forward/backward) I wish so I can program them in PDF software to scroll pages within a document or zoom in/out or tab forward/backward?

I don’t know anything about the Loupedeck

1 Like

The initial philosophy behind the devices is quite different.

Loupedeck has always made keyboard and control devices for audio, photo and video editing (exposure adjustments, catalogue management, while balance adjustments etc)

Streamdeck was intended to be a quick launcher for gaming/streaming setups, light profiles, computer settings etc to facilitate streaming using multiple audio/video input and output sources and lights.

I think both devices through their config software have branched out to new use cases, in Stream Decks case especially because of an enthusiast user base creating new integrations

I use a Loupedeck keyboard for photo management and editing in Lightroom and Photoshop. My Streamdeck is always there for everything else

3 Likes

I think it depends on which Loupdeck you have. Some like Loupdeck Live and Loupdeck CT have programmable macro buttons, others like Loupdeck+ are fixed.

I picked up a lightly used, second-hand Loupedeck CT–it still had the plastic on the touchscreens. I use it with Photoshop, Camera Raw, Illustrator, Affinity Photo and Designer, After Effects as well as for triggering automations. I find it most useful while using my graphics tablet.