geekhack Community > Input Devices
Are volume knobs useful? (on input devices)
Sintpinty:
--- Quote from: Findecanor on Fri, 19 July 2019, 06:24:30 ---Are volume knobs useful?
I mean, are they really much better than having buttons for volume up, down and mute?
Is there much need for adjusting volume more than one or two steps at a time?
Also, does anybody here use a rotary encoder on their kit keyboard for something else than a volume knob?
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The media buttons on my K63 prove far more useful
Leslieann:
--- Quote from: Coreda on Fri, 19 July 2019, 06:42:16 ---the pots are more prone to accumulating dust/debris.
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My nice 5.1 Creative system has exactly that problem and I can't for the life of me find a replacement pot for it. I just set it to a spot above the dead spot and hide it behind the computer now. I'll hard wire in a resistor before I buy anything newer though, good speaker sets are stupid expensive.
I have two buttons on my mouse (G900) mapped to volume and I just use those now.
--- Quote from: Findecanor on Fri, 19 July 2019, 12:57:25 ---But when you have set it once, initially, do you then need to adjust often using the analogue knob?
With a PC's volume control, there is often at least one slider inside the system for setting volume, which could serve for that initial setting.
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I am always adjusting mine, different places set their volume different.
Also, internal sliders are HORRIBLE.
Not only do they require several (semi precise) movements, but they can be quite imprecise and a hassle to get to if something comes on blaring.
Coreda:
--- Quote from: Findecanor on Fri, 19 July 2019, 12:57:25 ---A speaker should have a precise volume control that is easy to use, absolutely. But when you have set it once, initially, do you then need to adjust often using the analogue knob?
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Yeah, that's what I meant in the second sentence since volume output of things like video from browsers and games for example are unpredictable so having a way to rapidly adjust the volume on hand is preferable. Unlike a digital volume level which can't adjust in such a range without taking time from keystrokes (mouse-adjustable sliders are different but then they're not available blindly).
Such analog adjustments might only occur a couple times per session (if that) but there isn't any other way for sweeping volume adjustments so it's useful. Fwiw my speakers also don't respect the Windows global volume level, so more fixed OS-level adjustments are made per-program anyway.
nelamvr6:
If you're asking about the inclusion of volume knobs on keyboards, I need to change my answer, I prefer no media controls of any kind on keyboards.
VelourFog:
I love volume controls on keyboards. Be it knobs or barrels. Not so big on keys since I like on the fly volume adjusting.
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