Video summary
Elgato has recently expanded its product lineup with a significant release of new devices across both the Stream Deck and Wave audio series, headlined by the introduction of the Stream Deck Plus XL. This device is presented as the ultimate solution for users seeking maximum functionality in one unit, effectively merging the strengths of two previous models into a single powerhouse. The creator explains that while they previously recommended starting with the standard 32-key Stream Deck XL and adding the smaller Stream Deck Plus later to gain access to its unique dials, this new model combines both worlds. It features an expanded layout with thirty-six keys arranged in nine columns by four rows, alongside six dedicated dials at the bottom, offering a versatile interface that eliminates the need for multiple devices or complex page navigation strategies used in older setups.
The core innovation of the Stream Deck Plus XL lies in its ability to provide fine-tuned control through its array of dials while maintaining a high density of buttons for rapid scene switching and productivity tasks. Unlike previous iterations where navigating between pages required sacrificing a button slot, this new design allows users to utilize specific dials or other controls like those found on the Corsair K100 keyboard (which was mentioned as an alternative solution) to manage page navigation without cluttering the main key area. Furthermore, Elgato has simultaneously released the Wave XLR Pro audio interface, which pairs seamlessly with this new Stream Deck model. This hardware upgrade offers dual microphone inputs, multiple headphone outputs, and line I/O capabilities, transforming the Stream Deck Plus XL into a comprehensive control center that can manage virtual mixer levels on connected computers while replacing traditional standalone audio interfaces in many studio workflows.
Beyond its immediate technical specifications, the video emphasizes that the true potential of these devices is unlocked through proper setup and understanding their advanced features, which often go unnoticed by new users who initially buy them only for streaming or gaming purposes. To address this gap between purchase and full utilization, the creator promotes an upcoming intensive training course called the Stream Deck Accelerator. This two-week program covers foundational skills such as custom architecture design and interface personalization before moving into advanced productivity workflows, deep work strategies, online meeting optimization, video production techniques, and troubleshooting common friction points that prevent users from fully integrating the device into their daily routines. The overarching conclusion is that by combining the extensive button layout of the XL with the precise dial control of the Plus series in a single form factor, Elgato has created what could be considered "one Stream Deck to rule them all," serving as an ultimate tool for both creative production and general office productivity.
Read the full video transcript
This week Elgato released a range of
devices across their Stream Deck and
also their Wave audio line of products
as well. And the first one is I'm going
to say the Stream Deck to rule them all
because it's this. It's the Stream Deck
plus XL. Now, for a long time when
people have asked me about which Stream
Deck they should get first, I've always
gone with the line that well, the Stream
Deck at XL first is the a great choice
because it's got lots of buttons so
you've got lots of functionality at your
fingertips without needing to switch
pages and switch profiles. But then the
Stream Deck plus is going to be a great
second Stream Deck or a companion to
that because that gives you the
functionality of the dial. So what am I
talking about there? Well, this is the
Stream Deck XL. This is the 32 key that
I've got on my desk. This actually still
is the first one that I bought 5 years
ago. I then added another one over here
so we've got another XL over this side
and I've got a couple of pedals down on
the floor. But when they brought out the
Stream Deck plus which is this one over
here,
the thing that's really great about this
is we've got these dials. So for things
that you want fine-tune control over,
then we can use that. Now that is for
things like audio levels. You can use
them in productivity apps or so as for
productivity in apps like Photoshop for
adjusting brush size or maybe if you're
editing. Obviously I don't do any
editing. That's the whole point of this
channel. But the Stream Deck plus works
really well for that. But what I've
always thought is it is a bit limited in
terms of the number of buttons because
yes, you've got the four dials there but
you've only got really eight buttons.
And so that's not a lot if you start
using Stream Deck to its full potential
for productivity and you realize there
are so many things that we can do. And
actually the majority of those are
button presses rather than a dial usage.
Usage. Hence the reason why I always say
start with a Stream Deck XL and then you
know, add the Stream Deck plus once you
realize how how powerful Stream Deck is
and you want that extra control of
things with dials. Well, basically what
they've done now is they've joined the
two things together but actually made it
even better because
well, the Stream Deck XL has got 32 keys
arranged in a sort of 4 by 8
configuration. If we go back over to the
Stream Deck plus XL,
that is uh now instead of eight rows, or
sorry, eight columns, we've got nine
columns uh by four rows. And so, instead
of 32, we've got basically 36 keys.
And instead of four dials, we've got six
dials down at the bottom. Now, one of
the things that you'll find is even if
you've got 32 keys, or in this case uh
more, 36, um then you still may need to
have multiple pages of uh of icons or
controls on there. So, for example, if I
come over to this one, I can press a
button to go to, you know, a complete
new page of controls over here. Now,
what happens though is that takes up one
of the buttons. So, when you want to go
to the next page, you have to use the
next page and previous page button. Now,
what I'm also testing out at the moment,
and I've got a video that's coming on
out about this very soon, um is this
from Corsair, the uh the owners of
Elgato, and it is the Gallium 100 ST,
the ST standing for Stream Deck, because
it's got a Stream Deck built into it.
Now, this is a 12-key Stream Deck, and
obviously, if you're going to then have
page forward and page backwards, um it's
basically a 10-key Stream Deck, because
you need to save the uh the buttons for
that. So, what I did to get around that
was um we've also got two dials on this
keyboard, and so, I assigned one of
those dials to page forward and page
backwards. Actually, these have both got
dual functions. So, for both for one of
the functions of one of the dials, I
basically got a page forward and page
backwards. So, I can, if I do the right
one, I can page through my different
pages of actions. So, that basically
freed up that page forward and page
backwards. And so, the reason I
mentioned that now, uh this video isn't
about that keyboard specifically, uh
it's about this, the Stream Deck plus
XL. So, what I will do will be doing is
I'll be using one of the dials
for moving backwards and forwards
between the pages. And I should also say
that of the other five dials then, uh
they still do have that concept of dial
stacks, which is to say, for each dial,
you can have multiple functions
associated with each one. Now, this
could be replacing a lot more gear in
people's studios as well because as well
as the Stream Deck plus XL, they've also
released this which is the Elgato Wave
XLR Pro. Now, the Elgato Wave has been
around for a while and that was a
desktop device or is a desktop device
that is intended to be able to take in
your XLR microphone or the XLR cable
from your your mic. You plug it into
that device and it's basically an
interface with your computer. a way to
get a broadcast mic such as this and
take the XLR feed into the the Wave and
then take that into the computer. So,
what they've done then with the Wave XLR
Pro is they've made it a little bit more
pro. They've First of all, we've now got
two mic inputs instead of just one.
We've also got the dual headphone
outputs there on the front and also the
the back as well.
And then, we've also got the line in and
line out as well. So, you've got a way
to take in some other audio from other
sources. And then, apart from that, you
can also connect it up to two computers
as well. Now, one thing to note is this
is a hardware device and there are no
physical faders or anything like that on
it. There are no physical controls. This
is just the hardware interface which
then interfaces with with their fully
updated Elgato Wave software for your
computer.
So, how then do you control it? Well,
obviously, you can control it with your
Stream Deck plus XL. And with all those
dials now, you'll be able to control the
individual levels on all of the
different channels on your your virtual
mixer effectively on your computer.
And then, you'll be able to control all
sorts of other audio-related controls
from here as well. So, I really see that
the pairing of the Elgato Stream Deck
plus XL with the
the Wave XLR Pro.
Too much of a mouthful with all these
acronyms and short names or whatever.
But, this is going to be a really great
pairing that potentially the one Stream
Deck to rule them all is going to be the
Stream Deck plus XL and that also then
could become your audio interface. So,
for example, somebody like me who has
the Rode Caster Pro 2 actual fact over
here and then we've got my Stream Deck
plus down here and the Stream Deck XL.
In theory, because I only do use one or
two mics, I could potentially be
replacing all of this with that one
Stream Deck plus XL and then potentially
the Stream Deck sorry the
Wave
XLR Pro as well. So, really compelling
uh devices that have been released here.
There are some other in the Wave range
as well that have been released and I'll
be certainly looking to try those all
out. But, Stream Deck has been a
complete game changer for me and I think
like many people that buy Stream Decks,
we buy them because we see the power of
them for switching our scenes in our
video production or maybe if you're a
live streamer or gamer or whatever,
you're using them for that use case. And
then suddenly what happens is we get
them and we realize that actually they
are in fact the ultimate productivity
tool. And certainly this is going to be
uh the ultimate of the ultimate
productivity tool because it gives you
not just the the buttons but the dials
as well. Now, if you want to really get
the most out of Stream Deck, I am
running some training going up in just a
couple of weeks and it's called the
Stream Deck Accelerator and it's
basically 2 weeks of intensive training
where we have there's actually two
sessions a day but you can choose which
one you come to. Week one is all about
foundations of Stream Deck. So, it's
going to get you really up to speed on
how to use your Stream Deck and get the
most out of it. So, we cover things like
essentials of getting set up and the
fundamentals maybe you're already at
that point. But, then we look at how to
create your custom Stream Deck
architecture. So, one of the great
things about Stream Deck is the power of
it but then we have to basically design
our own user interface for the buttons,
you know, design how it's going to
operate, design how we're going to set
up our profiles and pages. So, we cover
that in detail on Tuesday.
Then on Wednesday week one, we look at
how to personalize the interface.
Obviously, there are lots of great icon
packs and things like that that we can
design we can download from the Elgato
store, but it's a bit of a strange
device in that, you know, when you get
into your new car, you don't have to
design what all of the icons look like,
you know, you have them all laid out
there. And user interface is a very
important thing. So, I'll talk about
some fundamentals of how you can get
something so that it looks good that you
can then get into using it. And that
isn't something that stops you from from
using it at all. And then we look at
advanced Stream Deck power features. So,
there are lots of things that aren't
immediately obvious. So, we go under the
hood and get into the weeds in terms of
you know, all of those sort of more
hidden features or not not so obvious
features and then look at how to create
the mission control for your work with
the session on day five. Now, when we
move into week two, we're looking at
specific use cases and we basically look
at how to use it for general sort of
productivity and admin on your
day-to-day work. We look at how to
protect your focus and deep work and
look at some ways and workflows that you
can use Stream Deck to
really get a lot more done in your day.
Then we look at how you can use it in
your online meetings and presentations.
So, it's a such an amazing and powerful
business tool. So, we cover that on the
Wednesday.
Then on Thursday, we look at video
production and recording, which I think
is a lot of the way that people come
into Stream Deck
is from that world of streaming and
video production. So, we'll go into into
that in more detail. And then Friday is
basically looking at overcoming some of
the friction that people have cuz I
speak to a lot of people in my
consultations who basically say, "I've
got a Stream Deck and it's been sitting
on my desk, but I've just never really
got into fully using it." And so, we
look at how to get past that so that you
can make sure that when you come out of
the course, you are hitting the ground
running and you're actually using it
daily in your workflow to essentially be
more productive and squeeze more value
out of every hour that you are working.
So, that is the Stream Deck accelerator.
We run two sessions every day just
purely 12 hours apart purely so that it
is accessible for a global audience. So,
you can be sure that wherever you are in
the world, there'll be a session that
works for you and you can find a link to
it in the description. As soon as I get
my hands on the Stream Deck plus XL, I
am of course going to make a full full
formal review video, but I've just got
to say I'm in no doubt that this will be
the one that I recommend to everyone cuz
basically it's just combining the best
of the Stream Deck XL and the Stream
Deck plus
and then making it even better than
that. Let me know what you think of the
Stream Deck plus XL in the comments, and
YouTube is going to leave a link to some
other videos that you might be
interested in over on the right side.
And if you want to learn more about all
the things I talk about on the channel,
check out the Digital Stage Academy.