Avid Control, EuControl and EuCon

Published 2024-12-01. Last modified 2025-03-13.
Time to read: 8 minutes.

This page is part of the av_studio collection.

I have written eighteen articles about Pro Tools. They are somewhat ordered, but largely are meant to be read in any order.

Overview

Control surfaces are often connected wirelessly; this allows them to be positioned exactly where you want and oriented how you want. I call wireless control surfaces remote control surfaces because they work everywhere in the studio, without any wires attached.

Avid Control runs on iPad and Android tablets, and provides artists and producers a control surface that reflects and manipulates the state of Pro Tools in real time. I find the Avid Control user interface to be more intuitive to use than the old and crusty Pro Tools user interface.

I would go so far as to say to new Pro Tools users, “Don’t spend much time memorizing the Pro Tools user interface. Instead, try to do as much as you can using Avid Control.”

The Moving Parts

Avid Control Desktop does not use EuCon. It can run on the same computer that runs Pro Tools, or it can run on any Windows or Mac computer on same network as the computer running Pro Tools. Read the Avid Control Desktop section in a moment; this section is dedicated to tablets running Avid Control (for tablets).

The EuControl Windows service mediates the dialog between Avid Control (running on a tablet) and Pro Tools (running on a DAW.)

Remote control surface connected via Wi-Fi to EuControl

The EuCon protocol allows real-time communication between control surfaces, DAWs and NLEs. Avid Control, running on a tablet, does not directly connect to Pro Tools, running on a DAW. Instead, Avid Control uses the Bonjour protocol to find a DAW that is running EuControl, and communicates with it using the EuCon protocol.

If you do not have any Avid hardware control surfaces, then only one EuCon client can connect to EuControl at any given time. This artificial limitation was designed to promote sales of Avid hardware. Other remote control protocols do not have this restriction.

The EuCon user’s group on Facebook is for discussions about the EuCon protocol and programs that use it.

EuCon @ Avid Forum.

If your Android device can't connect to Avid Control while your iPad does, the most likely culprit is compatibility issues with the Android device's operating system or network settings, which can sometimes cause problems with the Avid Control app, especially if you're using an older Android version; ensure your Android device is running the latest software and check your network settings to prioritize the 5GHz band for better connection stability.

Key points to check:

Android version compatibility: Make sure your Android device is running a version of Android that is officially supported by the Avid Control app.
Network settings: Wi-Fi band: Check if your router is set to use the 5GHz band, which is generally better for stable connections with control applications.
Router settings: Verify that your router isn't blocking any necessary ports for the Avid Control app.
Network congestion: Try to minimize other devices using the same Wi-Fi network to reduce congestion.

Troubleshooting steps:

Restart devices: Restart your Android device, your computer running the DAW, and your router.
Check for updates: Ensure you have the latest version of the Avid Control app on your Android device.
Check EuControl settings: Access the EuControl settings on your computer to verify your network configuration and check if the controller is recognized.
Try a wired connection: If possible, connect your Android device to the network using an Ethernet cable to eliminate potential Wi-Fi issues.
Contact Avid support: If the problem persists, reach out to Avid support for further assistance.

– From Google AI Overview

iPad vs. Android

Avid Control can run on iPads. However, I prefer to run Avid Control on a large Android tablet such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+. This 12.4" Android tablet costs a fraction of a similarly sized Apple iPad Pro.

Another big reason I prefer Android to iOS is that all Android apps are automatically compatible with split-screen mode. Split screen mode, available for iOS and Android tablets, displays two apps on a tablet, and the screens can be resized. Avid Control does not support split screen when running on iOS, not even slide-over.

Compatibility

The following DAWs are known to be compatible with EuCon, which means that Avid Control can remotely operate them. However, I have not tested any of the following for compatibility, so I am unaware of any caveats.

Steinberg Nuendo 12 and Cubase 12 or later
Apple Logic Pro 10.7.5 and later
Magix Sequoia 16
Merging Pyramix 8.x (Native only), Pyramix 9.x or later
Avid XMON S6
DADman (for all MTRX, and NTP products)
SoundFlow 5.4
Ginger Audio Ground Control Sphere

Overview

The iPad Avid Control App provides soft keys. (download)

Avid Control Desktop

The Avid Control Desktop app is available for macOS and Windows computers. Much like a linked Meters mode instance of the Avid Control app for iOS and Android, Avid Control Desktop provides a customizable Meters view for its associated S1. Unlike the iOS and Android app, however, Avid Control Desktop can also be used for Meters display with an Avid S3. Avid Control Desktop can show meters for up to 32 tracks, and can be installed on either your primary EuControl workstation or on a separate, external workstation on the same network (does not require EuControl or EuControl External Workstation).

In this and other EuControl user guides, references to Avid Control or the Control app refer only to the iOS and Android app. Avid Control Desktop is always referred to as Avid Control Desktop.

Avid Control Desktop is installed using the EUCON Workstation Unified Installer, and is included as an option in the EuControl Auto-Launch Apps menu. Avid Control Desktop does not require installation of EuControl or External Workstation software; the host macOS or Windows computer only needs to be on the same network as your primary (EuControl) workstation.

To install Avid Control Desktop:

Download the EUCON_WorkstationUnifiedInstaller, then double-click to unzip.
Launch the EUCON_WorkstationUnifiedInstaller.
When the installer is open, choose Avid Control Desktop.
Avid Control Desktop chosen for installation
Click Continue, then follow the instructions on-screen to complete the installation and restart your workstation.

– Page 16 of the Avid Control Guide

Installation

Installing on Windows

Enable EUCON in Pro Tools

Setup / Peripherals, select the Ethernet Controllers tab, then enable EUCON Control Surfaces.

The usual Windows Defender popup appears:

My Setup

Pro Tools Artist runs without other issues.
Windows 10 (with latest updates).
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ (a large Android tablet)
iPad Air 13" M2 model mv2f3cl/A
iPad 9th generation 10.2" model mk2p3vc/a

The 13" screen on the iPad Air is much better and larger, lots more usable space.

Recent Releases

EuCon 2025.3

The release notes shows the bugs that were fixed. Unfortunately, the Bonjour-related bug was not mentioned.

EuCon 2024.10

The press release said:

This release brings a major stability and performance upgrade with several new features. Download here.

However, a serious Bonjour-related bug was introduced.

EuCon 2023.06

What’s New in EuControl 2023.6 For Avid Control Surfaces.

EuCon 2023.06 worked fine from my iPad. After updating to EuCon 2024.10, Avid Control on the iPad no longer showed controls for Pro Tools running on Windows. However, the solution was easy.

Setup / Peripherals / Ethernet Controllers tab / EUCON Control Surfaces is enabled. EuControl on Windows shows the surface. I noticed that EuControl / Assign, Lock to Application: Entire surface is no longer a visible option.

The solution: Under the Applications tab, set Last Focused Application to Pro Tools, then enable Lock to application: Transport and Monitor and Control Room.

History

Avid and friends developed two early protocols that allowed MIDI devices to be controlled by other devices. These protocols were called Human User Interface (HUI) and Mackie Control Universal (MCU). See HUI & MCU for more information.

Euphonix was a vendor of control surfaces for studios with MIDI devices. They were the original developer of the proprietary EuCon protocol, which worked with their Euphonix control surfaces. The EuCon protocol was more advanced than HUI and MCU, but MIDI devices did not use EuCon because of the licensing cost. Avid bought Euphonix in 2010. The name Euphonix lives on today, however:

The origin story explains the name of the protocol that this article is all about: EuCon stands for Euphonix Control.
The origin story also explains why you will see many MIDI drivers with names like Euphonix EuMidi1 [Emulated]. These MIDI drivers are installed when the EuCon client is installed.

Defining Soft Keys for Pro Tools Macros

Practicalities and Limitations

Only Launch Avid MC Client for One User

Avid MC Client can only run on one Windows account. By default, it tries to launch on all accounts upon login. Thus, the first Windows user to log in gets to use EUCON. (See page 37 of the Avid Control and Avid Control Desktop Guide v2024.10.)

Only One Control Surface At A Time

I installed Avid Control on my Android phone. According to the Avid Control and Avid Control Desktop Guide v2024.10, only one control surface can be connected at a time, unless at least one Avid S1 is present in the My Surfaces list. Up to four Control apps can be added, one for each connected Avid S1.

I wish this limititation did not exist. I have seen videos that demonstrate multiple control surfaces

Lock Entire Surface

By default, Pro Tools must be the selected application on the DAW at all times. Otherwise, the Avid Control surface connected via EUCON does not display anything. To allow other programs to get focus without losing the connection, in EuControl / Assign, enable Lock to Application: Entire surface.

Swipe Down To Refresh EuCon Connection

Sometimes it is the simple things that get you. If Avid Control on the iPad is not connected to Pro Tools, swipe down. I could not find any mention of this in the Avid Control Guide.

Serious Bug

I had a problem running Imaginando LK and UBRIDGE. Windows Event Viewer had this event:

PM Bad service type in ._EuConProxyDevice._tcp.local. Application protocol name must be underscore plus 1-15 characters. See https://www.dns-sd.org/ServiceTypes.html

I disabled the EuControl service (installed by EuCon) and rebooted. LK and UBRIDGE worked.

The current version of the Avid EuControl service has a bug when initializing. The Avid EuControl service may be incompatible with some or all other programs that use Bonjour.

Channel Strips

I finally got Avid Control 2024.10 working on an Android tablet. However, instead of channel strips being displayed on the tablet, I saw a big menu tree of buttons, like this:

There are more than 100 pages of buttons, arranged in a menu. The pages of buttons appear because EuControl, running on Windows, has this control surface set to be a "Remote" instead of a "Master".

EuControl running on the Windows DAW along with Pro Tools

The EuControl program has a tab called Surfaces that shows a 3-column list of My Surfaces on the right. One of the columns is labeled Tablet Mode. The row that has the EuCon client is set to Remote. When I click on the word Remote, another choice is presented, Master. Selecting Master causes the channel strips to appear on the tablet. Tablet Mode still says Remote for several minutes before eventually changing to Master.

This user interface is unfortunately more unique than one might wish for.

References

Videos

I have written eighteen articles about Pro Tools. They are somewhat ordered, but largely are meant to be read in any order.

Mainframe image; Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License by PekoeBlaze

© Copyright 1994-2025 Michael Slinn. All rights reserved.
For requests to use this copyright-protected work in any manner, email mslinn@mslinn.com.

This website was made using Jekyll and Mike Slinn’s Jekyll Plugins.