hardware triggering

[samsc]

As powerful as Catalyst is, it is not a dedicated piece of software running exclusively on a single purpose hardware device.

The V16 is a dedicated device with dedicated control of automation. V16 is designed to control automation. There are others comparable. The pharos controller Simon mentioned is actually a good choice.

Think of Catalyst more as a tool to be controlled instead of a tool to control. It's true power is more that it's diversely subordinate to more intelligent control devices.

catalyst is not designed to control automation - because its an open loop system- and its not designed to be fail-safe- or to be part of a safe control system-
these are the main reasons - they are design choices -nothing implied by hardware or software per se-