Because that is not the job of the Hydra device.
The Hydra Device is there to interface with internal Renoise parameters.
The Automation Device is there to interface with VSTi plug-in parameters.
Each device is a tool to perform a specific task, and to perform it as efficiently as possible. You connect these small, specialised tools into a larger chain to get the overall job done. If you start mixing up the functionality of all the devices, then where does it end?
I personally like to connect a Signal Follower to a Gainer for some side-chain style action, so why not combine these two devices as well?
I also love to connect a Key-Tracking Device or Velocity Device to an LFO Device so that I can reset the LFO when a note triggers, so why don’t we add Key-Tracking and Velocity detection to the LFO as well? Come to think of it, I’m always controlling VSTi parameters with an LFO, so let’s make the LFO device be able to bind to VSTi’s as well. In fact, while we’re at it, just add all the functionality of the Hydra into the LFO!
I’m being silly now, but do you see where I’m going? Everybody has their own ideas for how each device should perform, depending on how they personally like to work. If every idea was crammed into every device, it would quickly become a huge mess. The only real way to approach this sensibly and keep everyone happy, is to provide a wide range of useful small devices, and then give us the ability to connect them together ourselves however we want… which is exactly what Renoise does now.
Tip: If you set up your basic Hydra + Automation Device and then save that DSP chain, you should be able to easily reload it into other tracks in the future. All the hard work of mapping the Hydra parameters to the Automation Device parameters will already be done for you at that point, so you simply have to choose the correct VSTi plug-in from the Automation Device and it’s ready to go.
Download:
http://illformed.org/temp/Hydra-Automation-Device.xrnt
XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<FilterDeviceChainClipboard doc_version="0">
<DeviceContainerSlot type="SequencerTrackDeviceChain">
<Devices>
<SequencerTrackDevice type="SequencerTrackDevice">
<IsActive>true</IsActive>
<IsSelected>false</IsSelected>
<SelectedPresetName>Init</SelectedPresetName>
<SelectedPresetIsModified>false</SelectedPresetIsModified>
<IsMaximized>true</IsMaximized>
<Panning>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Panning>
<Volume>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Volume>
<Surround>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Surround>
<PostPanning>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</PostPanning>
<PostVolume>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</PostVolume>
</SequencerTrackDevice>
<HydraDevice type="HydraDevice">
<IsActive>true</IsActive>
<IsSelected>true</IsSelected>
<SelectedPresetName>Init</SelectedPresetName>
<SelectedPresetIsModified>true</SelectedPresetIsModified>
<IsMaximized>true</IsMaximized>
<VisiblePages>2</VisiblePages>
<InputValue>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Mixer and Device</Visualization>
</InputValue>
<Out1DestTrack>
<Value>-1</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out1DestTrack>
<Out1DestEffect>
<Value>2</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out1DestEffect>
<Out1DestParameter>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out1DestParameter>
<Out1Min>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out1Min>
<Out1Max>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out1Max>
<Out1Scaling>Linear</Out1Scaling>
<Out2DestTrack>
<Value>-1</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out2DestTrack>
<Out2DestEffect>
<Value>2</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out2DestEffect>
<Out2DestParameter>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out2DestParameter>
<Out2Min>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out2Min>
<Out2Max>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out2Max>
<Out2Scaling>Linear</Out2Scaling>
<Out3DestTrack>
<Value>-1</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out3DestTrack>
<Out3DestEffect>
<Value>2</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out3DestEffect>
<Out3DestParameter>
<Value>2</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out3DestParameter>
<Out3Min>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out3Min>
<Out3Max>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out3Max>
<Out3Scaling>Linear</Out3Scaling>
<Out4DestTrack>
<Value>-1</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out4DestTrack>
<Out4DestEffect>
<Value>2</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out4DestEffect>
<Out4DestParameter>
<Value>3</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out4DestParameter>
<Out4Min>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out4Min>
<Out4Max>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out4Max>
<Out4Scaling>Linear</Out4Scaling>
<Out5DestTrack>
<Value>-1</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out5DestTrack>
<Out5DestEffect>
<Value>2</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out5DestEffect>
<Out5DestParameter>
<Value>4</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out5DestParameter>
<Out5Min>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out5Min>
<Out5Max>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out5Max>
<Out5Scaling>Linear</Out5Scaling>
<Out6DestTrack>
<Value>-1</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out6DestTrack>
<Out6DestEffect>
<Value>2</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out6DestEffect>
<Out6DestParameter>
<Value>5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out6DestParameter>
<Out6Min>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out6Min>
<Out6Max>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out6Max>
<Out6Scaling>Linear</Out6Scaling>
<Out7DestTrack>
<Value>-1</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out7DestTrack>
<Out7DestEffect>
<Value>2</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out7DestEffect>
<Out7DestParameter>
<Value>6</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out7DestParameter>
<Out7Min>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out7Min>
<Out7Max>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out7Max>
<Out7Scaling>Linear</Out7Scaling>
<Out8DestTrack>
<Value>-1</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out8DestTrack>
<Out8DestEffect>
<Value>2</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out8DestEffect>
<Out8DestParameter>
<Value>7</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out8DestParameter>
<Out8Min>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out8Min>
<Out8Max>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out8Max>
<Out8Scaling>Linear</Out8Scaling>
<Out9DestTrack>
<Value>-1</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out9DestTrack>
<Out9DestEffect>
<Value>2</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out9DestEffect>
<Out9DestParameter>
<Value>8</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out9DestParameter>
<Out9Min>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out9Min>
<Out9Max>
<Value>1.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</Out9Max>
<Out9Scaling>Linear</Out9Scaling>
</HydraDevice>
<InstrumentAutomationDevice type="InstrumentAutomationDevice">
<IsActive>true</IsActive>
<IsSelected>false</IsSelected>
<SelectedPresetName>Init</SelectedPresetName>
<SelectedPresetIsModified>true</SelectedPresetIsModified>
<IsMaximized>true</IsMaximized>
<ParameterNumber0>0</ParameterNumber0>
<ParameterValue0>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue0>
<ParameterNumber1>1</ParameterNumber1>
<ParameterValue1>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue1>
<ParameterNumber2>2</ParameterNumber2>
<ParameterValue2>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue2>
<ParameterNumber3>3</ParameterNumber3>
<ParameterValue3>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue3>
<ParameterNumber4>4</ParameterNumber4>
<ParameterValue4>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue4>
<ParameterNumber5>5</ParameterNumber5>
<ParameterValue5>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue5>
<ParameterNumber6>6</ParameterNumber6>
<ParameterValue6>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue6>
<ParameterNumber7>7</ParameterNumber7>
<ParameterValue7>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue7>
<ParameterNumber8>8</ParameterNumber8>
<ParameterValue8>
<Value>0.5</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue8>
<ParameterNumber9>9</ParameterNumber9>
<ParameterValue9>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue9>
<ParameterNumber10>10</ParameterNumber10>
<ParameterValue10>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue10>
<ParameterNumber11>11</ParameterNumber11>
<ParameterValue11>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue11>
<ParameterNumber12>12</ParameterNumber12>
<ParameterValue12>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue12>
<ParameterNumber13>13</ParameterNumber13>
<ParameterValue13>
<Value>0.0</Value>
<Visualization>Device only</Visualization>
</ParameterValue13>
<LinkedInstrument>0</LinkedInstrument>
<VisiblePages>3</VisiblePages>
</InstrumentAutomationDevice>
</Devices>
</DeviceContainerSlot>
</FilterDeviceChainClipboard>
.