Graphics Tablets?

[Madmat]

After getting my new laptop yesterday, I am now looking for a Graphics tablet I plan to use it for working with Autocad 2000 and Pro-Engineer. I have no experience with them previously so I was wondering could any one help point me in the right direction! Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated![*-)]

[TWINSET]

I tried to use a couple on Autocad and just couldn't get on with them - I found for the way I draw, I used the keyboard a lot too, so holding a pen was more of a hindrance than using a mouse.

 

I actually now use a Microsoft Trackball Opticcal for mouse duties, and find that even easier still (no need for a tidy desk around the mouse [])

There's a company called Leonardo in Reading that we used to get all our ACad stuff thru, might be worth asking them too;

 http://www.leonardo-cad.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

[ChrisB]

I think if you want a good 'un then the Wacom Intuos ones are the ones to go for from my research on the subject. Having said that I bought one about 2 years ago and used it all of about 15 times before sticking it on ebay. In fact I think the guy who bought mine worked at Pinewood studios for an animation company team if memory serves.....I think they are good if you do a lot of design / artwork on a computer but you need to use them fairly regularly for it to become a "natural" way of doing things....

My other comment would be I wouldn't bother with one much smaller than the A4 sized ones. The A4 sized ones are useful as the tablet area is roughly the same size as a 17 inch screen area so you get a 1:1 mapping between movement with the pen on the tablet and the cursor on the screen.

I did find for CAD type drawing the pen and tablet let to less RSI type discomfort when used for long periods than a mouse. Like I say though you'd have to be doing a lot of CAD / design work to make it worth your while imho.

Chris

 

[Madmat]

Cheers guys for the input, Yeah i agree with you twinset, I also find whenever I use Autocad that I end up working mostl with the keyboard. The graphics tablet would be handier for ProEngineer as its not based around keyboard commands as much, Or that's what i found from using it!

Chris-

[terry.sc]

If you want a graphics tablet then easily the best is the Wacom

Intuos. Ignore the graphic design pen versions though, they make

versions specifically for CAD work with a lens cursor which might be

more useful as you won't need the pressure sensitivity of the pens.

http://www.wacom-europe.com/uk/products/in...lens_cursor.asp