Wacom tablet or Kensington trackball

First off, dears moderators, feel free to remove my posting if you think it doesn't belong here (I hope it does).
I am ready to trash my Logitech trackball mouse and "invest" $100 or so.
I know two contenders for the replacement are the Wacom tablet and the Kensington trackball.

If you're using one of the two or if you tried and hated them, could you briefly tell me why.

For your info, I am the type of guy who likes to sit back in my chair (but not relax) and rest my head on the headrest. (just saying, in case this is already an indication that the tablet isn't for me)

Oh, and please, let me know which tablet/or kensington mouse you use. Thanks!

Wacom. I am semi-comfortable with them. NEVER been comfortable with a trackball.


www.shanerosseditor.com

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I am ready to trash my Logitech trackball mouse and "invest" $100 or so.

$100 is not an investment...that is pinching pennies unless you go with the little WACOM Bamboo tablet (too small for me):

[www.wacom.com]

You need at least a 6x8 for Video / grafix work:

[www.wacom.com]

I suggest 6 x 11 Intuos3:

[www.wacom.com]

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Hey Shane!

I thought I remembered you were using a mouse mainly? Am I wrong?

OH, I use a mouse mainly. I use the Wacom when I do Motion projects. Since I didn't use Motion on Strange Rituals, I didn't have my Wacom there.


www.shanerosseditor.com

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Love wacom, use it for everything, on every mac I have.

Graeme

Oh I see..
So far, Wacom all around...

Shane Ross Wrote:
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> OH, I use a mouse mainly. I use the Wacom when I
> do Motion projects. Since I didn't use Motion on
> Strange Rituals, I didn't have my Wacom there.

Dude. You know "Gestures"?

>Dude. You know "Gestures"?

No...is he a good editor?

LOL

I am just starting to play with Motion...so I don't know much. Or are you talking about Gestures in FCP?

I have some neat facial gestures...


www.shanerosseditor.com

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I only know one gesture, and it's the one every editor uses as soon as that pain-in-the-neck client turns his back.

Wacom...

I have Intuos A4 for my Dual G5

Intuos 3 A4 Wide Special Edition for my MacPro

and Bamboo for my MacBook Pro


Once you are comfortable with it. I reckon you can be 10-20% faster with a Wacom than you can be with a mouse.

Also (unless you have some other condition), a Wacom tablet will save your wrist and fingers a whole of of ache.



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Doesn't the tablet require that you really sit straight and rest both arms on the desk, pretty much like if you were drawing, right?
Just asking because as I described in my posting, I like to sometimes sit back in my chair.

You can put the tablet on your lap and use it. It lets you move into any position like slouching in your chair.

Nooooo...put the pad in your lap if you like & sit back in your chair. You can put it behind your head & play it like Jimi Hendrix if you like. The pen needs getting used to but once that's done, you'll never look at a mouse / trackball the same (personally can't believe people still use trackballs).

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

grafixjoe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can put it behind your head & play it like Jimi Hendrix if you like.
> trackballs).


"slouching" is the word!
I always wanted to be a rock star, so you might have sold me on the tablet!

Hi,

I have a Bamboo medium, as it works great, I am very happy with it. I believe it is a tad less expensive than the Intuos. My only real suggestion is to avoid the Bamboo small. It is too small for anything but realizing you should have got something bigger.

I do love to use the apple mouse. The one thing I like about the apple mouse is the scroll BALL because you can scroll your timeline sideways, which is VERY helpful in my opinion.

I am using the tablet for pretty much everything these days. It is true: once you use a tablet you can't go back to a mouse. But I do miss the side scrolling capability on the ball on the apple mouse.

thx all

I use BOTH a Wacom and Kennsington Turbomouse. Long ago mousing gave me painful tendonitis.

Tablet size for me relates to your screen size. I've used 4x6 tablets with smaller monitors fine but my 24" demands a larger tablet area like 7x10" or larger.

Tablets don't fit well with double monitor setups since you have to map your tablet for what amounts to a double-wide monitor. Make sense? You're only using half the tablet width for each monitor. Get a BIG tablet if you are two wide.

Tablet pens are hard for me to double-click precisely with. So I use trackball buttons for clicking, double-clicking, chording etc. The ball lets me precisely move small amounts like dragging audio levels or rolling cuts. Trackball on left, tablet on right of keyboard. Major cursor positioning with tablet, fine tuning with the trackball.

No more tendonitis. And it spreads the work between both hands. LOVE this setup. Want a photo of my setup?

Phil Cramer
Indianapolis

I have the small Bamboo tablet and with the exception of some commands which just don't seem to work that good on the tablet I'm using it all the time...and my shoulder stopped hurting since.

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Tablet pens are hard for me to double-click precisely with.

Ok lets do the Ben King school of how to set up your Wacom stylus - it may sound a bit precocious but I have been using Wacoms since the 90s and never found a better set-up!

1. Put the mouse "double-click" on the lower part of the button on the stylus

2. Put "ctrl-click" (modifier ctrl) on the top part of the button on the stylus (which does the same as right-click but when you press the stylus on the pad)

Alternatively

Put the mouse "right-click" on the top part of the button on the stylus if you don't like to press the stylus down to "ctrl-click".


This goes for all Wacom styluses. In fact it should be made the default set-up cus its just so damn genius!



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so you can set up short cuts or key combinations on the pen?
that'd be great because one thing i like about the Kensington are the key combinations you can program.

>Want a photo
> of my setup?

sure, why not!

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so you can set up short cuts or key combinations on the pen

Yep and on most of the tablets you have other buttons that as equally configurable.






Also the sliders on the Intuos range can be used to zoom/scroll





For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

">Want a photo
> of my setup?

sure, why not!"

I have the buttons on my stylus programmed, Ben. At least on my 4x6 size tablet, the cursor moves a slight amount making it tricky to get a proper double-click or right click with the stylus. With the trackball however, the cursor stays perfectly still (I raise the stylus up so cursor doesn't move) while I do my clicks with trackball buttons.

I do large major movements with the stylus gliding over the tablet with nil grip or pressure required from my sore right hand. I do fine tuning then with trackball as well as clicks. I'm right handed so it required some practice to use left hand this way. Works great for me.

And I've been using a tablet since the '80s!

I have a photo. How do I attach or do I link to a URL?

Phil Cramer
Indianapolis

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cursor moves a slight amount making it tricky to get a proper double-click

If its a Wacom then it should be rock steady!

This is because of some interference close to the Wacom such as another Wacom or EM Radiation source!

Try moving your Wacom away from speakers or other electrical appliances that aren't sufficiently shielded.

Link a URL into the tags



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Ben, my tablet is rock steady. I've failed to explain myself well.

I prefer to play piano with two hands.

I don't want to always use my right hand (tablet).

Clicking with a stylus requires a heavier grip than just "steering" the cursor and it causes the cursor to move ever so slightly. That's why Wacom has the double-click assistance feature in their settings. When I need the cursor delicately positioned and use the stylus tip or side buttons the cursor moves slightly and sometimes that results in the wrong command.

If I lift the stylus up and fine tune its position with the trackball, the cursor doesn't move at all. Zip, nil, nada movement. Then I can click away with several buttons on the trackball. I have lots more clicking options. Trackball has two single click buttons, double click button, control click, and chording.

I positioned my Wacom to overhang the number pad area of keyboard to make it easier to use. I used a foam wedge that's intended for calculators and such. I cut a profile out of a Sony mousepad to provide wrist rest. Pic follows.

Again, my setup helps me avoid aggravating a sensitive right wrist with tendonitis.



Phil Cramer
Indianapolis

Only one monitor?! No Client monitor either?

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Cool - although I'd say in all honesty that tablet is 4 times too small and the spec aren't gonna be that great for that screen - its a Wacom PenPartner if I am not mistaken and although it has about 1000lpi resolution, mapping it to your 24" is why its not so accurate.

as you said:

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Tablet size for me relates to your screen size. I've used 4x6 tablets with smaller monitors fine but my 24" demands a larger tablet area like 7x10" or larger.

Thats precisely why I would only recommend the Intuos range for anything over a 15" - Bamboo is sufficiently hires - and large enough surface area - to handle the 15" macbook and macbook pro screen. But go up to 1920x1200 on a 17"+ and you will find the smaller tablets won't be as accurate or smooth.

Please don't take it as a criticism though - whatever works for you!

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sensitive right wrist with tendonitis

I'm so glad early on in my career a graphic designer told me...

"GET A WACOM OR THE ANGEL OF ARTHRITIS WILL VISIT YOUR WRISTS!"

I've demanded one at every place I've worked or when freelancing I take my own so far so good!

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If I lift the stylus up and fine tune its position with the trackball, the cursor doesn't move at all.

Certainly trackballs have their uses - scrolling the timeline being one. Although I just hold a button on my Wacom and drag...

But what I am curious about is; what exactly do you need to double click that is so tiny???



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

I learned to use my first computer in the early days with one of the beige WACOM ArtzII 6x8 serial tablets:



I didn't even take the mouse that came with my PowerMac 9500 out of the bag.

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.