Can you clear up some of my questions about Graphics Tablets.

[Tayg0]

Okay, I am thinking about getting this for my birthday, but I need to know a few things first.

1.How can you tell where your pen is in relation to the screen, like, how do i know i'm going to be drawing in the right spot.
2.Are even the small ones comfortable to use.
3.How hard are they to manage/setup.

Thanks in advance. :smile:

[Superkusokao]

The mouse pointer moves on the screen when you move the pen.

The small ones are comfortable to use.

They're really easy to setup.

[Tayg0]

[QUOTE=Superkusokao;17125223]The mouse pointer moves on the screen when you move the pen.[/QUOTE]

Thanks :biggrin:
But if the pen moves the cursor, then how do you "click". Just press harder?

[Superkusokao]

[QUOTE=Tayg0;17125260]Thanks :biggrin:
But if the pen moves the cursor, then how do you "click". Just press harder?[/QUOTE]

You don't press the pen on the tablet to move, you kind of like, hover over it and it moves.

To make right and left clicks, there's buttons on the pen.

And to draw and stuff, you press down on the tablet like you would pencil and paper.

[Tayg0]

Oh okay, and one more question, How well will they work with
-Vista(I doubt this will be a problem)
-1440x900 resolution
For the 1440x900 issue, do they come with drivers so you can set a certain are for the tablet to work on, or will it end up looking stretched out?

[Greeneyes]

[QUOTE=Superkusokao;17125347]You don't press the pen on the tablet to move, you kind of like, hover over it and it moves.

[/QUOTE]

Its always amazed me how they do that. Anyone know how?

And what the above said in answer to OP.

edit:

the tablet will say what operation systems it works on.

[id3z]

my bamboo worked fine on vista @ 1440x900. the tablet usually comes with a dvd with drivers. or you can go to the wacom site and download drivers.

[Adam_Roman]

[QUOTE=Greeneyes;17125475]Its always amazed me how they do that. Anyone know how?

And what the above said in answer to OP.

edit:

the tablet will say what operation systems it works on.[/QUOTE]

I think something with very weak magnets. I was always surprised with the pressure sensing technology.

Also, do NOT get a cheap tablet. I got a cheap one by some small brand, and I have to whack it every hour or so to get it to stop making the mouse spasm. Wacom makes quality tablets. I'm saving for an Intuos.

And if you do get a Wacom, you can set it to not use some of the space so it will work properly on a widescreen computer. My tablet just uses the Win7 drivers, but I have a fullscreen monitor, so I don't have to worry about it.

[Xerios]

^

I second that

[Sgt Pringles]

How about touchscreen panel overlays? or are they not as good/responsive as tablets

[Maloof?]

Some tablets are made for widescreens, some aren't. If your aspect ratio is different to that of the tablet you can set it to not use a chunk of either the bottom or the edge of the tablet to compensate.

[TH89]

[QUOTE=Greeneyes;17125475]Its always amazed me how they do that. Anyone know how?[/QUOTE]
No one knows. Several highly respected scientific institutions have experimented on graphics tablets to figure out how the hell they work, but the results have been inconclusive.

[Jerflin]

"Passive tablets, most notably those by Wacom, make use of electromagnetic induction technology, where the horizontal and vertical wires of the tablet operate as both transmitting and receiving coils (as opposed to the wires of the RAND Tablet which only transmit). The tablet generates an electromagnetic signal, which is received by the LC circuit in the stylus. The wires in the tablet then change to a receiving mode and read the signal generated by the stylus. Modern arrangements also provide pressure sensitivity and one or more switches (similar to the buttons on a mouse), with the electronics for this information present in the stylus itself, not the tablet. On older tablets, changing the pressure on the stylus nib or pressing a switch changed the properties of the LC circuit, affecting the signal generated by the pen, which modern ones often encode into the signal as a digital data stream. By using electromagnetic signals, the tablet is able to sense the stylus position without the stylus having to even touch the surface, and powering the pen with this signal means that devices used with the tablet never need batteries. Wacom's patents don't permit their competitors to employ such techniques."

Taken from Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia.

[RedPanda]

^ nice :)

Get a wacom they rock the boat..

But if you don't know how to draw and shade and all that crap on paper or with other mediums I would not a get a tablet at all...
A tablet will not make you a great artist. it's just a tool, if you can't use other tools, you can't use this one.

[TrueWolF]

yeah.. ^ i second that :P

also, i'm really gunna have to search online as to how the hell does the pen not need batteries :| and how does it charge wirelessly through the board. ( i think this is what it does :S)

[RedPanda]

True... read Jerflin's post...

I think what it's saying is that the board sends a signal to the pen and the coils inside the pen then recieves the bounced signal in a different mode.. I think..

It's some very technical shit.

[TurbisV2]

I am waiting for my bamboo to arrive :D

[jordan0795]

[QUOTE=TrueWolF;17149126]yeah.. ^ i second that :P

also, i'm really gunna have to search online as to how the hell does the pen not need batteries :| and how does it charge wirelessly through the board. ( i think this is what it does :S)[/QUOTE]

isn't it just a stick that touches the pressure pad... It probably has a magnet in it so that the tablet can sense when the pen is close...(i don't know though....)