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Geek Culture / I need a cheap graphics tablet

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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 10th Sep 2008 19:55
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I'm looking for a graphics tablet to use for college work and the like; but my budget is only £25. No, I cannot spend more.

This is a major problem. I'm likely to need good pressure sensitivity and smooth lines. I'm willing to forgo a wireless pen for the sake of no batteries. Batteries are heavy and need replacing often. It also needs to be very compatible with older software (as old as Paint Shop Pro 4) as I cannot afford new software.

I have found a Wacom that is only £22, but it is tiny and hardly good enough for signature usage. Plus the extortionate postage pushes it into the thirties.

However, no companies seem to make the exact tablet I am after. It doesn't need to be huge, wireless or have a screen. Why does it seem that the only useful ones that don't take batteries are expensive Wacom tablets miles out of my budget? Why are tablets so expensive? Can anyone suggest something cheap and solid?

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BiggAdd
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Posted: 10th Sep 2008 20:27 Edited at: 10th Sep 2008 20:35
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Ebay have a few Graphire3's going. I suggest you look there. There is one currently on a £7 bid, 3hours to go.

Its a very good Tablet.

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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 10th Sep 2008 21:45
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Just found a 7in Serif rebrand of a Wacom on eBay delivered for £21 and ordered it. It's got more than a little excess plastic, but what the hey, I can't argue with a price like that.

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GatorHex
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 01:10 Edited at: 11th Sep 2008 01:22
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You need large graphics tablet for art work. I had an A5 Wacom, it was cool that the pen had a magic eraser, presure sensitivity and didn't use a battery, but A5 was just too damn small to draw with so I went back to a mouse.

I had some other crud brands that had a battery in the pen, they were rubbish and felt unbalanced in the hand, wacom is where quailty is at, but a large one ain't cheap.

DinoHunter (still no nVidia compo voucher!), CPU/GPU Benchmark, DarkFish Encryption DLL, War MMOG (WIP), 3D Model Viewer
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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 01:17
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My screen's only 7in anyway... thanks for the input. Should mean the tablet and display match up pretty evenly.

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GatorHex
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 01:27
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You need to oversize the tablet so small imperfections in your hand movements don't translate to big visual errors on the screen or else you will be drawing in zoom all the time, which was what I was doing with the mouse anyway, so a small tablet seemed pointless.

Good luck with it anyway.

DinoHunter (still no nVidia compo voucher!), CPU/GPU Benchmark, DarkFish Encryption DLL, War MMOG (WIP), 3D Model Viewer
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Gunn3r
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 07:31
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VisTablets are amazing. They're cheaper than a Wacom, but I'm really liking mine. I got a 12 inch by 10 inch pad with a copy of Corel Painter X for $149. (I'm too lazy to convert that into Euros and centimeters...) It's a really good deal and the tablet is really nice.

Gunn3r Games
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Sid Sinister
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 17:34
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I bought a bamboo by Walcom or w/e the company name is. I really like it. It was about $80 at Circuit City.

"If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants" - Isaac Newton
-Computer Animation Major @Baker.edu-
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Van B
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 18:27
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I got a an Aiptek Hyperpen12000 - it's no Wacum, but it's pretty good and cost around £64, it's just a little over A4 size.


Health, Ammo, and bacon and eggs!
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Roxas
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 18:49
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http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=129511&b=2

Take a look at that. It has video how to make multi touch tablet just for $5.
Not sure if its so good but if you want to try

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BiggAdd
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 19:52
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Quote: "Take a look at that. It has video how to make multi touch tablet just for $5.
Not sure if its so good but if you want to try "

Problem is, Its not pressure or tilt sensitive.

I have an A4 Intuos3 Special Edition, which put too much of a hole in the bank for my liking.

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Alucard94
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 20:59 Edited at: 11th Sep 2008 20:59
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Quote: "I have an A4 Intuos3 Special Edition, which put too much of a hole in the bank for my liking.
"

Now, how is that doing you? I might get the Intuos3 A5 Special edition soon so.


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Roxas
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 21:50
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Quote: "Problem is, Its not pressure or tilt sensitive."


Actually what i know its pressure sensitive but not sure about tilt i guess tilt could be possible too but you should know where the light source is coming from.

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BiggAdd
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Posted: 11th Sep 2008 22:03
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Quote: "Now, how is that doing you? I might get the Intuos3 A5 Special edition soon so."

Its a very very nice tablet.
If you get a special pen for it extra, you can actually do calligraphy.
http://www.wacom.com/art_pen/index.cfm

Definitely worth the money.

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