3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator PE (Personal Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700029 )
by 3Dconnexion
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List Price: Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator PE (Personal Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700029 )
Customer Review: SpaceNavigator is a fantastic, affordable 3D input device
Summary: 5 Stars
Disclaimer: I received my SpaceNavigator for free. I've tried not to let that influence my review.
As a Google Earth addict I've been searching for an affordable 3D input device for some time. The search is over; the SpaceNavigator is it.
It's a solid unit, hefty and feels well-built. The supplied software (including driver's for a bunch of applications and a handful of demo's) installed easily and everything worked fine with Google Earth and Sketchup. 3Dconnexion's website had a more recent software package which was downloaded without fuss automatically as part of the installation process.
When I first plugged it in I was surprised by the sensitivity of the SpaceNavigator. There is very little 'throw' required to use the device to move around in 3D space. As such it requires a fair amount of dexterity and initially I felt awkward using the device and had to resist the temptation to reach for my mouse. It was intuitive but I felt clumsy.
My clumsiness was exacerbated due to using it with my *left* hand so I could continue to use my mouse in my right hand simultaneously. Two input devices, while powerful, requires practice!
However before too long (10-20 minutes) that feeling dissipated and using the device just felt very natural. You begin simply thinking about what to look at and not needing to think about how to get there. Using the mouse for navigation now feels constricting.
In Google Earth it's effective - and damn cool - zooming in on a location from a long way out, pulling down the angle of view and panning around a subject! Not only does the device give you a seamless way to move around the 3D space but it attracts attention in droves...if you bring the SpaceNavigator to work be prepared to let your colleagues have a play. :)
A couple of cons:
o Although the device feels heavy, once you start pulling against it (to zoom out as I have it configured) you realise that it's only just heavy enough.
o The software is reliable and effective but I'd like to see more functionality. A mouse driver would be an obvious addition. Interfacing to a browser (panning the SpaceNavigator would be a great way to scroll!) would be another. Once you're used to using it you want to use it everywhere!
o It can be difficult to get your hands on one depending on your geography; here in Australia I believe the distribution channels are still being sorted out.
But these are minor quibbles. The SpaceNavigator is an excellent device, at an amazingly affordable price that effectively brings 3D navigation to the masses. If you've got any interest in any 3D application you will not regret buying one. Highly recommended.
Customer Review: must have if you do CAD
Summary: 5 Stars
Awesome product, and great price! I'm not sure how I lived without it for so many years. Do yourself a favor - if you are thinking about buying one, just do it. You won't regret it.
Mine showed up the day after I ordered it. You certainly can't beat that - but then it did ship from Phoenix (I live in Phoenix), so your results may vary...
Download the updated drivers from the web - don't bother with the CD. It's a pretty big install, but I think you can configure it to only put the drivers in for the programs you use. I'm using it with Solidworks, and it saves me sooooo much time, especially when adding mates to tons of fasteners in assemblies. I've just about worn out the scroll button on my mouse before I got the spacenavigator - and I did wear out my finger!
Make sure you install the driver for Explorer (I think it is). When you open up pictures in folder view filmstrip (win XP), your spacenavigator does sweet smooth zoom and pan. Not really very useful, but really really cool.
Finally some technical details:
-You can turn the blue LEDs on or off, whatever you prefer. They do look kind of cool, but do distract your eye making you put your hand back on it to shield the light.
-It has pretty good weight. The base is a solid chuck of stainless steel. A bit more weight wouldn't have hurt, but I think it's a good compromise. You need the weight to keep it on the desk when you pull up on the stick. It also helps it from sliding around.
-It has a rubber ring on the bottom. This can pick up dust and start sliding, so you need to keep it clean for best "sticktion" to your desk.
-It has 2 buttons which seem to be more than enough for me. I can pick with the mouse faster than remembering which button to push on a secondary input device anyway. The buttons are to the left and right of the stick. They help you orient the unit so you keep the axis the right way. Personally, I would have shifted the entire button arrangement clockwise about 30 degrees to better match left thumb/middle finger placement. I tend to rotate it during use, and then the axis do not match up.
-The stick does have 4 little ribs which stick out top to bottom, giving you tactile indication of the orientation of the stick.
-The 2 buttons are assignable to a good list of items.
-The drivers allow customization on a per program basis.
-You can adjust overall speed of movement, as well as each individual axis with a slider type menu. Overall, quite well done.
I'm think about buying a second one as a spare!
Customer Review: 3D mouse works great, with caveats
Summary: 5 Stars
The 3D Connexion mouse works great as long as you keep a few things in mind. 1:It does not replace your main input mouse, its made to work alongside it.
2:To get the Space navigator PE to function with all applications, you need to register the device with connexion through their website once you receive it.
The PE pricing does not include Tech support so you cannot call and ask why the device does not work as promised. You have to figure it out. (If you are not computer savvy, you may want the SE version. (It includes Tech support}
There are applications that are being updated daily to work with this input device and registration allows you to download the latest drivers for those applications. First thing, quality construction, weighted with enough engineering so the piece seems solidly built. I still do not let my younger kids gang bust with the device as they don't have the dexterity for subtle handling required for movement changes. The big movement is "pulling up" on the cap to zoom out and "pushing down" on the cap to zoom in. They either end up levitating the whole device with their pulling force or smashing down on the cap. Leave them the old "mouse. It cost much less to replace if That gets broken. I got the Space Navigator PE to work with Google sketchup 6 when I design component placement for media rooms and out of the box the Space Navigator would not work. Once registered, the connexion download supplied the interface and drivers needed for skethup to work and the input device works great. Drawing in sketchup is now just as fluid as drawing in any 2d drawing application because moving your object/space can be done with the "other" hand while you use your predominant hand to work the drawing tools. Using the device in Google Earth literally gives you the feeling of "flying" into your world. I navigated flight through the canyons of skyscrapers in New York City, south of Central Park, with the nimbleness of an swallow. (if nimbleness is a word.) Haven't tried the "pay-per-viewer" MS Virtual Earth yet. The trifecta would be if I could get the mouse to work with Quicktime VR. That would be good for real estate navigation. Workin on it.
Customer Review: Great for Flight Planning
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a private pilot.
I have a dual monitor setup that I use with Goggle Earth and Voyager Free Flight, to get a sense of how unfamiliar terrain will look from the air. (Using Voyager Free Flight, a course line and set of boxes export to GE as a klm file.)
Keyboard navigation is clumsy for this because the most natural point of view while using arrow keys is straight down the middle, where my dual monitors are next to each other and there is a discontinuity in the scene. If I try to follow the course centered off the middle of the extended desktop, I am never able to move in the same direction I am facing and must constantly stop and re-center the viewpoint.
With the 3D navigator, I can easily move along the course line wile it is centered anywhere on the extended desktop. Moreover, I can face in any direction while maintaining that ground track. This is especially useful when trying to get an idea of the scene as you fly a pattern in an unfamiliar airport. If you have done this you know that it is usually done while looking at the runway from each direction about half the time. Simulating this is no problem with the 3D Navigator.
There is an airport I am interested in visiting regularly, that is surrounded by tall, steep hills. (Harriman and West, North Adams MA - I call it "scary man out west".) It is a huge help to be able to really explore that air space before actually flying in it.
For all practical purposes, this is the one last bit of technology that finally binds all the available elements together to unlock Google Earth as a useful and enjoyable flight planning tool.
If you are a pilot, you should go out and get this. Best fifty bucks you'll ever spend.
Customer Review: Best Peripheral of All Time!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been programming for close to 10 years (focusing on 3d graphics) and have been modeling in 3d for the past couple of years. On thing I've noticed is how inadequate the 2d mouse is for doing any kind of 3d work. I've wanted a SpaceBall/Mouse for quite some time (back since they added support for Descent) but I could never afford to spend $300 or more on a controller. I'm so glad the guys at 3dConnection have brought out the SpaceNavigator at an affordable price for the consumer market. I've finally got to see it in action myself and there is no going back. No question, the best peripheral of all time.
I honestly do not understand how I ever modeled in 3d without one of these 3d input devices. The camera just moves around silky smooth, exactly how you want it. I've struggled with the camera control in both max and maya for so long, I would have never thought there was such a simple solution. This controller is absolutely essential for any type of realtime 3d work. The SpaceNavigator is for 3d what the Wacom tablet is to 2d. It is honestly the best $60 I've ever spent on a PC peripheral. Not only does it work as advertised, but it also does increase productivity. Its not just the marketing, its the real deal.
If you are reading this and you don't yet have one, please, stop reading and proceed to click the "buy now" button. The SpaceNavigator is worth every penny and more for $59 or $99 even. This thing will pay for itself in only a week. You will not regret the purchase. Amazing product.