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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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator PE (Personal Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700029 )
Customer Review: Indespensable device for 3D work.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great device!
I am a Google SketchUp user, and I have a SpacePilot from 3D Connexion at work. Getting home and working in SketchUp on my own computer has been a frustrating experience, I feel handicapped without a 3D device, so I am very happy to have a version that I can afford for my own use at home.
The SpaceNavigator was very easy to install with the supplied CD. Just pick the programs you have from the list. There are also additional drivers on the website if you should want to use it with AutoCAD or PhotoShop. I has a very small footprint on my desk yet it feels heavy and solid. I have found it worthwhile to explore the control panel and customize the way the device behaves in different applications, for example: In SketchUp I like to manipulate the scene as if I were holding it, whereas in Google Earth I like it to behave more like the controls of a flight simulator, so I have reversed many of the axis, and programmed the two buttons for my most common commands.
Speaking of Google Earth, it is way more fun to navigate around with the SpaceNavigator than a mouse, not to mention a lot less strain on the wrist!
I can't imagine not using a 3D controller after getting used to it. At work I also use it with Cinema4D, AutoCAD and Photoshop (yes, it is great at panning and zooming in 2D as well).
I would highly recommend the SpaceNavigator to anyone that does any kind of 3D or graphics work.
Customer Review: WOW!!! Simple 5 Stars
Every now and then we're blessed to have found something that is just SO RIGHT in every aspect that you just feel grateful for having found it. The Space navigator is a beautifully machined instrument and it just feels RIGHT!!! After installation you're prompted with the alternatives of trying it out on various applications one being Google Earth. I took a test spin or flight I should say starting at Puerto Vallarta and flew up the coast line and it was AMAZING. It was as though I was in a helicopter that could fly at any speed in any direction, spin, soar, hover, rotate, etc and it was like I was in the heart of some video game. However it was purchased for CAD and so I couldn't wait to put it through it's paces. I personally needed to change the behaviors to suit my needs but soon I was rotating and flying around objects to construct and edit with absolute ease. The only slight consideration of operation has nothing to do with 3Dconnexion but is whether or not the application you're using is compliant with the Space Navigator. Some products are better suited then others and it may take a bit of adjusting to get everything dialed in but they all do work. I thought it would be problematic needing say a third arm and although it's not a perfect world the benefits far outweigh the limitations and I personally find it to be one of the best products at such a reasonable price I've ever used. I look forward to years of wonderful enjoyment with this device.Customer Review: A must have, but confirm compatibility before purchase
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a licensed architect and use this extensively for SketchUp modeling and the occasional Google Earth tour. It has literally transformed the way I model. Even if it only worked with SketchUp it would be worth the $60 or $100. It is very well made, heavy with a sticky rubber base (a big ring, not those little dots), glows blue under the cap (which you can turn off), and has survived a few poundings courtesy of my 3-year old son.
I found that it took me about two full days to get used to it and feel comfortable enough with it to make going back to keyboard and mouse navigation painful.
Don't expect this to work with all (or even many) of your applications, even if they are listed on the 3DConnexion website as "supported". AutoCAD is a good example. Supported, yes, but I actually prefer to use the mouse and keyboard for 2D view navigation. Additional application support is promised, and will hopefully arrive soon, especially on the Mac side.
I have one at work (Windows, SpaceNavigator SE) and one at home (Mac, SpaceNavigator PE), and have used them in both contexts for the better part of a year. The Mac drivers are relatively on par with the Windows drivers, at least enough that device operation is consistent.
If you want to improve your SketchUp modeling fun and efficiency I highly, highly recommend this product.
Customer Review: 6DOF is SO fun!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am really enjoying this product, I feel it was affordable, and I recommend it. I use SpaceNavigator for solid modeling in SolidWorks2008.
It took about 10 minutes to get a hand feedback feel for 'flying-through-space'. It took a couple hours before I felt I could control my model views faster with SpaceNavigator than with my 2D mouse.
CON: After using the gizmo for a few weeks I find it a dubious claim that it increases productivity at all. I did not buy this product expecting this to be a productivity booster.
CON: The driver and control panel software are esoteric, but when I put a quarter on the left side of my monitor, a coke can on the right, and pray to the correct hindu god, it works!
PRO: Nevertheless it is REALLY fun to use and superior for presenting and inspecting models in groups. I have also found it improves the look of screen capture demo videos. I can make the model dance and float with the music, it adds a nice flourish here and there that breaks the monotony of an instructional demo.
For the price I recommend this to any solid modeler. I hope to see more applications using this device. I hope to watch this product line evolve and improve as competitors enter the market.
Customer Review: Great peripheral for Photoshop, Google Earth, and Google Sketchup!
Summary: 5 Stars
This USB tool is incredible! At first, I had difficulty using it, but now I wish I could use it in all my programs! I love using it in Photoshop, since you can zoom and pan in one tool. I find it most useful for navigating around when creating vector shapes, since you can easily zoom in and out, and pan around the image. It also has two programmable buttons on the side, and I have one set for Save, and the other for Undo.
The first time I used it in Google Earth, it was like the first time I had used Google Earth. I just wanted to explore all over again, because this amazing tool just redefines navigation in Google Earth. It really is a 3D tool, in a 3D interface! Truly amazing!
I bought this on a whim, since it was only $50. A great buy! I will probably upgrade to the larger models, with more programmable buttons.
My only complaint is that it isn't heavy enough, but that is not enough to bring down my rating. I will probably just use an adhesive to make it stick to the table.