any1 have a pen tablet / digitizer

[..:: Free Radical ::..]

hi. i am planning to buy a pen tablet for my impending RSI.
i did some googling and found out that Wacom brand makes the best pen tablets (the graphire and intuos lines) but also the most expensive.
I am keen to buy a cheaper variant, preferably 8x6 which uses passive digitizers like the wacom i.e. the stylus should not use a battery. I need it only for inking my ebooks and not for photoshopping. there are several desi makes from Tech-com, Frontech, iBall, Genius.
Plz. give me your recommendations and prices if possible.
ty

[ranjan2001]

I bought front tech for 2700 but that was 5 yrs ago it worked fine for 2 years & developed problem, the pen could not be repaired, so then I got a wacom graphire for 5000/- & the latest price should be around 3500-3700/- for graphire.

[..:: Free Radical ::..]

I'll certainly buy it. u know a good dealer?
browsing the web, i found that graphire-4 [5.5''x4']' costs Rs. 3950.
i plan to buy an older version but shall only shell out max 3k. time for a trip.

[sam9s]

I bought front tech for 2700 but that was 5 yrs ago it worked fine for 2 years & developed problem, the pen could not be repaired, so then I got a wacom graphire for 5000/- & the latest price should be around 3500-3700/- for graphire.

Ranjan good to see you after a long time...well even I was out for a while....how are things going......buddy tell me what is this tablet pen used for ...I dont want it for any professional purpose but can it be used as a drawing tool for kids to enjoy drawing instead of using mouse....u know what I mean........

[..:: Free Radical ::..]

@sam9s.
think of a tablet pc. except you dont scribble on the screen, but on a separate surface.
Can be used as a pointing device (mouse) or as an input device to draw on the screen or write using a handwriting recognition software (which have become pretty good btw ).
this functionality is more easily achieved in xp tablet pc edition, and higher end flavors of vista. graphic designers use it for photoshop, corporates use it for writing.

[ranjan2001]

if i get a graphire 8x6 for around Rs.3500, I'll certainly buy it. u know a good dealer?
Assuming you are from delhi, you can get Graphire at Nehru place from many dealers.
Trifen technology

ACER showroom bang opp of trifen technology 1st floor.

Purple computers 1 st floor near the last end of nehru place market (50mts ahead of computer empire)
many other shop have it.

6x8 will be costly around 6-7000 & you don't need that, I got 4x5 size that's the smallest & it works well with my 20 inch monitor, bigger you buy more trouble u will have controlling it, unless u r a painter. IN wacom options u can set the size of the area u want to work within, I have set it to 2x3 inches only.

Ranjan good to see you after a long time...well even I was out for a while....how are things going......buddy tell me what is this tablet pen used for ...I dont want it for any professional purpose but can it be used as a drawing tool for kids to enjoy drawing instead of using mouse....u know what I mean........
Hi Sam, good to hear from u, yes I have been busy lately with software learning (settled with the hardware now, except the cooler is yet to be purchased.)

Tablet pen is just like a pen & I suffer with RSI using the comp 12-14 hrs a day, I get my arm & index finger numb using the mouse, so the pen helps u doing the same thing as mouse but with extended functionality.

Apart from that indeed u can use it for writing signatures, drawing & painting (I do that) & photoshop retouching work.

So kids can surely use it & its quite natural for them working with it, it takes a while to get used to it, depending upon the settings u do in the wacom driver available via control panel.

Intous is a higher series which is capable of more pressure sensitivity & the graphire is less sensitive, but from experience I can tell u wont make usage of intous until u are a painter.
http://www.wacom-asia.com/products/graphire4/img/G4feature_tablet.jpg

The above is a newer version & I am not sure if these are available yet in India or not & may be for higher price, the pen & its button are better in this version & the base board has now customizable switches
http://www.wacom-asia.com/products/graphire4/img/newfeature.gif

Hope this helps you decide, more info on wacomsite here.
http://www.wacom-asia.com/products/graphire4/graphire4.php

[sam9s]

Assuming you are from delhi, you can get Graphire at Nehru place from many dealers.
Trifen technology

ACER showroom bang opp of trifen technology 1st floor.

Purple computers 1 st floor near the last end of nehru place market (50mts ahead of computer empire)
many other shop have it.

6x8 will be costly around 6-7000 & you don't need that, I got 4x5 size that's the smallest & it works well with my 20 inch monitor, bigger you buy more trouble u will have controlling it, unless u r a painter. IN wacom options u can set the size of the area u want to work within, I have set it to 2x3 inches only.


Hi Sam, good to hear from u, yes I have been busy lately with software learning (settled with the hardware now, except the cooler is yet to be purchased.)

Tablet pen is just like a pen & I suffer with RSI using the comp 12-14 hrs a day, I get my arm & index finger numb using the mouse, so the pen helps u doing the same thing as mouse but with extended functionality.

Apart from that indeed u can use it for writing signatures, drawing & painting (I do that) & photoshop retouching work.

So kids can surely use it & its quite natural for them working with it, it takes a while to get used to it, depending upon the settings u do in the wacom driver available via control panel.

Intous is a higher series which is capable of more pressure sensitivity & the graphire is less sensitive, but from experience I can tell u wont make usage of intous until u are a painter.

The above is a newer version & I am not sure if these are available yet in India or not & may be for higher price, the pen & its button are better in this version & the base board has now customizable switches

Hope this helps you decide, moare info on wacomsite here.
http://www.wacom-asia.com/products/graphire4/graphire4.php

Thanks ranjan as always you were a great help, actually I feel instead of strightaway introducing the mouse to a kid (which u cannot stop as computers is just as common a commodity as a TV or music system these days) does not seems right as he/she learns to play games n what not sooner than can he/she can write!!, I have seen this in todays scenario, so I was thinking if this pen tablet / digitizer could be a better way to introduce computers (in that way you can only draw and write and not anything else)

[ranjan2001]

My plesaure Sam,
my daughter 3ys started scribbling on screen with wacom pen but soon I had to put an end to that she started opening the applications too (tabbing the pen twice will open the program)I later disabled the clicks of the button via control panel & now let here play with her creative scribbling in paint.