Re: Wacom tablet - tips?

One more thing. Some people have encountered strange behavior with PSE when not using the latest drivers. So save yourself the trouble, Byron, and go get the lastest drivers.

Ray

Thank you all!

I'm not experiencing any difficulties, other than that expected when learning a new tool... I just wanted to have any "pearls of wisdom" already in my pocket as I progressed.

I appreciate all of the advice.

Byron

Does anybody know how these tablets actually work? I mean, the technology.

Wacom says that there's no battery in the stylus or mouse. Consequently, I'm puzzled how they communicate with the pad.

As an experiment, I placed the stylus flat on the pad. This brings the tip close enough that the pad just begins to sense it - can get "wild" cursor movement by wiggling the stylus. Then, with the stylus still prone, with my finger, I pushed in on the tip... it registered.

It seems clear to me that the stylus emits something which the pad can sense, and I don't know how it can do so without a power source. Unless it works like one of those electronic key-card things... they're passive, and actually get their power from the sensor via inductance, when in proximity. Kind of like an anti-theft foil-sticker-thing in stores.

Anyway, I'm curious, and thought I'd ask.

Byron

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Hi Byron,

I got this info off the Wacom site awhile back when I purchased my Intuos 2.

*****************
"Fact Sheet: How a Cordless Batteryless Pen Works with Penabled Tablet PCs.

A Wacom electronic pen looks and feels like a real pen yet operates without
batteries or a connecting cord. It does so by taking advantage of the Wacom
patented Penabled technology developed by Wacom Co. Ltd. in which a signal
is sent from a sensor board to the pen and returned for position analysis.
In operation, a grid of wires in the sensor board alternates between
transmit and receive modes about every 20 microseconds.
In the transmit mode, the tablet's signal stimulates oscillation in a
coil-and-capacitor resonant circuit in the pen. In receive mode, the energy
of the resonant circuit oscillations in the pen is detected by the sensor's
antenna grid. This is then analyzed to determine position and other
information including pressure and tilt. Since the grid provides the power
to the pen through resonant coupling, no batteries are required.

The advantage of a Wacom Penabled device is that the sensor grid mounts
behind the LCD, thus providing the best possible display performance.
Additionally, the pens require no batteries or cord. As the Wacom pen comes
close to the tablet surface, it begins to resonate, generating its own
frequency back to the tablet. The pen's location is tracked with very high
accuracy. The tablet then sends location, up to 256 levels of pressure and
other information to the computer. The pen also contains a side switch, and
an optional eraser is available."

*****************
SES
--
http://www.metalcyberspace.com
Listen to the Universe and Dance to the Rhythm of it-*SES*

X-No-Archive: Yes


Hi Byron,

I got this info off the Wacom site awhile back when I purchased my Intuos 2.

*****************
"Fact Sheet: How a Cordless Batteryless Pen Works with Penabled Tablet PCs.

A Wacom electronic pen looks and feels like a real pen yet operates without
batteries or a connecting cord. It does so by taking advantage of the Wacom
patented Penabled technology developed by Wacom Co. Ltd. in which a signal
is sent from a sensor board to the pen and returned for position analysis.
In operation, a grid of wires in the sensor board alternates between
transmit and receive modes about every 20 microseconds.
In the transmit mode, the tablet's signal stimulates oscillation in a
coil-and-capacitor resonant circuit in the pen. In receive mode, the energy
of the resonant circuit oscillations in the pen is detected by the sensor's
antenna grid. This is then analyzed to determine position and other
information including pressure and tilt. Since the grid provides the power
to the pen through resonant coupling, no batteries are required.

The advantage of a Wacom Penabled device is that the sensor grid mounts
behind the LCD, thus providing the best possible display performance.
Additionally, the pens require no batteries or cord. As the Wacom pen comes
close to the tablet surface, it begins to resonate, generating its own
frequency back to the tablet. The pen's location is tracked with very high
accuracy. The tablet then sends location, up to 256 levels of pressure and
other information to the computer. The pen also contains a side switch, and
an optional eraser is available."

*****************
SES
--
http://www.metalcyberspace.com
Listen to the Universe and Dance to the Rhythm of it-*SES*

X-No-Archive: Yes

Well I dug around for the info because I initially was hoping that I could
just use my drafting pencil substituting the Wacom tip instead of the lead.
This plastic thing is too clunky. I like the feel of the metal one I'm used
to sketching with but no such luck!
For some reason this info isn't in their FAQ section. I found it in the PR
section.

SES

--
http://www.metalcyberspace.com
Listen to the Universe and Dance to the Rhythm of it-*SES*

X-No-Archive: Yes

You're welcome! I like to know the WHY of things to.
Makes it much easier to learn when you do.

; )
SES

--
http://www.metalcyberspace.com
Listen to the Universe and Dance to the Rhythm of it-*SES*