Best mouse/trackball/3D input device for CAD?

[teller]

Hi all,

I got carried away today and rounded up some input devices that in theory should be really good for CAD work http://blog.grabcad.com/2010/08/best...all-3d-device/

However, I'm looking for comments on those (and other) input devices, what works and what are the downsides of different setups. Indrek who's with me in GrabCAD has used SpacePilot Pro and keeps complaining how it's impossible to work without it but the it's really pricey compared to some other options.

So - what's a really good mouse/trackball/input device if you're doing 8 hours of CAD work so arm and shoulder stress etc becomes critical.

Thanks, Siim
www.grabcad.com

[Tankman]

Thanks for the link teller! Good article and interesting website too!

Just spent some time at grabcad.com, again, very nice! Thank you.

[teller]

Tankman, I know you visited us a few month ago, the site has grown quite a bit (both users and models), would appreciate any kind of feedback on the models, is the site useful, what more could it offer etc.

Cheers, Siim @ Grabcad.com

[Jack_O'neill]

I use a microsoft optical trackball. Has 4 buttons plus the scroll wheel button. In additon I also have the belkin n52e and the most recent (and handiest gadget) is a Saitek Cyborg gaming keyboard. There are tradeoffs between the two keyboards. Saitek's programming software is easier to use than Belkin's. Belkin has more flexibility in that the key maps can have 3 different layers of commands. Belkin eats up the programming spaces with key up and key down (or whatever they call it) so each letter consumes 3 spaces in the macro. That doesn't happen in the Saitek software. I find that I have trouble remembering what all but the top layer of keys do in the belkin system. That's not a fault of the product, I just don't use the others much and there's nothing intuitive about the keys to remind me.

I've never used any of the spaceballs or other 3d mice, though they look very interesting. I just don't do that much 3d stuff these days, though I may look at one for use in Revit.