Wacom with Avid

[Rory Brennan]

a few editors at our facility use tablets.

They simply use it to replace the funcionality of a mouse. Why relearn how you use avid??

They don’t use the inbuilt shortcuts on the tablet and i don’t for GFX and image work either.

Keep doing what you’re doing, but with a pen as a mouse. Can take a bit of getting use to though…

[Chris Bové]

With a loooong list of physical reasons. I swap back and forth between mouse and tablet many times in the same day. Doing all of one or the other is equally bad. I did a 6-month doc with just a pen tablet and could barely sign a check at the end of it.

The tablets are still not “officially” sanctioned by Avid, yet I’ve never seen a physical conflict. I personally never integrated all the tablet’s features (shortcuts, etc) because those are the areas that might become affected by upgrading the MC software to a new version… so I just use the pen’s onboard buttons, and that’s it.

I can say that no matter what sensitivity you have the pen tablet set to, many tasks still require the stability of a mouse. Massive file searches that require a lot of double clicking come to mind.

With all that said, make sure you get the largest-sized tablet you can afford. The extra space = less jagged sensitivity.

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\`(=)`/…Pixel Monkey
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A picture says 1000 words. Editors give them meaning.

[Uli Kunkel]

In addition to editing, I do a lot of motion graphics. Apple’s Motion and After Effects have pressure sensitivity and other features built in specifically for the tablet.

I’m wondering if the tablet will give me the control over objects in my canvas that I need. For instance a trackball mouse is the worst for that kind of thing. Ideally, I would use ONLY the tablet for everything. I’ve seen people do this, but I’m sure it takes a while to get used to.

I am researching this switch for physical reasons. My hand and forearm are in pain, and I’m hoping that changing things up will aleviate it.

Thanks for your advice.

[Btd]

I know you just dissed the trackball, however for editing, what I do is use a trackball with my left hand and than a ShuttlePro with my right. Confuses all of the right handed people, but it works.

Goodluck!

[Chris Bové]

Yeah it’s great for all those pressure-sensitive apps. Best part is that you don’t need an A-B box between it and your mouse – just put one down and pick the other up.

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/-o-o-\
\`(=)`/…Pixel Monkey
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A picture says 1000 words. Editors give them meaning.

[Mark]

Although I am fairly new to an Avid, I have been using NLEs for many years, and most of those years have spent using a tablet.

We recently bought a Symphony Nitris and I use it with an Intuos 3 tablet. I love the shortcut buttons and strips as I can program them to do whatever I need, including Macros.

I use one of the touch strips as a shortcut to zoom in and out of the timeline. One of the buttons is used for home-mark in, end-mark out. It was a move that I found I used on a regular basis. I also have another button to do the same type of macro, but performs a collapse at the end….These macros can sure save some time. Because they are relative to keyboard shortcuts, it makes them quite easy and quick to program.

I also do a large amount of motion graphics, so the tablet makes AE a more enjoyable experience.

I originally switched to the tablet due to shoulder and neck pains. I have been using a tablet now for probably about 7 years and would never think of going back to a mouse. The other editor who shares the suite uses a trackball, but after seeing the tablet in action may very well switch.

Regards

Mark

[Joe Womble]

I’m with Mark on this one…can’t imagine going back to a mouse. Even when I am editing on the road with my laptop, I still bring along a Wacom tablet.

Regards,

Joe Womble