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3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator SE (Standard Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700028 ) | List Price: $99.99
Discount Price: $84.12
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Platform: Linux, Windows, Macintosh
Brand: 3D Connexion
Binding: Electronics
Warranty: 2 years warranty
Features: - Advanced 6 degrees-of-freedom optical sensor
- Simultaneously pan, zoom and rotate 3D models
- 2 programmable function keys
- SpaceNavigator SE model includes commercial use license and full technical support
- Ideal for 3D designers, CAD engineers, architects
Outstanding 3D control (where supported)! [Posted on 2007-08-20]
I was skeptical of this device at first, and probably did not need the so-called Standard Edition (but the price was acceptable either way).
I am a Mac user, and since 3DConnexion only released Mac Drivers for the SpaceNavigator a few months ago, the application support is rather sparse, but growing.
It works great in those apps that are currently supported, though support varies from app to app, and is dependent on how the application developer chose to use it.
Not bad, but not great [Posted on 2007-08-20]
I confess, I'm a bit of a Luddite. However, the product promised ease of use for beginners to experts, and so I gave it a shot. I am using Windows XP, and followed the instructions for the installation. I will say, it *was* easy to install, and the tutorial was easy to follow. The demos, however, were a different story. It was easy to move things, but not to move this precisely, or purposefully. For example, the cube. Six-sided, different colour on each side. It was easy to make the cube fade into the back ground, spinning slowly. However, trying to make the cube come back to the foreground was practically impossible. It drifted from side to side and took forever to even get close. Trying to get it to face a specific colour forward was something I eventually gave up on.
I use Google Earth quite often and was curious to see how it would perform. It wasn't difficult, per se, but a lot of the motions were counter-intuitive. It was slow moving, and hard to turn. I eventually found it easier to just use the mouse.
It is entirely possible that the Navigator would be of more use in a CAD type program, but I just didn't have much use for it in Google Earth.
Not for Maya Users BUT a very handy $$ paperweight. [Posted on 2007-09-02]
I recently purchased the Space Navagater and was impressed by it's sleek style and response BUT if you're using it in Maya 3D it will grind even the most powerful CPU to a halt.I have a quad core G5 with 6 gigs of RAM. I work in Maya as a CG artist and instead of drivers this thing uses mel scripting to function and will choke your system full of callback info and become useless and unuseable after about 2 minutes of use. The company claims on the box it works well with Maya well it simply doesn't. Someday when they write a good driver perhaps I will be back in business, BUT for now it is a paperweight at my workstation.
NOT recommended for professional 3D artists [Posted on 2007-10-15]
This will just be a short review. I'm not a creative writer and I dont use Google Earth :) I'm a dedicated 3D modeller in the animation and games industry.
For those professionals out there pondering the all important question; this product will NOT speed up your workflow. Having to move your hand back and forth between the keyboard and this joystick will only break your workflow, especially if you use keyboard shortcuts extensively.
What this product does is merely replace the "sticky key" viewport functionality in programs like Maya and 3D Studio Max, and in my opinion it's no faster.
I would only recommend this product for use in programs that don't already have accurate viewport navigation built in.
This is a job specific tool [Posted on 2008-04-30]
1st make sure you read all other reviews. They all have pertinent information. I'm a mechanical product developer for the aerospace industry. Using Solidworks for 3D modeling and Mastercam for programming CNC machining centers, I find the Space Navigator priceless. I do own the Space Pilot, and the Space Traveller and the Space Navigator. All are worthy of their intended capability. So if you need to design/model intriquete parts where you need to explore inside cavities to confirm interaction of mating parts, this is the tool that does make it easier and faster than any other tool in the CAD industry. If you want to play with one for anything other serious CAD modeling, buy the cheapest one and get it out of your system. There's no need for this device unless you're needing 3D solid model control. As far as the differing prices, I'm equally satisfied with my $59 Navigator as I am with my $499 Space Pilot. If you need this tool and don't need the customizable features, spend the $50+.
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