Touch Screen Stylus

[Joe Bleasdale]

With many desk now having either built in Tough Screens or the support for them externally, I am wondering how you guys deal with the interface of this on a day to day basis? I don't find the screens (any of them) to be extremely accurate (Even after calibrating them a million times), I quite often find my self using a pencil with a rubber (eraser for you guys across the pond) on the end, but now I feel I need yet more precision. I have had a Google search, and a BR search but I can't seem to find a half decent stylus, at least that of a decent size! All I keep finding is small plastic pieces of rubbish that are used with handheld games consoles.

 

So overall, my rubber-ended pencil is a good solution for touching palettes etc, but I want something that is accurate to a few millimetres, so hence it must have a much smaller nib on it. I do quite a bit of Pixel Mapping from the desk and the display has a small square for every "Pixel" patched, the cells are usually less than 1cm squared, maybe even half that.

 

So, can anybody offer any links to places to buy a decent stylus, or some sort of other brilliant solution!?

 

Thanks.

[timsabre]

With many desk now having either built in Tough Screens or the support for them externally, I am wondering how you guys deal with the interface of this on a day to day basis? I don't find the screens (any of them) to be extremely accurate (Even after calibrating them a million times), I quite often find my self using a pencil with a rubber (eraser for you guys across the pond) on the end, but now I feel I need yet more precision. I have had a Google search, and a BR search but I can't seem to find a half decent stylus, at least that of a decent size! All I keep finding is small plastic pieces of rubbish that are used with handheld games consoles.

 

So overall, my rubber-ended pencil is a good solution for touching palettes etc, but I want something that is accurate to a few millimetres, so hence it must have a much smaller nib on it. I do quite a bit of Pixel Mapping from the desk and the display has a small square for every "Pixel" patched, the cells are usually less than 1cm squared, maybe even half that.

 

So, can anybody offer any links to places to buy a decent stylus, or some sort of other brilliant solution!?

 

Thanks.

 

At the gig I was working last week, the sound engineer (using a Yamaha M7) was extremely keen on wooden chip forks for this purpose. The desk had several emergency chip forks blu-tacked to the back in case of loss of the primary chip fork.

[KevinE]

I use the handle of my toothbrush.

[tomrbland]

I have no problem operating touch screens on consoles but I often use the nib of a propelling pencil (with the lead not poking out!) on my phone if I want to be very accurate.

[smalljoshua]

One thing to watch for is if you come across any capacitive touch screens as I have found that these don't work with just any old stylus.

 

For resistive screens though, I use a click top pen without the pen nib protruding.

 

Josh

[revbobuk]

There are still plenty of the '4-in-1' pens designed for use with a PDA that have pen, pencil, highlighter and stylus - I quite like these.

[mac.calder]

I flip my hand around and use my finger nails (generally with my hand slightly cupped and using my middle finger, but some times with a closed fist and my pointer extended) - not the tip of the nail (partly because I am a chronic nail biter, but rather the front of the nail.

[mrjammy83]

a quick search on google for tablet stylus found these

 

http

://www.google.co.uk/products?q=tablet%...ed=0CDUQrQQwAg

 

hope this helps

 

 

james

[niclights]

Well, those are somewhat pricey.

 

Try searching 'pda stylus'. Or 'led laser pen' which will should point you in the direction of these popular promotional items. The led and laser are rubbish but the stylus bit is great and my choice of touch screen taming device.

[WiLL]

I use a plastic clay shaping tool I liberated from the Art Dept. It is roughly knife shaped on one end and has a 'knob' on the other. The blade is of a soft enough plastic that there is little danger of stabbing too hard.

[gyro_gearloose]

How about adding a mouse? I don't know if your desk will allow it, but I think all PCs allow for more than one input device. For example my laptop has a trackpad, which I hate, so I use an optical mouse. Both the mouse and the trackpad can control the pointer.

[Smiffy]

I use a Mk. 1 Pointing Device.... My finger :D :(

 

I've used Rubber Pencils, The Eraser at the end of my propelling pencil, stylusususes (styli ? ) etc, and ultimately loose them all at some point. I generally have my fingers with me at all times. But I do keep an old stylus from an iMate in the bag with me for finniky jobs like pixel mapping.

 

Cheers

 

Smiffy

[ojc123]

I use a thick guitar plectrum. Inspired by the Nokia 5800. I always have a plectrum.

[lampyfromliverpool]

Top end of a mini sharpie does the job for me...

[Joe Bleasdale]

Thanks for the replies so far.

 

I could add a mouse yes, anything that will work with Windows will work with my desk. However due to my desk being the Blue version, it is about 90+cm wide. When sitting in the middle trying to press buttons etc, using a mouse just isn’t possible as you end up reaching around the side of the desk and it isn’t half uncomfortable. It has a built in trackball, but a trackball on any desk as a mouse always seems to be problematic - mainly due to it being too slow in comparison to a laser mouse etc.

 

Despite the price of some of the products in James’s link, I think I will purchase something along those lines. Price may be high, but I want something like that.

 

Thanks for the input.