Low cost Cintiq alternative using Wii remote

[guzguz21]

I guess it can be done with a camera instead of the wiimote?

[trancer65]

@guzguz21

i think so but I would not know how.

[guzguz21]

@iDraw3G In fact, the wiimote works as a camera, in theory a camera would be better and they are also sensitive to infrared light.

Check this:

watch?v=WnVvkVXAEy4

watch?v=CWr-AFyYhzE

So please don't offend people if you don't know what you are saying.

[RhodderzX]

@guzguz21 you could try if you made an ir filter, but the Wii mote is a brillaint IR camera and quite acurate hence why people say use a wii mote

[trancer65]

@SwiftRunnerPictures I think I had the Wii mote pretty close to the camera that was taking this video.

[andybarone1984]

wow. crazy thing. i would never do this but WOW.

[JYanarTDWP]

Awesome, man. I might try that.

And the drawing, right eye and lips looked a little off, but good all the same.

[MasterXcon]

tried this didn't turn out as well . it was ok

[trancer65]

@SwiftRunnerPictures LCD.

[Yellowknight888]

Just wondering do you have to press and hold the IR pen constantly? Is there any pen that I can just press once and the signal stays on?

[trancer65]

@Yellowknight888 I need to constantly press to make a line. To select something I just click once or twice. There are other pens out there that are being sold. You may find something that works for you.

[Yellowknight888]

@trancer65 Do you find it convenient? I can only imagine it may not be the most natural for a painter, please let me know if it's easy to get used to, thanks.

[trancer65]

@Yellowknight888 It is easy to get used to. It's like using an airbrush. You push down on a switch to lay down paint.

[URIZHEY]

Tendinitis, here I come!

[tangkag879]

Is there any pen pressure?s

[antijelly]

@tangkag879 no.. maybe some day somebody will figure out how to incorporable pen pressure but not yet :)

[tangkag879]

@antijelly  there sjould be a pressure controlled pushbuttons so if you press it very lighty it will mark so small

[antijelly]

@tangkag879 maybe.. i never used it before. lol

[jakejackjoe]

i can't wait to try this on my 62" hdtv...

[antijelly]

@jakejackjoe *jealous rage*

lol it ill be pretty awesome on my 20 inch monoitor though

[ChimeraProd]

Also, someone told me you can't use the alt or control keys with this. Why is that? And can you remap them to get around this?

[trancer65]

I was using the Ctrl-+ key to zoom in while working on the drawing. I do not remember having any problem with the Alt key.

[ChimeraProd]

Do you find yourself lacking pressure sensitivity? I just saw the new cintiq but its 2k, do you think I should try the wii mote first?

[trancer65]

I don't miss the pressure sensitivity. It is more important for me to draw directly on the picture. You could try this wiimote hack first or watch the other video I have using my netbook in combination with the Siso Tablo digital pen system. And then decide which would work best for your purposes.

[bambezzled]

Awesomee! How are you protecting your screen? Is your pen touching it?

[trancer65]

I taped an acrylic panel over the monitor. Notice the glossy reflections in the upper left.

[ChimeraProd]

I most definatly will try the whiteboard, but since we can get this multi touch feature for 30$ it makes me contemplate if spending 2 grand for pressure sensativity is worth it. Thats really what it comes down to, do I really need it that much. I'm a professional digital sculptor using mudbox and maya so maybe, but can you not achieve pretty similar results just by manually changing brush sizes ?

[trancer65]

I have not tried this with mudbox or zbrush but I would guess you can get pretty good results if brushing on geometry is similar to digital painting.

[VladKiller006]

@ChimeraProd You can get results somewhere between using a mouse and using a cintiq... Make it like these, its like using a cintiq without a pressure. It is pretty damn awesome for that cost definitely better than mouse, but it is questionable about tablets. Cuze you don't have pressure sensitivity but u can work on monitor directly, for me it is a big relief... but still need to try it :)

[rwhittaker69hotmail]

@ChimeraProd just out of interest why would you buy a cintiq? the intuos is significantly cheaper and you get used to working on a different surface very quickly

(plus the cintiq has a few other weird problems anyway)

i wouldnt be without my wacom you dont really realise how much the pressure sensitivity is worth until you try it and you can get the cheaper bamboo ones now for like 50 quid :D

[ChimeraProd]

@rwhittaker69hotmail

Ive been using my intuos 4 since it came out and I'm still not used to it. It's like driving a car with a remote control, or actually driving the car from the inside. Many people say the cintiq will make things so much easier. But since I already have the intuos I can't justify spending 2,000 just for pressure sensativity when you can do a low cost solution just as this! But it is sexiiiiiii

Guess ill just get an ipad and go draw on the beach

-.-

[adamcjrocks]

@ChimeraProd if you would like a pressure board go onto ebay and search for infared pen nib press and you will find ones for about £10 which activate when you press the pen onto a surface. this is great if you have a projector but if you dont do you really want to be pressing onto your tv/laptops screen?? thats why the button ones can be helpfull but if you have a projector i would recogmend the nib press pen. hope it helped adam

[Jagatia]

wimote whiteboard rocks. I have it. but sometimes for some reason its wiggily lins in paint...good thing is...hook it up to you 42" HD tv and enjoy....who needs pressure sensitivity....but WACOM stilll rocks

[hulksjedi]

Hey brother, it has level of pressure? when you use it?

[trancer65]

As of now, there is no pressure sensitivity. But it is more important to me to be able to draw directly on the screen. If the pressure sensitivity on the Wacom is more important then use it. Use what works for you. This Wii Whiteboard is great for me.

[ChimeraProd]

@trancer65

Yeah I don't really care about pressure sensitivity too but how is the latency. I can tell by the video there doesnt seem to be any but in person when your drawing does it get to you or not at all? Thnx

Was going to buy a cintiq until I saw this!

[trancer65]

Not at all.

Also, check out my other video with the netbook and digital pen.

[ErickWolff]

grat!!

[architectus777]

I don't really see the usefulness. I would rather use an intuos because I have pressure sensitivity. Why would you want to draw with out it?

[peterustinof]

Architectus, you v got a lot of material. Did you do all these with Bamboos and intuo's ? I cant imagine me drawing without watching what is undeneeth. I really see a lot of potencial about wii interactive whiteboard. It is a practical alternative against expensive bamboos and realy expensive wacoms. Check out my vid response about an upgraded pen.

Trancer did you find the diagram ?

[architectus777]

If you are used to using a mouse, getting used to a Wacom tablet doesn't take very long. If you practice using it for a month it will feel like second nature. Although, I would much rather have a Cintiq. The new 12x Cintiq is $1000 and you can find them refurshed or used for $500.

You can also buy a used Intuos on ebay and convert it to a Cintiq. It takes a lot of work, but you can do it on the cheap.

[rednose91]

how do you turn an intuos into a cintiq? :-))

are there any tutorials for this?

I would love to learn how to make one

pls help me with any info on this :-D

[bishopdante]

ya this ain't cintiq, no pressure or angle sensitivity, and the pickup system is optical. Nonetheless, cool stuff.

[danielgiesbrecht]

peterustinof, a bamboo is made by Wacom

[architectus777]

Also, a Bamboo is only $70. A Wii mote is what $45?

[Ba3dadBoy]

I bamboo is a 6x4" surface. This gives you a chance to draw right on your monitor. Its possible to use a webcam instead of a wii mote. But you miss out on pressure sensitivity. Wacom still make great products. But this is just a diy alternative

[Ba3dadBoy]

No one is saying Intous is bad. In fact intous is a great product. But this costs maybe $30 to make if you use a webcam so for 1/10th the price you get a chance to use something that feels more natural than a mouse.

Plus its just fun to make :D

[peterustinof]

After watching this... i ll definitely make one. This is excactly what i want to do...draw...How accurate is it ? Do you have an offset? If yes , could you minimise it by make a smaller hole of the infrared light?

[trancer65]

It is pretty accurate. Depends on how carefully you calibrate. I actually calibrate it so there is a bit of an offset so that the pen does not block my view of the cursor. I don't know if having a smaller IR point will help. I would guess it would actually make it harder to track.

[RufftaMan]

nice.. i love how nintendo kept it's controllers so accessable (blue-tooth). really enables you to do cool stuff cheap =)

however you lack the 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity which you get from the cyntix.. still nice =)

[MacronConvair]

Wow, great! You CAN draw, no matter what you use.

[trancer65]

You only need a Wii remote. You do NOT have to get the whole Wii console.

[ggrushporn]

gonna have to get a wii =D