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Space Balls..... - Printable Version

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Space Balls..... - uunix - 06-20-2018

Anyone actually using one in a product rather than spinning that demo cube around?


Re: Space Balls..... - johnnym - 06-21-2018

<QUOTE author="uunix" post_id="1127" time="1529524866" user_id="51">
uunix post_id=1127 time=1529524866 user_id=51 Wrote:Anyone actually using one in a product rather than spinning that demo cube around?
Not personally and perhaps also a little off topic, but they're (still) using those in the future ;-): i.e. in <I>The Expanse</I> series - at least on the <I>Rocinante</I> - for thruster control I assume:

<URL url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGWgrI2p6R4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGWgrI2p6R4


Re: Space Balls..... - halfmanhalftaco - 07-12-2018

I have a Spaceball 2003 that works with StudioTools at least. It's fun to just fly around in there.


Re: Space Balls..... - gijoe77 - 07-13-2018

anyone have the drivers handy for these things?


Re: Space Balls..... - TruHobbyist - 07-14-2018

<QUOTE author="gijoe77" post_id="1496" time="1531520943" user_id="243">
gijoe77 post_id=1496 time=1531520943 user_id=243 Wrote:anyone have the drivers handy for these things?

I know this topic popped up on nekochan some time ago and there were members having the drivers for Irix.

Tru


Re: Space Balls..... - gijoe77 - 07-14-2018

ok so I went to <URL url="https://www.3dconnexion.com/service/archived-drivers.html"><LINK_TEXT text="https://www.3dconnexion.com/service/arc ... ivers.html">https://www.3dconnexion.com/service/archived-drivers.html</LINK_TEXT> and downloaded "xdriver_4-64_irix.tar.z"

I don't have a spaceball yet (just ebay'd one), but I will let y'all know if it doesn't work, but if y'all have something else let me know


Re: Space Balls..... - BrainStorm - 07-30-2018

<QUOTE author="johnnym" post_id="1131" time="1529564063" user_id="209">
johnnym post_id=1131 time=1529564063 user_id=209 Wrote:<QUOTE author="uunix" post_id="1127" time="1529524866" user_id="51">
uunix post_id=1127 time=1529524866 user_id=51 Wrote:Anyone actually using one in a product rather than spinning that demo cube around?
Not personally and perhaps also a little off topic, but they're (still) using those in the future ;-): i.e. in <I>The Expanse</I> series - at least on the <I>Rocinante</I> - for thruster control I assume:

<URL url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGWgrI2p6R4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGWgrI2p6R4

Hahahar! Yeah, I could barely operate in CATIA with one, and who knew you can fly a spaceship with them! :XP:


RE: Space Balls..... - VeKTeReX - 09-04-2018

(06-20-2018, 08:01 PM)uunix Wrote:  Anyone actually using one in a product rather than spinning that demo cube around?

I bought one back in the mid 1990s for use with 3DSMax (under NT). It did what it said it would do perfectly. That being said however, i never ended up using the thing to get any actual work done. I think it's mostly just one of those things that seems like a great idea but doesn't pan out. Of course, i was doing modeling work. I can imagine they might have been more "real-world" useful with stuff like molecular modeling, 3D product visualization and so forth (i.e... anything where you need to rotate a single model around and around).
/KRM


RE: Space Balls..... - BrainStorm - 09-04-2018

Once you get used to using it, it's a huge timesaver when you're in a huge assembly (CATIA, SolidWorks, etc.). I just never got around to setting all the machines I used with a portable profile or consistent features and settings across machines. One thing to note on SpaceBalls is that you have to setup what each button and axis does in each application. They aren't setup with global prefs like mice usually are.

The ball replaces no less than three multi-key or key-mouse combos, and I had the buttons set to return to plane (x, y, z, iso, and custom view) and others for drawing prefs like ortho on/off, snap to grid, snap to node/vertex, surface/wireframe, etc.

All in all, I still have a SpaceBall for each of my 3D systems (2 PC, 3 SGI, Mac dual-quad G5) and also gots 2 sets of old SGI dials and buttons! :Biggrin

I love my SpaceBalls, others don't. To each his own.
-- Just call me Dark Helmet ("He's an asshole, Sir." "I know that! What's his name?" "That is his name , Sir. Asshole, Major Asshole, Sir." "And his cousin?" "He's an  Asshole, too, Sir. Gunners Mate, First Class, Phillip Asshole.") -- I'm surrounded by Assholes here!

(07-13-2018, 10:29 PM)gijoe77 Wrote:  anyone have the drivers handy for these things?

I do... Somewhere. [starting to see a theme here?]
I archived them from 3DConx' site before they disappeared way back when. Maybe 2004(?) Seems I recall that at some point they were broken and then IRIX wasn't even listed as category. Maybe they have good ones now, but I have working versions if not.

I'm looking for all my SGI stuff that never got out of boxes when I moved in 2011.

I know...