Anybody using the Nostromo Speedpad ?

[alanmac]

Hi

I wondered if anybody had experience of using the Nostromo Speedpad n52.

This is not for gaming purposes but using it say with VW. Anybody tried it?

I heard it mentioned in another forum that people were using it, programmed to suit with keyboard shortcuts etc. outside of gaming use.

I wondered if this would prove to increase peoples speed in using VW.

This is what it looks like and a description.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=164714

and here's a link to a guy using it in a music making program, but talks of being capable with many others

http://www.keyboardmag.com/story.asp?storyCode=9536

I've never even seen one in any of the computer or games shops.

regards

Alan

Edited August 21, 2006 by alanmac

[G_Hannigan]

Alan,

I've been using one for about a year. I have it set up for several programs - VW, C4D, Firefox and several others. I use it & a Kensington Expert Mouse trackball. The more I use it, the more I like it. It saves using the mouse to access many often used tools. When set up properly, it knows which program is active and changes to that setup, for example if I have VW & C4D running at the same time.

I bought mine at J&R Computer World, less than sugg retail.

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=3958425

George

[alanmac]

Hi George

Thanks for your quick reply. I was wondering if you can program the thumb pad on the side. trying to remember what my kids call it on their playstation. The 4 way one. I was thinking I could use that to change views of my 3D model, left, right, top/plan and isometric for example.

What's the piece that sticks out on its own, below where your thumb would be, for ? A rest or another button?

It was indeed over on the C4D forum I saw the use of this mentioned.

Does it have the potential to almost do away, apart from entering text, with the keyboard in VW do you think

Can you have it plugged in along with say a keyboard, multibutton mouse and something like a Wacom without the OS throwing a wobbly?

I can get it for around ?27. in the UK. That's about the price of a good mouse, so not bad.

Alan

[G_Hannigan]

Alan,

It may have been my post on the C4d forum. The D-pad on the right is actually an 8 way button - I use the 4 main ones to control my view as you suggest. The piece below your thumb is a button, there is also one above the D-pad.

There are multiple "shift states" - if you use up the buttons, you can cycle to another group of settings for the same program. There are actually 4 times as many asignments as there are buttons. This is more than I can keep track of, so I usually only go to the second layer of assignments. You can also program macros in addition to single key assignments. I use it with a keyboard & mouse - don't know what happens when you add the Wacom to the mix.

Setting it up is a confusing at first, butI think it is definitely worth the price.

George

[alanmac]

Hi George

Thanks once again. I've downloaded the manual from Belkin to get a better idea of its functions. I must say at first glance it looks complicated to my old brain, not to use, but setting up. But I guess in theory you only have to do it the once for each program.

Alan

[G_Hannigan]

Hi Alan

Setup can be confusing at first. There are two main sections, the Profile Editor & the Loadout Manager.

1. Profile Editor - name the Profile (eg. VW), assign functions to buttons and save Profile. This process is repeated for programs that will use settings that differ from the default settings.

2. Loadout Manager - used to Link a saved Profile to the correct program. When to set to Automatic, the Profile will "load" when the associated program launches or becomes the active prgram. When set to Manual, you choose the Profile from a list of saved Profiles.

If set to Automatic - when a program is updated (eg. VW 11 to 12), the Link must be reset in the Loadout Manager for the new version to load.

The big challenge then is to remember the button assignments. I printed screenshots of the various Profile Editor windows as a quick reference.

George