Ergonomic Touchpad - The best?

**upspace** · 12-08-2008, 08:11 AM

I was looking for a replacement to touchscreen input capability in a car pc environment for two reasons:

- Second Liliput touchscreen (or controller) broke within two years. I don't believe anymore in this cheap (not the price) low quality taiwanese crap in an environment with difficult conditions (temperatures high/low, humidity etc)

- My experienced is that touchscreen input especially during driving is difficult and DANGEROUS and not the ideal solution for cars. Hitting the right spot on a touchscreen a couple of inches away from your arm rest / steering wheel tends to be very difficult especially while driving. Even at lowest speed or best surfaces (highways) your arm and fingers won't be quiet to hit the spot and you pay too much attention on the screen than on the road.

Best thing would be something like a IDRIVE button with physical resistance. But there is no such thing on the market yet and you also need a user interface which is specially built for this. Anytime you need windows (mouse) functionality you are lost again.

Having an IBUS interface to control volume up/down, next/prev etc. on the steering wheel I needed something for mouse simulation.

First temporary solution I used - guess what - a cheap USB cable mouse which works good on my arm rest. Only disadvantage is that it is laying around everywhere and cable management.

Two day ago I bought one of these ergonomic touch pads. Good price, fast delivery (even to Europe), no additional custom taxes and no driver installation necessary.

After using it for two days I must say that this is the best input device for car pc usage. It does everything a mouse does, placed in front of your arm rest you can blindly reach it with your fingers while driving and navigate the mouse with least distraction from road possible. Except keyboard functionality (which you rarely use only when parked anyway, then i grab a usb keyboard put into the side door) way better than a touchscreen, no more fingerprints on reflective screen, and more stable (physically and driver side) etc.

**Kimota** · 12-08-2008, 03:20 PM

Upspace,

I agree with you 100% if you can accommodate a touch pad in your install it's a far better alternative than reaching for the touch screen IMHO.

I've a touch pad I integrated in my center console for my install been using it over 1 year with no issue, I don't ever have a need to touch my screen. Like you said keep fingerprints off the screen.

You can check my install out it’s in my sig

**GizmoQ** · 12-08-2008, 06:11 PM

I personally am very satisfied with my joystick. Aside from the cool factor, it used for mouse control, volume control, play pause, next, prev, and screen switching via the hats and buttons. Super configurable, multifunction, illuminated, and perfectly placed (I just naturally rest my hand on it all the time).

**danielkh** · 12-08-2008, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by GizmoQ

I personally am very satisfied with my joystick. Aside from the cool factor, it used for mouse control, volume control, play pause, next, prev, and screen switching via the hats and buttons. Super configurable, multifunction, illuminated, and perfectly placed (I just naturally rest my hand on it all the time).

That's gotta win something. You should find a use and mount the throttle controller too.

I have one of those and never have I thought to make a shifter out of it.

**GizmoQ** · 12-08-2008, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by danielkh

That's gotta win something. You should find a use and mount the throttle controller too.

I have one of those and never have I thought to make a shifter out of it.

I dismantled the Throttle Controller, too, and have the MFD under the driver seat until I can convince Saitek to give me an SDK like the Pro sticks so I can display Artist and songtitle on it. Then it will get embedded in the lower dash pad by the ignition switch and it's switches will be for ignition startup passcode and Fusion brain toggles.

**blackcobra487** · 12-09-2008, 03:20 AM

I like the joystick as a shifter idea. I have a Logitec 3D Pro. It comes with software that allows you to map the buttons on the joystick to keystrokes, like what Gizmo did with his.

**GizmoQ** · 12-09-2008, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by blackcobra487

I like the joystick as a shifter idea. I have a Logitec 3D Pro. It comes with software that allows you to map the buttons on the joystick to keystrokes, like what Gizmo did with his.

Been there, done that, not enough buttons.

Even with Joy2Mouse and using button combinations nothing comes close to the Saitek X-52 or CH FighterStick.

**blackcobra487** · 12-09-2008, 01:06 PM

I'll agree with you on that. The Saitek definitely has more buttons.

**tjbrewster** · 03-24-2009, 03:04 AM

Sorry bout bringing up a old thread but has anyone tried this touchpad?? I have plenty of room in my center console (F250 P/U). I like that it has right click without extra buttons. Whaddya think?

http://www.ergonomictouchpad.com/erg...FRwpawod8RH85A

TJ

**Jistari** · 03-24-2009, 03:57 AM

(regarding the previous post)
Yup. It works great .

I have a Xenarc IDT 700, so I do use the touchscreen, but prior to my current MB I had intermittent problems with the touchscreen responding at times, so I put one of those small black tuchpads on the center console.

Switched to anothe MB, touchscreen problem went away, but liked the touchpad so much I kept it.

Good quality, very well designed (nothing sticks out, only thing you see is the area you touch). Black went well with my black interior. Worked first time, everytime. Very thin, mounted it with velcro intending to mold it in to a pop out piece of the center console later. Its so thin, Im leaving it mounted as it is.

IMO cant beat it for the price.