Lightpens

Crav4Speed · 12-20-2003, 08:58 PM

Has anyone used a lightpen as an alternative to a touchscreen?

Opinions and thoughts are welcome

SjLucky · 12-21-2003, 12:31 AM

what the hell is a lightpen?

owenjh · 12-21-2003, 01:20 AM

You mean a laser pointer? those things you just point with???

Crav4Speed · 12-21-2003, 01:38 AM

Definition

Microspeed Lightpen

This is 70's technology which is probably why you don't know about it but it looks like it might work just as well. Remember the old Nintendo gun that you played Duck Hunt with? Same technology. It's basically a light that senses your position on any screen. Anyone know where to buy them and how much they go for?

mst · 12-21-2003, 04:47 AM

They seems to be available from:
http://www.screendirect.com/
I have send an email for informations

Quote: Originally Posted by Crav4Speed

Definition

Microspeed Lightpen

This is 70's technology which is probably why you don't know about it but it looks like it might work just as well. Remember the old Nintendo gun that you played Duck Hunt with? Same technology. It's basically a light that senses your position on any screen. Anyone know where to buy them and how much they go for?

mst · 12-21-2003, 05:17 AM

You can buy them from:
http://estore.fastpoint.com/Products...asp?strCatID=4
price $398 to $493

I think that I will pass

Quote: Originally Posted by mst

They seems to be available from:
http://www.screendirect.com/
I have send an email for informations

Laidback · 12-21-2003, 05:21 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by mst

You can buy them from:
http://estore.fastpoint.com/Products...asp?strCatID=4
price $398 to $493

I think that I will pass

Not 70's prices then!!

tom2112 · 12-21-2003, 08:01 AM

Light pens!?!?!?!

No frickin way! A couple years ago I removed an threw away hundreds of them that were attached to terminals in the hospital I worked for. We replaced them with WindowsNT workstations.

Why? Aside from the obvious limitations of a dumb terminal, the parts were increasingly hard to come by and very expensive. Light pen = $300+; Mouse = $10. You do the math.

Since touch screens kits are cheaper and easier to use, why bother with a light pen?

Crav4Speed · 12-21-2003, 12:51 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by tom2112

Light pens!?!?!?!

No frickin way! A couple years ago I removed an threw away hundreds of them that were attached to terminals in the hospital I worked for. We replaced them with WindowsNT workstations.

Why? Aside from the obvious limitations of a dumb terminal, the parts were increasingly hard to come by and very expensive. Light pen = $300+; Mouse = $10. You do the math.

Since touch screens kits are cheaper and easier to use, why bother with a light pen?

I didn't realize they were that expensive... I guess I can scratch that idea

cvi · 12-21-2003, 02:27 PM

They would only work with crt displays anyway. The technology are similar to a Playstation gun and stuff like that. It is a sensor that reads when the light of the screen passes. (which it obvious doesnt on a lcd screen). Havent seen it (cheap) for pc's since the freq and the resolution of the monitor varies and you would have to recalibrate all the time to fit the screen. The cheap guns for playstations wont even work on a 100 Hz tv.

none · 12-21-2003, 03:31 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by tom2112

A couple years ago I removed an threw away hundreds of them that were attached to terminals in the hospital I worked for. We replaced them with WindowsNT workstations.

Why? Aside from the obvious limitations of a dumb terminal, the parts were increasingly hard to come by and very expensive. Light pen = $300+; Mouse = $10.

If they are worth so much, why did you throw them away?

SjLucky · 12-21-2003, 05:54 PM

I love duck hunt
that game rocked!!!
i played it more than I did mario

tom2112 · 12-22-2003, 07:30 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by none

If they are worth so much, why did you throw them away?

It's really a supply and demand thing. We were one of the last people on earth using them. So when we went to sell them, no one was buying. But when we wanted to buy them, they had us over a barrell. So we ended up throwing them away. We probably should have sold one to the Smithsonian!