Category Archives: Old But Good Tech Thursday

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The Cintiq Companion from an Animator’s Perspective

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In this edition of Old But Good Tech, we’ll review Wacom’s Cintiq Companion which at this point is 3 years old and two generations behind the times. That of course doesn’t mean it’s not a viable option for an artist or animator, so read on and we’ll go over why we think it’s still a good purchase.

The beauty herself!

The tablet features a full HD display with touch control, Wi-Fi connectivity, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and rear 8-megapixel camera, stereo headphone jack, and microphone. It also comes with the Wacom Pro Pen with 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity. Out of the box the Companion runs Windows 8 (mine is updated to Windows 10) and houses a third-generation Intel Core CPU and Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU. The base Windows 8 version houses 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, and the Windows 8 Pro version includes 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. My device features a 512gb HD and 8gb of memory as well as an i7 chip.

I bought my Companion off eBay for $900 have been using it now for about 4 months and in that time I have found it to be a capable device if you take the time to hack it to work correctly. Below are my reactions to this old school device.

Unboxing
First off, when you buy one the basic things you get are: the tablet, tablet stand, power cord, pen, pen case, nibs, and a faux leather carrying case complete with two custom pockets for the charger and the pen case. Your mileage may differ since it’s hard to find a new one at this point but it is cool to note that if yours doesn’t come with a pen, the Cintiq 22HD’s pen works with it as well which is nice, although it doesn’t look the same.

The Stylus box

A comparison of the Companion’s pen vs. the 22HD’s pen.

The carrying sleeve that comes with the device. Also note the pockets for the stylus box and charger cord.

Hardware
From a Hardware standpoint the Cintiq Companion performed admirably with any piece of software I threw at it. It worked well with every Adobe application,  Photoshop, Illustrator, Audition, Premiere and Animate all performed exactly as they would using my desktop Cintiq. I found them all responsive and snappy when trying to access menus or drawing or scrubbing the timeline.

The Companion’s programmable buttons.

There are four buttons and a ring with a button inside it which combined with Wacom’s software you map functions to and you can even have the same button do different things depending on which program you’re using which is extremely valuable to me and I get a lot more use out of having them as opposed to another device like the Surface Pro 2 which has no such buttons especially when using it without a keyboard for programs like Animate (Flash), Storyboard Pro and Photoshop which are all keyboard heavy apps. The device itself is extremely solid if not a little heavy and I read that the Cintiq Companion 2 is lighter in weight but I don’t personally use it while holding it in my arm so I really don’t care about the weight so much but you might.

The Cintiq Companion’s stand

The stand the unit comes with is extremely odd in its setup and feels clumsy because doesn’t attach securely and instead just has tabs that fit into slots which I find to be lazy in such an expensive flagship device. There are some larger folios that you can purchase which is the same form factor but are essentially attached to the unit which cost more but I think might be worth it if you find you’re traveling with it and setting it up and breaking it down a lot. As I said I don’t use it like that much so for me the stand is fine.

The slot the Companion’s stand slides into. No it does not lock which is one of the reasons I don’t like it much.

A view of the Cintiq Companion’s 3 stand ‘flaps’ which slide into slots depending on what height you want.

One other frustrating thing which has largely been reported about his the power button is exactly where you put your hands to grab it and therefore makes you turn the device off constantly whenever you pick it up. Another odd choice by Wacom was putting the webcam top of the device when it is in portrait display as opposed to landscape display which really to me is quite short-sighted. I don’t know who they assumed it was going to be drawing in portrait mode all the time I’m but I guess they clearly thought people would prefer it that way. In the companion 2 they moved it to the landscape View. So I guess they realized their mistake and fixed it.

Storyboard Pro works perfectly well on the Companion but the menus are small and I did miss the screen real estate compared to my 22HD but that said it’s definitely still usable. Plus you can connect an external monitor to it to add to that real estate. Harmony worked well too and I even managed to animate a little scene without much issue, although I never finished it.

Autodesk Maya also works perfectly with the Cintiq Companion and my only gripe was the tiny menus which was fixable with a small hack (more on that later). I have built multiple models with many parts using and it handled each model like a champion and did not lag when rotating the models I built. I built this kitchen using the companion and it rotates with ease.

Granted the kitchen I built does not have a lot of textures so there is that to consider about its performance but I don’t really spend much time texturing 3D models so for me it works perfectly.

Another example is this shelving area which I also built using the Cintiq Companion and Maya and the companion performed admirably when rotating this model around as well despite there being many small parts to the scene. It has yet to be sluggish in anything I have thrown at it!

When using the Companion, it’s performance seems exactly like using a much larger Cintiq only smaller. The strokes work just as quickly and it feels very responsive when trying to draw quickly as opposed to other devices like the Surface Pro which I have found to lag behind when I draw. One of my biggest tests is using Adobe Animate to see if a device’s Graphics chip can keep up with rapid drawing because it is the processor-intensive application and many people post frustrations when trying to use it with a tablet PC because of its lag of underpowered hardware. The Cintiq Companion however, chews it up and spits it out with ease and I have not seen any delay whatsoever while using it. I’ve tried a lot of Tablet PCs over the years and really it is the only one that is able to handle Adobe Animate.

A small piece I animated using Adobe Animate on the Cintiq Companion

All this said there are a few small things that you need to do to make the Cintiq Companion 1 usable when you take it out of the box. Particularly so because of the high-resolution screen if your eyesight is not fantastic as it’s high resolution screen causes most applications to display extremely tiny menus. Adobe’s applications are notorious for this issue and I have read many times people returned the device rather than finding a solution but sine there are ways to hack the system to fix it, I feel that to return the device is silly for something so fixable. Now granted you might be saying, “Gee I know nothing about hacking and I don’t want to ruin my expensive device.” and I’m with you there but it’s really not a huge issue as this is fairly simple to do and can be done with a simple piece of code which I posted about last year during my review of the Surface Pro 2.

One exception that I found using it however was with Maya whereby regardless of hacking the system to display larger fonts and menus Maya would not actually display them larger regardless. But again thanks to google, I found a hack for fixing Maya’s tiny menus as well and was able to increase the fonts the size that I could see far more easily. That’s said I think you are willing to make a few small tweaks to it it is an extremely powerful and useful machine. In fact I would say that it is the only Tablet PC that I have found that is able Toon Boom Harmony and Storyboard Pro capably

To sum it all up I feel the Cintiq Companion 1  is a  hardy device and I think both hobbyists and professionals alike  we’ll enjoy it regardless of it being an older  device. The added plus is that now that it is an older device it’s cheaper and more likely to be  attainable for an artist.  There are things about the companion to that I have read make it  a better device  but it’s also more expensive because it’s newer and if you don’t have the money the Companion 1 will work very well in your workflow and be a great addition to your arsenal.

I did not see any units available for sale as of this writing on eBay or through Google’s Shopping search but they pop up now and again and you just have to look for them! If you decide to get one based on this review or already have one let’s us know in the comments below!

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Old But Good Tech Thursday: ASUS EP121 Computer Tablet Review

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ASUS EP121 Computer Tablet Review
by Herb Moore (interview)

Let me first state that I really like my ASUS EP121 computer tablet, and that’s saying a lot coming from a Motion Computing LE1700 tablet that I worked liked a mule and really enjoyed working on.  If you’re expecting to read a “bashing” review of the ASUS EP121 tablet, it’s not going to happen here.  That’s not to say that it’s perfect, but read on and you’ll understand what I’m getting at.

I use mainly three software programs to create my illustrations and animations: Flash CS6, Photoshop CS6 & Sketchbook Pro 6.  Flash & Photoshop can tax many good computers but work extremely well on the ASUS tablet.  I have on occasion used both programs simultaneously and the tablet keeps clicking along just fine.  I do create artwork in Hi Definition from time to time as the need arises, but if I don’t need to work at that level then I won’t. I love a lot of color and intensity and I use a lot of layers to capture the effect & look I want, so I’m not afraid to try to push the computer.

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The tablet boots up very quickly with little to no hesitation initially. Once I open any software, though it appears to load very quickly, there does tend to be a slight delay in being able to go ahead and work, as if something still hasn’t completely loaded. I tend to try to be a bit more patient when initially booting up just in case my eagerness is the problem. Even after working for several minutes, there may be a quick pause or two where the computer seems to freeze then it kicks back in, but it’s quite brief and from that point on there are no more problems. The weight is heavy & solid enough for me, (lighter than my Motion Computing LE1700), but doesn’t require me to workout at the gym just so I can hold it.

Snowman in the Forest 02

The pen/stylus that came with the tablet is very light, and at first appearance the tip seemed to be too large for the detail I wanted, but I soon learned that it handled the finest details I threw at it just fine. Admittedly, at first I preferred to use the pen/stylus from the Motion Computing LE1700, (I love that pen), but seldom do I really “need” it. I’m quite happy that I stayed with the original pen/stylus as it performs very well.

Hillbilly 10b

The screen on the EP121 is great to view my artwork, as well as display my art while I work on it, and it displays excellent color & details to any of my highly rendered artwork and animations. It’s very sharp and impressive.

Since I store everything I create on Dropbox I need to mention that the Wi-Fi works flawlessly. I prefer not to use my tablet for any Internet communications, to avoid any possible contamination, and transfer anything else I may need onto the tablet via flash drives.

Elephant 07c

Finally, the battery life is fantastic and lasts several hours, whether I’m illustrating in Sketchbook Pro or Photoshop, as well as when I’m animating in Flash. Also, the recharge time is excellent even while I’m using the tablet.

Nature 17

In closing, I tend to latch onto what I truly like to use & then I try to wear it out through intense & laborious work. I push hard and create thousands of illustrations and numerous short Flash animations. I seriously doubt my ASUS EP121 tablet will wear out anytime soon so only time will tell who breaks down first: me or the machine!

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OLD BUT GOOD TECH THURSDAY: FUJITSU T901

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Old But Good Tech Thursday
#oldbutgoodtechthursday
#tbt

Fujitsu t901
by Jason Kruse
www.jasontkruse.com

What can I say about the Fujitsu t901? It’s portable, durable and powerful enough for most of my needs. It’s got a zippy core i5 processor, 256gb SSD hard drive, 13.3″ screen that makes drawing a pleasure. And for someone who prefers to draw on the couch instead of at a desk, it’s pretty much perfect. Plus, it’s far cheaper than a Cintiq.

This is now my 2nd Fujitsu and let me tell you, it’s a great purchase. I bought this model refurbished 2.5 years ago off of a private seller on ebay after owning the Fujitsu t4220 (also bought on ebay) for over 3 years. I was so pleased with the quality on the t4220 that I decided to stay with Fujitsu. Refurbished, this thing was a steal. I got it for $579 (it didn’t hurt that my company at the time gave us money towards new tablets either). Since then, I’ve upgraded to an SSD hard drive and 8gbs of RAM. Because this is a convertible tablet, I’m constantly moving it around and the original hard drive got the dreaded BSOD. Not having any moving parts in the new hard drive gives me a little more piece of mind. Still, I highly recommend backing everything up with some kind of online service like Crashplan.
fire planet

 

I run quite a few programs on this little beauty and unless you’re working with a huge file, it really won’t have a problem. I mostly use Photoshop and Flash these days and I’ve run into very few issues (knock on wood). I’ve even used After Effects which is a notorious memory hog. To be fair, I’ve only done some editing  in that program but the Fujitsu didn’t have any problems. Illustrator, Manga Studio and Mischief also run smoothly on it. As for 3d, I haven’t tried it on here and frankly, something with a video card and 16gb will probably suit your needs a lot better. There are some tablets out there that do it but they’re few and far between. The Cintiq Companion, the t902 and a Lenovo x230 are the ones that spring to mind.

glowr_alternate

There are really only a couple of cons I can give the t901. One is its weight. It certainly isn’t as portable as I would like. It weighs around 5lbs which doesn’t seem like much on paper but when you carry this around thru say, the airport, it gets annoying pretty quickly. On top of that, the battery doesn’t last long. I really can’t give you an estimate for how long a new battery might last since again, this machine is a refurb. It’s always plugged in and these days the battery seems to last at most, a half an hour. Maybe if I buy a new battery but I’m fine with the way it is.

PlaythingsCelShade04small

As for drawing on this computer, I give it a big thumbs up. The screen has some “tooth” to it and while it’s not at level of drawing on paper, it certainly doesn’t have that “drawing on water” feel that I experienced while playing with the Surface Pro 3 at the Microsoft Store. In fact, I’ve greatly cut down on my paper consumption in the last couple of years because of this computer. The pen is a good size for me and there’s a handy dock on the lower-front of the machine. It’s also got usb ports, hdmi, SD slot–pretty much all the good stuff. And again, the 13.3″ screen is big enough so you won’t be hurting too much for drawing space.

psmoak_all

All in all, you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck with any Fujitsu. Lately, I’ve been toying with upgrading to the t904 but honestly, I think this one still has a lot of life left in it. You really can’t go wrong with a Fujitsu.

 

 

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OLD But GOOD Tech Thursday- Fujitsu T5010

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Yet another brand new feature here on Animation Insider in the form of Old But Good Tech Thursdays!

Since Thursdays is traditionally Throw Back Thursdays #TBT anyway, I figure it’s a good day to showcase old technology that is still a good purchase for artists since there’s MANY great old tablets out there you can pick up for almost nothing these days. Each week will strive to post a new article  highlighting old computers and tablets from an artist’s perspective. If you would like to do a review of your favorite tablet or hardware, feel free to give us a shout!
Armed with a copy of Sketchbook Pro, these cheap old gems are still quite viable as a digital tool for the budding artist or old school paper and pencil animator looking to go digital. Even seasoned digital artists looking for a second device to put by the bed for that quick late night sketch might find these tablets useful.

Now granted, you’re not going to be running Storyboard Pro or Harmony on these because well truthfully the graphics card can’t handle it (but an old copy of Maya works fine) so it’s not for your main machine but it works perfectly well as a digital sketchbook at Starbucks or the park. Some of these even have View Anywhere Technology made specifically to view outdoors.  You can run Photoshop, Flash, Painter, and ArtRage on most of these, but Photoshop doesn’t always play nice for drawing on these old things, because it’s a pig. You can still edit with it and composite a piece easily enough.

That said, you don’t have to shell out thousands for the new Cintiq Companion or the Surface Pro to sketch digitally and you’re keeping these jewels off the junk heap which is better for our planet and who doesn’t want to help the earth?

That said, our first Old But Good Tech is the Fujitsu T5010 which can currently be purchased on eBay for $129 bucks and it will Windows 8.1 so it will likely run Windows 10!

Fujitsu T5010Fujitsu T5010
by Heather Martinez
heathermartinez.blogspot.com
(All art done on the Fujitsu T5010)

Have Fujitsu Lifebook T-Series…Will travel! And I do.  I travel a lot. I art a lot. I’m also a bit stingy when it comes to spending money, but I’ll grudgingly fork it over if the product meets my needs. About 5 years ago, I was looking into whether I wanted a Cintiq or just another portable tablet. I had burned though a Motion Computing Tablet, and a little 10.15” Fujitsu T4220 convertible tablet. At the time, there was no Cintiq Companion out, and my only choice in the Cintiq world would be to tote around a separate screen display attached to a laptop. No. Not when you do freelance illustration for a living and your life is always on the go.  Fujitsu had just come out with their T5010 series, which are also called  “swivel tablets.” No docking, no pulling apart your tablet and inserting it into a clunky keyboard, and no attaching a separate keyboard via USB nonsense. It’s a laptop with keyboard when you need it and a tablet when you need it.  You open it up, swivel it and fold it back for a tablet. The other thing I was looking for in a world where ALL the new tablets were touch screen only, was a Wacom enabled  tablet with digitizer pen input  ONLY. Fujitsu had it. The only down-side was that the digitizer pen that comes with the laptop is clunky, so I kept the slick one from Motion Computing. I still buy about 4 of those a year. They run about 45 bucks each, but are worth every penny.  The display had also grown up since my last Fujitsu model. The screen was 13.3”. Not bad for a tablet.

p10_11

Windows 7 had come out, but I had read all the abysmal reviews and didn’t trust it. Now mind you, this was 5 years ago, but I purchased this Fujitsu T5010 for a whopping $ 3,000.00. I think it would have run me closer to $2,000, but I added a bunch of bells and whistles, like an extended battery, DVD RW,  a 500GB hard drive, upgraded to 4GB of RAM, etc.  Here I was, with a $3,000 dollar laptop running on old Windows XP.  I have run CS2 through CS6, Art Rage and Sketchbook Pro 2010. I’ve illustrated many a project on it, including 3 Golden Books, and it still runs like a champ.  The obvious problems with Windows XP began to emerge this past year.  Running on a 32-bit system when all the new cool stuff is run on 64 bit systems was beginning  to become a hindrance.  The countdown to computer crash was on. With luck, I might be fine continuing my Illustration work, but if I wanted to install, say, Storyboard Pro, I couldn’t.  So, about 6 months ago, I started my quest for newer and better. The Cintiq Companion came out, and I thought my search was over. I was juggling several projects and in the middle of a move, so I put it buying a 2,500.00 computer on the back-burner. Until last week, when my 40 lb. dog sat on my T5010 and cracked the screen.  Don’t ask.

SB_Karate_KEYART_COLOR

AAAAGGHHH! So, I’m in the middle of a HUGE project with a tight deadline, and my Fujitsu has a long hairline fracture running horizontally across my work space. Thank God the laptop still functions, but what on earth am I going to get to replace this thing if it doesn’t hold out?  I don’t have time to deal with a whole new interface and waiting for a new Cintiq to arrive just wouldn’t do.  I jumped on Ebay and found the old and familiar Fujitsu T-series. The difference? They are now all listed at UNDER 300 bucks! The other difference? I found a more updated 64-bit, with 4GB of RAM that had Windows 8 already installed! The guy was apologetic that it DIDN’T have touch-input. Thank heavens, no touch input! He also apologized that it didn’t come with a digitzer pen.  Again, no loss.  In all, I paid $260.00 to replace and upgrade my old pal. The hard drive only has about 300GB, but I have a husband that can replace it with a much bigger one when my big project is over. There is, of course, no amount of value that can be placed on having a techie friend, or husband, for that matter.

snow4

You’ll want to install the Wacom driver that is available on their website so all your programs have good pen pressure sensitivity. If you want to buy new, Fujitsus will last forever…Unless of course, your furry friend sits on it. But I must warn you that new Fujitsus are expensive, and their tech support was and is pretty bad.  (I wanted to know if some of their newer tablets would allow me to disable the touch screen option and just allow for digi pen input and they had no clue.) The other down-side is that Fujitsus have notoriously clunky fans that start to sound like a rock in a blender as they get older. They eventually need to be replaced. I’d be happier running on an SSD, but sometimes you can’t have it all.