Ogle Earth Reviews 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator

November 28th, 2006 · 15 Comments · ArcGIS Desktop, ESRI, Extensions, GIS, Google, Google Earth, Microsoft, Virtual Earth

Stefan was lucky enough to review the new 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator and likes what he sees:

But does it work? Oh yeah. After about 2 minutes my left hand disappeared and I began to mind-meld with Earth. Think Rotate and that’s what Earth does. Push in and you zoom in. It’s a completely new level of control, and it’s completely addictive. The sensitivity is proportionate to your altitude, so at sea level you can work with sub-meter precision. Zoom out and you can traverse the world in a second. Look up above the horizon if you like, or pan, zoom and rotate all at once. You can make yourself queasy without trying very hard.

Sigh, I’d love to have one of these to demo ESRI’s ArcGlobe, especially the SpaceExplorer version. I’m sure one could do wonderful things with that baby! I see the benefit of using such controllers with 3D globes after using the Xbox controller with Virtual Earth 3D.

Tags:

15 responses so far ↓

1 War Eagle // Nov 28, 2006 at 6:46 am

How does that work with ArcGlobe James? I might spring for it if I knew how it worked with ESRI products.
2 James Fee // Nov 28, 2006 at 6:47 am

No idea, we can only go off of what others are saying. I’d assume it would work, but that is a lot of money to risk on something there is no confirmation about.

I too would buy one if I knew how it would work. It would make demos so much easier.
3 Chad // Nov 28, 2006 at 7:10 am

Most like works just fine with any virtual globe. Stephan just got the luck of the draw
4 anon // Nov 28, 2006 at 7:13 am

I’m sure you are right Chad, but for $300 I’d like to see some certification.

I might spring for one of the $49 ones, but the extra buttons might be valuable in every day use.

Otherwise I’d just use my trackball.
5 James Fee // Nov 28, 2006 at 7:17 am

Chad, I fell in love when I saw it at Gizmodo this morning. I’m sure it will work navigating ArcGlobe, but I’m more interested in seeing how those buttons work.

Personally I’d also like to see the ESRI Prototype Lab release an Xbox controller extension for ArcGIS. Heck I’ll send them an Xbox controller myself it that gets things moving.
6 Chad // Nov 28, 2006 at 7:17 am

Yea, wouldn’t go for it unless someone was buying it for me (Hint, christmas is coming )
7 capone // Nov 28, 2006 at 9:21 am

Does this work with ArcGIS? I’d so get one if I was sure. I can’t afford to take a chance though.
8 av8tor // Nov 28, 2006 at 9:33 am

James, would you recommend this over a Xbox controller solution? I might take some time over the holiday to figure out how to get the xbox controller to work with ArcMap.
9 James Fee // Nov 28, 2006 at 9:37 am

I have never tried or even held the 3DConnexion controller so I can’t say anything about it.

I’m sure an Xbox controller solution would be great though as most can scrounge one up at almost any store in the world.
10 Erin // Nov 28, 2006 at 11:22 am

I’m confused. What is the difference in price with these? They look identical.
11 James Fee // Nov 28, 2006 at 11:25 am

The review was for the non-commercial version. So if you want to use it at home, it costs $60 and if you want to use it at work it costs $100.

But you get full support for that $100 vs online support for the non-commercial. Honestly I think that is worth the price in a commercial environment.
12 Mike // Jan 4, 2007 at 9:06 am

I have not been able to get the SpaceNavigator to work in any ArcGIS Software (ArcScene, ArcGlobe)
13 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator Does Not Work With ArcGIS | James Fee GIS Blog // Jan 4, 2007 at 10:21 am

[...] A reader named Mike writes in the 3DConnexion post to say that the SpaceNavigator does not work with ArcGIS. I have not been able to get the SpaceNavigator to work in any ArcGIS Software (ArcScene, ArcGlobe) [...]
14 Jiro Shirota // Mar 27, 2007 at 10:35 am

I just wrote an unofficial SpaceNavigator driver for ESRI ArcMap 9.2. I haven’t tested this on other versions yet.

Demo movie:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8574975852358744167

Driver (dll / tlb)
http://www.simplespatial.net/Downloads/ArcMap3DconnexionDriver.zip

You will need .NET 2.0 runtime.

Have a nice day!
15 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator driver for ESRI ArcMap 9.2 // Mar 27, 2007 at 11:23 am

[...] From the comments: Demo movie: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8574975852358744167 [...]