3Dconnexion 3DX-700028 SpaceNavigator 3D Mouse

There are some older reviews from MAC users who experienced problems with this device, but you may not experience those yourself with the newest software/updates available online. Then again, I have only tested it on Sketchup. Also, I contacted 3Dconnexion directly with a question and received a detailed, thoughtful response less than 2 days later (even though I bought this item used and had no purchase order number). This is a fine piece of interface technology and is designed/built very well. The feel is solid, sturdy, and responsive. It also appears to be very sensitive, adjusting magnitude on screen depending on the levels of pressure applied. A very precise and smooth instrument. I cannot imagine a better way to navigate around 3D space. I use this for architecture and industrial design. I feel like this provides me with my own personal helicopter to "fly" in and around my models at will. You can customize the settings to your liking. It took me a few hours to find an intuitive combination of controls (that worked for me) and overcome the learning curve, but now I can't imagine modeling without it. My adjustments are listed below. If you don't like the default settings, try reversing the axes and adjust from there (NOTE: I always invert the y-axis in video games, so I'm naturally inclined to control the Space Navigator the same way... your mileage may vary). 3D Mouse Right change to: 3D Mouse Left 3D Mouse Left change to: 3D Mouse Right 3D Mouse In change to: 3D Mouse Out 3D Mouse Out change to: 3D Mouse In 3D Mouse Down change to: 3D Mouse Up 3D Mouse Up change to: 3D Mouse Down 3D Mouse Tilt Backward: change to: 3D Mouse Tilt Forward 3D Mouse Tilt Forward: change to: 3D Mouse Tilt Backward 3D Mouse Roll Left: change to: 3D Mouse Roll Right 3D Mouse Roll Right: change to: 3D Mouse Roll Left 3D Mouse Spin Clockwise: change to: 3D Mouse Spin Counter-Clockwise 3D Mouse Spin Counter-Clockwise: change to: 3D Spin Clockwise If you are on the fence, give this thing a try. I wish I had it in college. It cuts down on my drawing/modeling time and allows me to rotate, spin, and navigate a model without changing tools or exiting out of a command. A must have for all heavy illustrators, 3D modelers, etc.

Update: I recently had to re-install this on a new computer, and the current software install, 3.16.3 is packaged properly and installs fine right from the download, so my -1 is mooted. It is indispensable in the programs where I use it. I just wish more supported it. --- The Mouse came nicely packaged, but of course, it needs its drivers installed before you can do anything with it in the few programs that can take advantage of it. This was to prove the most frustrating part of installing it, but I found a solution which I will share. As of this writing, the driver version is 3.16.1. The CD in the package was version 3.7.18, which dates back to 2009. This isn't too horrible a problem, because the first thing the installer does is prompt you to check for a newer driver. Does it download the driver? No, it sends you to the web page. Does it send you to the driver download page? No, just the home page. But again, not a big deal, it's easy enough to navigate to the appropriate download link. This is fairly standard. Where it goes terribly wrong is after you download the file. The download, "3DxSoftware32_v3-16-1_r1342 . exe" will extract the installer, put it in your temp files, and run it. The big problem there is the installer it extracts, "3DxSoftware32 . exe" is part installer, part archive, but it doesn't know that. Immediately the installer will ask you to insert a disk because it can't find "layout.bin". Since you don't have that disk or that file, you're stuck. Installation fails. The one previous installer available suffers the same problem. After considerable poking around, trying to open a few stray .cab files that appeared, I found out about a free program called PeaZip on SourceForge. It does things that 7-Zip doesn't. And aside from opening .cab files, it did the one thing I needed to make this install work. I was able to select "3DxSoftware32 . exe" and choose "Open as archive" and then I did "Extract all files" into the same directory, and THERE was everything I needed to do the install. Run the setup file that appears and the install proceeds just as it would from the CD. Keep these files, because you might need to re-install if you add new 3d software that needs specific plugins. Having successfully slain the installer dragon, everything else from there was smooth sailing. I ran through the Demos, played the Puzzle game, and then set off into Second Life to try the Flycam. That was tremendously cool, but clearly I need a better video card. Next I went into Google Sketchup, apparently now owned by Trimble, and navigation was so much easier than trying to remember what chord of modifier keys would make things move the way I wanted. I have yet to use it with Blender, but that's next on the agenda. It is not a substitute for the mouse. It won't control the arrow cursor (although apparently there is a beta driver out there that might) but for 3D programs that support it, it is the perfect thing for moving your view around and manipulating selected objects along and around all three axes. So it's an adjunct to your regular mouse. It is delicately sensitive, a feather touch is all that is needed to fly your viewpoint around. So once you get past the terrible driver install issues, it works precisely as advertized. I can see it as an essential tool for anyone who works with 3D models.

Really heavy construction with great feel. I have been using with 2D and 3D AutoCAD and Sketchup and it works great with both. The mouse software knows which design program you are using and allows a different set up for each. I wish I had been using one for years as it saves so much time allowing you to move around the drawing and still be drawing with your mouse hand. It took me a little while to get used to the left handed operation (a few days), and a few tens of minutes to get the settings correct, but I couldn't be without it now. If you are having trouble getting used to it, try the puzzle game that comes with it. This gets you used to the operation and is good fun too. I don't play PC games, but I imagine this would be great on those if there is a call to move camera location. I had to adjust the 3D Connexion default settings for use with Sketchup, as the auto horizon stops the mouse acting as it should. It works really well in 2D mode as well as 3D. You can move your mouse simultaneously with the 3D connexion allowing you to pan, zoom, and select at the same time which really speeds things up. The side buttons are completely configurable as well, which gives you even more functionality. As with all programs you use the 3D connexion with, you need to configure how the Connexion works with that bit of software. It remembers the settings each time you start a particular program, so if you like to zoom with a pull/push on Sketchup and an up down with CAD it's no problem. Everything is configurable with each different program you use, and the 3D Connexion software has a neat config program that sits in your task tray to allow you to make changes when required. By Default, it is turned off in 2D CAD, so if you want to run it with 2D type NAVBAR in the command line, then type ON. Your Connexion will now work.

It's heavily implied that this mouse has something of a learning curve. Not if you are a gamer! If you're used to navigating with your left hand (d-pad or WASD) while your right hits the buttons or uses a mouse, this mouse will be incredibly intuitive for you and you will be able to use it almost effortlessly. The included software lets you invert any axis you like to suit your needs, and you can also choose between Y-axis (pull up/down) and Z-axis (push back/forth) for the zoom control. You can quickly and easily set up a separate custom profile for each application. Productivity increases substantially because you no longer have to switch between navigating and modeling. Your main mousing hand and arm will thank you for dividing the labor a little more evenly! The mouse itself is nice and heavy with a rubberized base, so it stays put. The puck on top is responsive and the sensitivity and acceleration can be adjusted via software. The two programmable buttons are all I really need for my work and they are in a good location, I never hit them by accident as I so often do with extra mouse buttons. The whole thing is solidly built and of good quality, nothing seems flimsy. The only negative for me is that this mouse doesn't work with ZBrush - but that fault is on Pixologic, not 3Dconnexion, so I'm not docking stars for it. SpaceMouse users have been begging Pixologic to add support for years now, but there is no sign of it ever happening. Definitely a dealbreaker if you are exclusively a ZBrush user.

Note to the uninitiated: this is not a replacement for your regular mouse, nor is it a gaming device (with one or two exceptions). Its usefulness is pretty much limited to 3D modeling programs. I mainly use this with Sketchup and sometimes with Google Earth and Adobe Acrobat. It's great for smooth navigation and getting the exact view you want in tight spaces. I don't end up flying off in to empty space or getting lost inside a wall like I sometimes did using the mouse. It doesn't take long to learn to maneuver with multiple simultaneous pans and rotations. Once you've used it, you miss it in other applications. It works pretty well for panning around large documents in Adobe Acrobat, and I wish someone would make a Firefox plugin for it. They do provide an SDK for anyone who wants to add 3D nav support to their software. Check their website for the full list of supported applications. This model is the consumer end of their product line. If you're going to be using this professionally, skip straight to the 3D connexion SpaceExplorer 3D Navigation Device with USB Interface ( 3DX-700026 ) or the 3Dconnexion SpacePilot PRO - 3D motion controller - 31 button(s) - wired - USB . You'll want all those buttons so you don't have to move your hand between your navigator and your keyboard constantly. I couldn't justify the cost just to mess around with Sketchup, but I have no doubt they'd pay for themselves quickly in a professional setting. This one only has two buttons, but they're both fully programmable on a per-application and per-user basis. (I've found them most useful for X-ray mode and Zoom Extents in Sketchup.) Your options for controlling the various axises (beyond sensitivity adjustment and reversing) are application dependent. While it wouldn't hurt to make it just a hair heavier, it is pretty heavy and stays put when you pull up pretty well. The included software installed painlessly and automatically does the necessary configuration as you open or switch between programs so you don't have to tell it which profile to use.

I bought this mouse for use at work in SolidWorks 2011. It works awesome for what I need it to do, which is simply manipulate models so I can mate them together or alter them. Much less painstaking than using the keyboard and mouse to zoom, rotate, and pan. I really like that you can customize how the two side buttons function, and you can adjust the sensitivity of the controls. I like having the zoom set to a semi-high speed so I can get around, and it was very easy to adjust this on the fly. You can also turn the LED light under the cap on or off, so if you are running this on a laptop battery and want to conserve electricity this comes in very handy. I use this mouse as well in Google Earth (on break of course (: )and it makes it a lot of fun to zip through cities and over mountains. The only complaint I have is that sometimes when I try to decrease elevation (press down perpendicular to the table) the view starts rotating counterclockwise, but I don't know if this is an issue with the mouse or the program, since I do NOT have this problem in SolidWorks. I was introduced to the SpaceExplorer at a training course and liked using it, but didn't need all the extra buttons. If you're looking for a 3D mouse that is very easy to use right out of the box and you don't need all the bells and whistles of the other devices, this purchase would definately be worth your money! Update - December 29, 2011 The 3D mouse I purchased started having some issues in SolidWorks where the model would spin uncontrollably. I contacted the 3donnexion customer service and they ran me through some tests. When those came back negative they shipped me a new mouse free of charge, I only had to cut the cord of the faulty device and send a scan cord end with tag as proof of destruction. Customer service gets a gold medal in my eyes. Very professional, knowledgable, and courteous. The new mouse works like a dream. Absolutely AWESOME product.

With so many positive reviews, I cannot quite figure out if I just have a bum device. Both my workstation and laptop are Windows 10 fully updated and always have all updated drivers installed. For some reason every couple of days/weeks the mouse just stops working. The device shows its active, the lights stay on, and I have even connected with tech support. There is really only one driver on their website at any given time, so I have what I am supposed to have. I have tried unplugging and re-plugging, but it is so fussy, there is no real way to figure out why it disconnects. Spending $100 on a mouse is fine, if the thing can be trusted to work. This is not something that I take lightly as I use this for my job day to day. I have stopped using it, and it just sits on my desk. I will occasionally touch it and see if it works again, but without being consistent, I have gotten on without really wanting or needing to use it. Very disappointed in the product. One main reason I got the USB wired version was to never have connection issues, I guess I was wrong. If you are planning on buying...good luck. I cannot say I am the only person out there having these issues. But it looks like most folks have really good luck and like it. For reference the software I use daily, AutoCAD 2019, Inventor 2019, SketchUP 2018 Pro, Chief Architect.

Is this an overrated accessory or essential gear? Only you will be able to answer that question. If you can become accustomed to using both hands for your CAD work you may feel that it is essential. If you are unwilling to put the effort into becoming comfortable using it in conjunction with your normal mouse (yes, you still have to use your normal mouse), then you may feel it is an overrated accessory. I have just started using it and I feel more and more comfortable with it with every use. It has a nice feel to it (it is heavy so that it will remain stationary) and my brain is becoming accustomed to performing all of the pan, tilt, zoom, and rotate with my left hand while my right hand does the actual work. The SpaceNavigator requires only the slightest touch to work, so it is almost as if the model is moving by thought. My one complaint is that a wrist pad will be necessary for complete comfort while using this for a long period of time. Also, and this is the reason for only four stars, the one that I received was obviously a returned item. The seal on the box was broken, the cable was missing its twist tie, the control cap was all greasy with someone's oily palm print, and there were greasy finger prints on the base. This may not seem like a big deal to most since it did work, but the worry associated with wondering whether or not it would work as it was obviously used caused me a sufficient enough amount of stress to only post a four star rating. If I had received a new one I would have given five stars. UPDATE: I'm changing my review from four stars to five stars. I love this device too much, even if they did send me a used one! It is even quite comfortable without a wrist pad!

2007年にPEを購入、2009年にはSEを購入しAutodesk Inventorで使用中です。 このコントローラーの操作感は秀逸です。 これがないと、画面操作のために左手をキーボードにとられてしまうし、マウスの操作もとられてしまうので、非常に快適です。 腕が楽になります。 二つのボタンは全てのモードでFITとWindow Zoomにあてています。（一旦引いて、見たいところを拡大、という順序。） 左手で使用していますが、ボタンの位置については、左側の位置が使いづらい。 位置調整が出来ると良いなと思うのですが、この価格ではこんなものか？ 製造中止になったPilotも使用していますが、こちらはコントローラーの側にESC, Shift,Ctrlのボタンがあり、これだけでもとても使いやすい。 Explorerの小さい版で、これらのボタンをつけたものがあったら良いのにと思います。 Inventorでは、キーボードとマウスを使用した画面操作の際、操作を止めたところを記憶してくれて、ファンクションキーで前後の表示状態に移ることが出来ますが、これを使うとそれはできなくなるのが、たまに不便と感じる時がありますが、それ以外は非常に満足度は高いツールです。 使い始めは、手でコントローラーに触りがちになってしまい、画面の表示がおかしくなることもありましたが、今は慣れて操作の時だけコントローラーに触るようにしています。（最近のPCのスペックではそんな心配はないかも。）

After getting this I can't work on CAD without this stuff ! Extremely useful for all those who works in 3D environment! Just go for it!

Modelling Experience: 1 Semester Solidworks, 1 year using Inventor, now using Fusion 360 at my new employment. Still a novice. I saw my favorite youtube modelling channel use this product (I was wondering how he was moving around the object like he was), figured I would see what the fuss was about. After 2-3 days of use, you get to really appreciate this mouse. It makes it way easier to navigate your models, a more fluid experience as opposed to mouse and keyboard zooming and panning. It takes time, initially it is really strange to say the least. What impressed me the most at first was the build quality. Heavy base, doesn't move around. If you reef upwards it will move, but feathering the controller will be more beneficial, if you have issues with it moving, up the sensitivity. I'm never maxing the joystick in any direction. Although I wouldn't go for the wireless or the lighter version. Blue light a nice touch, not obnoxiously bright. Pricey for many, though worth the money for sure.

Amazon reviews here: http://www.amazon.com/3Dconnexion-3DX-700028-SpaceNavigator-3D-Mouse/product-reviews/B000LB7G00 Used one at work for the first time using Inventor and knew had to get one for the house. Advertising blurb says using it is like "holding the model in your hand" and its true. A much more intuitive and productive way to work with your 3D models. Only downside for me (and this in only in comparison to the much more expensive models higher in teh range) is only having two customisable buttons. That said, its very handy putting the two main features you use the most in your application on the mouse. Software works quite well, no glitches on Win 8.1 with Inventor, 3DS max, Rhino or Lightwave and each application has its own "profile", so you can have seperate customised buttons for each bit of software. Works great for photoshop, able to pan and zoom around your image which is a lot better than you might imagine when you start using it like that. Great product, brings basic usability at a good price compared to the more expensive models, which really only add more buttons.

Ottimo prodotto. Buona sensibilità. Lo uso da 5 anni per lavoro: ormai non ne posso fare a meno quando disegno in 3D. Velocizza almeno di un 30% del tempo impiegato. Unica pecca è che non lo vendono con la custodia. Bisogna comprarla a parte. Poco male. (Altrimenti c'è la versione per pc portatile ma è un po' più piccolo e pesa davvero troppo poco: ci vuole qualcosa di solido e stabile sul tavolo di lavoro, accanto alla tastiera) Il prodotto è eccezionale e si interfaccia molto bene con tutti i software più noti di disegno 3D. Per il disewgno 3D è indispensabile!