Timing with a Touchpad, Foolish or Brilliant?

[Quarkboy]

Okay, so I hope I'm not about to start a new epic subbing war with this topic, but I'm going to admit something: I time with a touchpad.

It's partially because I have a wireless keyboard with a touchpad that I sit on my lap, but it's also because I've been working on a laptop a lot lately as well, and after just a little bit, I'm now quite a bit faster with the touchpad than with the mouse.

Since timing is all about a single axis of control, a touchpad can be nice and accurate, and using tapping or tap and drag, combined with zoned tapping for right clicking, it's really quite fast. Since I time/translate at the same time, I need to move my right hand back and forth to the keyboard, and using a touchpad makes it a lot easier than a mouse, since there's no re-positioning of the mouse each time I start using it again.

So, does anyone else use a touchpad to time? A trackball? Powerglove?

Just curious...

[Daiz]

I just lower the DPI on my mouse, fullscreen Aegisub, open audio + keyframes only and use SDFGW + mouse when I'm timing and it's quite fast that way (35-45min per episode and I only do timing occasionally, not full-time). Haven't tried with any other method since I don't have a trackball or other stuff like that, but I'd imagine it could be a bit faster with a trackball.

[screamers994]

I always use my TouchPad, it's very useful in Karaoke

[getfresh]

spacebar FTW!

[TheFluff]

When timing dialogue it's all about left/right mouse button + decent precision in horizontal movement (which you can achieve by either zooming the spectrum view horizontally or lowering the mouse sensitivity). I don't see what you gain by using a touchpad, really.

[the.Merines]

I hated using the trackpad on my laptop, but that was when 1.10 was the best available. Haven't had a time when I had to use my laptop since 2.0+ came out, but I'm happy (and fast enough) with a normal mouse.

[PlasticYakuza]

I've been stuck with the touchpad on my laptop since my desktop died. Started out pretty painful, but after about the first 3-4 episodes timed I had gotten to be just as fast with the touchpad. Just took some time to adjust to it and being too lazy to plug in a mouse. Think I would stick to a mouse if I was still doing it at a desk. But being able to laze about in bed and time, or while in the car, its definitely beneficial to be use to it.

[Starks]

I wonder if anyone has tried timing with a trackpoint (the eraser-esque pointing device found on certain laptops).

[Kristen]

I've tried both, and to be honest, I prefer a mouse. The touchpad makes my fingers cramp a lot. Plus, the left and right buttons are convenient to select end times. And it's a bit less cramped. Left hand can operate the sdfgqw (and maybe a if it's a k-time), right can operate the mouse, no problems.

[zhurai-tsuki]

I've also used both, only problem about the touchpad, that I turn it off, is that whilst I type, it starts clicking random shit (or highlighting random shit) that then I have to find what it screwed up with, and change it, etc etc.

Timing wise, I sometimes find it hard to control it for (somewhat) the same reasons)

though I might try to do that again, just to see how it's like for me now, but at the moment? I'm with using a mouse

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by zhurai-tsuki

I've also used both, only problem about the touchpad, that I turn it off, is that whilst I type, it starts clicking random shit (or highlighting random shit) that then I have to find what it screwed up with, and change it, etc etc.

Timing wise, I sometimes find it hard to control it for (somewhat) the same reasons)

though I might try to do that again, just to see how it's like for me now, but at the moment? I'm with using a mouse

It sounds like you're accidentally hitting it with your palm when you type.

[zhurai-tsuki]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

It sounds like you're accidentally hitting it with your palm when you type.

most likely, I've disabled the keyboard whilst typing...so hopefully it'll be better now, so just I need to eventually try it out again...

[edogawaconan]

Originally Posted by zhurai-tsuki

most likely, I've disabled the keyboard whilst typing...so hopefully it'll be better now, so just I need to eventually try it out again...

you're typing with.... touchpad?

anyway, I don't see problem timing with a touchpad. Some may argue the 'speed' but if one only ever use touchpad or trackball or trackpad when timing, it'll most likely the device they can time fastest

[sangofe]

I have only been using a laptop for a bit over a month, and really have no control at all over my touchpad, so I'm not ever gonna try to use that for timing. Not that I feel like ever timing much either.

[zhurai-tsuki]

Originally Posted by edogawaconan

you're typing with.... touchpad?

no, I just sometimes accidently touch the touchpad while I'm typing. O_o

where'd I say I typed with the touchpad o.o?

[pichu]

lol... touchpad...

I timed with both my Keningston ExpertMouse, the LARGE trackball (about 2cm ball radius)... as well as a Wacom Tablet (Intuos2, Grapphire Bluetooth, and a pentablet PC). I just find them better than conventional mice. In fact, I use my trackball all the time. On my laptop, I use a touchpad though.

I don't mind using a touchpad, as long as I use the shortcut keys... I much prefer the tablet over the touchpad though...

A reply:

Originally Posted by zhurai-tsuki

no, I just sometimes accidently touch the touchpad while I'm typing. O_o

where'd I say I typed with the touchpad o.o?

Originally Posted by zhurai-tsuki

most likely, I've disabled the keyboard whilst typing...so hopefully it'll be better now, so just I need to eventually try it out again...

If you disabled your keyboard while typing... then you're typing with a touchpad! (i think you mean s/keyboard/touchpad/)

--

Large Trackballs are really nice ... It feels like you're in the screen, esp when you're playing H-Games... roll around her boobies on your big trackball :>

[talos wing]

o.0; i cant even fathom timing with a touchpad or ball...

[zhurai-tsuki]

Originally Posted by pichu

lol... touchpad...

I timed with both my Keningston ExpertMouse, the LARGE trackball (about 2cm ball radius)... as well as a Wacom Tablet (Intuos2, Grapphire Bluetooth, and a pentablet PC). I just find them better than conventional mice. In fact, I use my trackball all the time. On my laptop, I use a touchpad though.

I don't mind using a touchpad, as long as I use the shortcut keys... I much prefer the tablet over the touchpad though...

A reply:





If you disabled your keyboard while typing... then you're typing with a touchpad! (i think you mean s/keyboard/touchpad/)

--

Large Trackballs are really nice ... It feels like you're in the screen, esp when you're playing H-Games... roll around herp boobies on your big trackball :>

>_> my bad... typo obviously =_=

I disabled my touchpad while typing

<_<'

[sangofe]

Originally Posted by zhurai-tsuki

>_> my bad... typo obviously =_=

I disabled my touchpad while typing

<_<'

Awesome. Anyone knows how to disable a touchpad while typing on an Acer?

[edogawaconan]

Fn-F7 (on my aspire 2930z and travelmate 4000, at least)

must be manually pressed though