Author Topic: It's alive, it's alive!!! mwahaha! - WinButtons and 7" touchscreen works (Read 76243 times)

nudone · « **Reply #100 on:** September 25, 2011, 04:21 PM »

Maybe the MIMO only works with color and I keep using colour.

Ath · « **Reply #101 on:** September 25, 2011, 04:36 PM »

Maybe the MIMO only works with color and I keep using colour.
-nudone (September 25, 2011, 04:21 PM)

So we'll have to relocate to the US of A (or at least North America) to get it working properly; hey, cranioscopical, we might become neighbors

cranioscopical · « **Reply #102 on:** September 25, 2011, 05:09 PM »

I kinda love it how we keep mixing the use of the US and UK version of color and colour
-Ath (September 25, 2011, 01:54 PM)

Do me a favor, knock it off!

nudone · « **Reply #103 on:** December 05, 2011, 02:57 AM »

For the record: I've decided to stop using the MIMO touchscreen (and therefore Winbuttons too).

I've had enough of the device's inability to connect properly. I'd been persevering with it ever since it arrived but it's gone too far now.

(Please don't make any suggestions about how to make it work correctly. I've tried the latest drivers and they make the same amount of difference as the other drivers I've tried, i.e. zero difference. I've tried several USB hubs, powered and non powered and all of the ports on the motherboard.)

Today, not only would it refuse to connect but it has now made one of my screens forget all it's colour calibration settings (because my machine now thinks it's a completely different monitor, one that has never been calibrated). This means I've got to waste twenty minutes calibrating the screen all over again. This is not a new pointless routine I wan't to get into.

I've also decided that I can remember and access the hotkeys (in Photoshop, etc.) quicker than I can locate a button on the touchscreen - so the whole touchscreen idea is flawed (for me, at least).

I did consider this touchscreen stuff an experiment that may fail and so it has; maybe not for the right reasons but if the device doesn't want to play nicely then it can just go and die. One positive conclusion is that I know never to buy another touchscreen again, nor to try and use an iPad in a similar way. I've now realised that my keyboard with all its extra macro keys is going to be the better system - even if that is simply because it works immediately on startup.

I may find a use for the MIMO with my Wacom Cintiq based machine. That said, if it doesn't work first time I'm going to run outside and see how far I can throw the touchscreen and watch it smash as it lands on the nice hard concrete. Which will be the most satisfying thing I can do with the unfit for purpose device. (Maybe I should just see if Amazon will give me a refund.)

superboyac · « **Reply #104 on:** December 07, 2011, 10:35 AM »

nudone, did you try using different USB ports?
Ha! Just kidding...don't you hate that??

I'm also souring on a lot of this touch stuff. I've now spent considerable time with every tablet on the market, tried the latest smartphones, I have a Wacom, etc. Touch technology is simply mediocre. It's convenient for certain applications, even preferable, especially for simple things like browsing the web at a coffee shop, or simple applications that require just a handful of controls (ereaders, reading in general). But as a general interface, it's just mediocre.
The mechanical precision and ease of the mouse is still the best, it's that perfect balance of digital and mechanical. We all know how much better it feels to plug in a mouse to your laptop. It's always, "ah! much better!".

This reminds me also of the degradation of audio quality now that cellphones are the predominant communication tool. Back when phones were landlines, the audio quality through that copper connection was excellent. i remember being a teenager and being able to whisper quietly in the phone, and every breath, every little sound was crystal clear. Now, we have to yell through our shitty plastic earpieces, or through our fancy screen phones with awful mics, and who knows how much quality is in those wireless transmissions. All that technology, and in the end, the very basic use of the phone (talking) can be viewed at having gone backwards, quality-wise. I have to concentrate so much more now with cell phones just to be able to listen and hear things properly. I hate it. I don't even like talking that much anymore because of that specifically.

I'm never one to hold onto old-fashioned technology for nostalgia's sake, but these last few years, I am becoming that way it seems. Maybe it's just me, but I respond much better to mechanical technology that digital. I like gears, metal parts, levers, buttons...mechanical devices feel much more human. There's something very unsatisfying about touchscreens, wireless anythings. If you remove the convenience they offer and just think about how it feels to you, you'll feel how unsatisfying it is.

Bobby Fischer's last words were:
"Nothing is as healing as the human touch."

I would agree. The more we move away from that with our technology, the less satisfying it will be to use. I'm sure things will be much more convenient and progressive, but we're going to lose that feel-goodedness about it.

nudone · « **Reply #105 on:** December 07, 2011, 12:04 PM »

I think your issue with the sound quality on cellphones is going to be down to the noise cancellation that they'll all be using. I don't know this for sure, it would just make sense that this is built-in these days. Plus, I wouldn't be too surprised if mobile phones only send audio when the sound reaches above a certain level (or is that simply noise cancellation again).

As for touchscreens, yep, they are pretty crap at the moment. I imagine they will remain so for another 10 years - until flexible and "softtouch" screens are available (or whenever that will be).

I've an iPad and that seems about the best touchscreen at the moment. Maybe they should all be named something other than "touch", perhaps "heavythumbprodscreens".

Renegade · « **Reply #106 on:** December 07, 2011, 12:14 PM »

As for touchscreens, yep, they are pretty crap at the moment. I imagine they will remain so for another 10 years - until flexible and "softtouch" screens are available (or whenever that will be).
-nudone (December 07, 2011, 12:04 PM)

Ahem...

You don't need to understand Korean to get the point there, but they're already here.

What would you call a display that's like paper? Displayper~!

(Bought the domain a while back.)

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #107 on:** December 07, 2011, 12:23 PM »

Maybe it's just me, but I respond much better to mechanical technology that digital. I like gears, metal parts, levers, buttons...mechanical devices feel much more human.
-superboyac (December 07, 2011, 10:35 AM)

ME TOO ME TOO ME TOO!!! ...I was truly amazing how relaxing it was the first time I went out work on my bike after screwing with this IT shit for months on end. I'd been a mechanic for years before getting into IT, and i'd let the bike sit for a few years. But it dawned on me one day that I truly missed the visceral, tactile sensation of being one with something. (At 100+mph you're either completely in sync with your mount...or about to die

) I dare say the old girl has indeed saved my sanity.

nudone · « **Reply #108 on:** December 07, 2011, 12:23 PM »

You don't need to understand Korean to get the point there, but they're already here.
-Renegade (December 07, 2011, 12:14 PM)

Oh, I've seen those, they're everywhere aren't they - I've got a giant one that I use as a shower curtain. (Well, maybe I will have by the time I die.)

Displayper? Maybe. I assume we'll just be calling it e-paper when it arrives.

Ath · « **Reply #109 on:** December 07, 2011, 10:37 PM »

I've an iPad and that seems about the best touchscreen at the moment. Maybe they should all be named something other than "touch", perhaps "heavythumbprodscreens".
-nudone (December 07, 2011, 12:04 PM)

That's in fact the difference between a Capacitive touch screen (that the iPad and most of the smartphones have) and a Resistive touch screen that the MIMO has, the technology diff explained in this Wikipedia article

nudone · « **Reply #110 on:** December 07, 2011, 10:52 PM »

A lot of the cheaper Android Tablets use Resistive too. I've tried a few and you have to use a stylus (old bit of plastic) to get the best response from them.

cranioscopical · « **Reply #111 on:** December 08, 2011, 10:35 AM »

I've tried a few and you have to use a stylus (old bit of plastic) to get the best response from them.
-nudone (December 07, 2011, 10:52 PM)

My tablet is an old bit of plastic (Etch-a-Sketch). Every time I try a different web site I have to draw the page from scratch

nudone · « **Reply #112 on:** December 08, 2011, 10:52 AM »

Heheheh. Now that IS impressively old-school.

Ath · « **Reply #113 on:** December 08, 2011, 02:29 PM »

Just installed the latest DisplayLink driver for my MIMO, and, after a whole lot of screen flashing (going on and off)

, a reboot, and a re-recognition of the MIMO hardware, it works just fine. By the next reboot I'll know if still flashes so often during system startup.

This convinces me more that the MIMO owned by nudone is technically faulty in some way, as it prevents a reboot of the system when connected, and gives all kinds of troubles

Every time I try a different web site I have to draw the page from scratch
-cranioscopical (December 08, 2011, 10:35 AM)

nudone · « **Reply #114 on:** December 08, 2011, 05:17 PM »

I must have explained things badly. I can reboot fine, it just doesn't make any difference to the MIMO. I can never really predict what will be required to make the screen work.

To compound the problem, my new computer isn't perfect. It will bluescreen a few times a week. I thought leaving gmail or google reader open were the cause but that pattern was broken yesterday.

And so, I am really close to just thinking f*ck all this computer sh*t. If the problems get any worse I'm just going to call it quits and find another line of work. I haven't the will to send this new machine back, it took over a month to arrive, and I'm determined to run it after having to return the previous machine.

Anyway, I'll try again with the MIMO at the weekend, probably. But, honestly, I'd be happier if the pc would just stop bluescreening.

Ath · « **Reply #115 on:** December 08, 2011, 05:43 PM »

I can reboot fine, it just doesn't make any difference to the MIMO. I can never really predict what will be required to make the screen work.
-nudone (December 08, 2011, 05:17 PM)

Ah, it might be my sloppy reading, but I didn't get that detail, sorry. But the net result is bad enough.

But, honestly, I'd be happier if the pc would just stop bluescreening.
-nudone (December 08, 2011, 05:17 PM)

You ~~might~~ need that bug to be taken out first, before investigating anything else. (Start with the memory modules)

If this second set of hardware (same company/shop, right?) is (nearly) as crappy as the first, then they have a QA issue, and you'd probably need to find another supplier.

It might be worth to investigate the qualities if the MIMO on the other system you talked about (with the Cintiq screen?), as it could turn out to be a faulty main-system after all.

nudone · « **Reply #116 on:** December 08, 2011, 06:03 PM »

The new pc is from a different supplier, who tested the machine with a 24 hour over clock burn in before sending it; which makes me think I won't find any problems with it like bad ram.

The old AMD 4800 based machine never bluescreened but had the same issue with the MIMO. If things did get bad I'd go back to using that machine.

I think the MIMO has trouble because I've got two graphics cards. I'll test that theory out by removing one of the cards. But even if that is the problem, there is little I can do to rectify it. I'm definitely not going down the path of buying new graphics cards.

nudone · « **Reply #117 on:** December 08, 2011, 06:14 PM »

Something I have noticed is that the MIMO properties state it is controlled by my secondary graphics card. This seems a bit odd to me as I'd expect it to state something like "displaylink" instead.

If these touchscreens really are controlled by the system gfx cards then that seems like an inherent flaw. My main gfx card is maxed out controlling a 30" monitor and the secondary card is running two 20" screens. Which, to me, indicates the MIMO hasn't the resources available to it.

But then, I've no idea how this displaylink stuff works.

nudone · « **Reply #118 on:** December 10, 2011, 09:04 AM »

Okay, okay... OKAY!!! Whilst watching my computer boot-up over the next few days I shall also be punching myself in the face several times. This should be enough to prepare me for when everything goes wrong again.

Currently the MIMO is working. Yes. Yes, it is. I don't believe it's an hallucination (I do accept I might be so delirious I'm imagining everything - including typing this post).

So, why is it working?

1) I've updated the motherboard bios.

2) I've updated the DisplayLink driver (I say updated, but it is the same as one I installed before).

3) I've removed auto log on with my account. So the system pauses (at the logon screen) with only one monitor active until I log on.

I'm assuming the bios update has helped the most - but it could simply be the log on pause. Whatever, I don't wish to experiment to find out what it is - as it might all stop working again.

It's working better than ever. No flashing screens or USB failed connections. Oh, I've just remembered something that might be important:

4) The MIMO is connected to a USB port on one of the DELL 20" monitors (I assume this is a powered USB port). This is the port that was working before I started complaining at the beginning of this week. Also, the MIMO does NOT work when connected directly to the motherboard USB ports; this arrangement rolls into a cycle of USB dis/connect attempts.

Now, if i can get past the next week without any bluescreens I shall be absolutely euphoric.

I will also create some new WinButtons layouts. I first thought that 30 to 40 buttons would the right amount (or even more) but I now think it's way too many. Keeping layouts to around 20 buttons or less will, hopefully, be easier to remember.

Or, perhaps, it simply requires more training when using the larger button arrangements.

Ath · « **Reply #119 on:** December 10, 2011, 09:19 AM »

Wow! At Last! Great

The MIMO is connected to a USB port on one of the DELL 20" monitors (I assume this is a powered USB port).
-nudone (December 10, 2011, 09:04 AM)

I do remember someone (a colleague I guess) saying that he could even power an iPad from one of those Dell ports (that iPad really needs a lot of power, exceeding the formal USB 2.0 specs, most Apple laptops have 1 port with extra power, AFAIK), so I guess it's a power issue, combined with that BIOS update, that fixes this.

I first thought that 30 to 40 buttons would the right amount (or even more) but I now think it's way too many. Keeping layouts to around 20 buttons or less will, hopefully, be easier to remember.
-nudone (December 10, 2011, 09:04 AM)

You can run several instances of WinButtons (by giving it a -f filename command-line parameter for a specific file, and -t xxx -l yyy for a specific desktop position) that are positioned side by side so you have quicker response when switching apps in a context-sensitive config (less buttons to redraw), and because of less screen updates, there's less distraction for the user.

nudone · « **Reply #120 on:** December 10, 2011, 09:26 AM »

You can run several instances of WinButtons (by giving it a -f filename command-line parameter for a specific file, and -t xxx -l yyy for a specific desktop position) that are positioned side by side so you have quicker response when switching apps in a context-sensitive config (less buttons to redraw), and because of less screen updates, there's less distraction for the user.
-Ath (December 10, 2011, 09:19 AM)

Right, didn't know that. That sounds like a better way of switching layouts. I shall attempt that when I do the new layouts.

cranioscopical · « **Reply #121 on:** December 10, 2011, 10:39 AM »

I shall also be punching myself in the face several times.
-nudone (December 10, 2011, 09:04 AM)

Want some help with that?

Currently the MIMO is working. Yes. Yes, it is.

Good news indeed.
Like yours, mine is running from a powered hub on a monitor. Did you ever try connecting both of its USB inputs?

Ath · « **Reply #122 on:** December 10, 2011, 11:18 AM »

Did you ever try connecting both of its USB inputs?
-cranioscopical (December 10, 2011, 10:39 AM)

The 7" model only has 1 input, and only 1 connector on each end of the cable (that are each in their sockets), for what I know, so, what both USB inputs?

nudone · « **Reply #123 on:** December 10, 2011, 12:50 PM »

The MYMO had two USB cables IIRC. So I was a bit surprised that the MIMO only had one. I think Chris has the 10 inch screen?..

cranioscopical · « **Reply #124 on:** December 11, 2011, 02:43 PM »

The MYMO had two USB cables IIRC. So I was a bit surprised that the MIMO only had one. I think Chris has the 10 inch screen?..
-nudone (December 10, 2011, 12:50 PM)

No. The MIMO that I have is a 7", bought directly from the MIMO web site. It's a MIMO Touch2. It wants 1.0A from a USB connection and comes with a double-headed connector (I use only one with no problems).

I was going to buy the 10" but I'm glad that I did not. The 7" does all that I need without being too cumbersone.