Note: Please forgive me if this is irrelevant or the incorrect forum (my question is regarding hardware really so if I am in the wrong forum please tell me where I may post, kindly, since there is no “hardware” forum apparently).
I just purchased Huion KAMVAS GT-156HDV2 Drawing Tablet Pen Display 15.6"
I bought it because I ran tests on the IPad Pro 12.9" and Surface Book 2 at the various computer stores.
So after much deliberation I thought I ought to purchase something like a Cintiq. But instead of buying a Cintiq I decided to purchase the Huion (a cheaper but equivalent option) .
The problem is that , this is not what I had in mind.
the Huion is not a “Tablet” Computer it is just an extended monitor with ability to take feedback from a pen. After watching countless hours of reviews and tutorials I did not gather it from the youtube videos that the Huion was merely a “monitor” and not a “tablet” computer. Although technically tablet is not in the title of the item listing on amazon all the reviews referred to it as a “tablet” and I eventually came to it after looking at some tablet computers (but did not notice the slight change in the title of the product).
after realizing that the Huion needed a computer connected to it to work I connected it to my laptop and tested it. I tested it with two different computers drawing it was painfully slow . If I tried to sketch faster it would start drawing random straight lines or just stop drawing altogether. That was scary to watch because this is a 500$ tablet (brand new).
But I don’t like to return things so I am trying to sell this on craigslist. If I don’t get a buyer I will return it.
My post is perhaps about this : Question: is it the computer I am connecting the device with that is causing the problem (I tried it with two different computers : the better computer is perhaps the Dell with Intel core i3 2.7 Ghz; 8 gb ram; windows 10).
Question: how did I miss this? is the cintiq also just a monitor or is it a dedicated machine? If it is a monitor then the computer it is connected to becomes a bottleneck, right? If they are going to make it a monitor why not make it an extensible monitor (meaning you can draw on the monitor while the actual computer’s screen can be used to do something else like regular computing, or browsing or in my case some technical processing). It is so easy to make the “monitor” extensible, but when connected to a computer the Huion takes up both screens so it reflects what I am drawing on the computer / laptop’s screen as well as on its own screen. That is such inexplicably incorrect design and so easy to fix (except I don’t know how to fix it and the manufacturer ought to know;).
Question : does someone know how to make it an extensible monitor ? meaning I plug the huion into my laptop and the laptop screen is extended to the Huion monitor instead of mirroring it?
Question : is there a Huion or more focused user forum ? I ask because I am not exactly a graphics designer perhaps, I was hoping to use the Huion for technical drawings and some animation work.
I myself had a Cintiq and yes people refer to it as a “graphic tablet” and sometimes just “tablet” which can get confusing if you’re not looking carefully!
The computer is the bottleneck, I recommend an upgrade to 16GB ram, and something better than an i3 if you can manage it.
You should be able to use it as an extended monitor rather than mirrored. Check the Huion software settings. If not there, then go to your computer’s display settings and make sure you don’t have a “mirror” box checked or anything!
This is exactly how the Cintiq works. It draws quite a bit of power/resources and requires a computer that can handle it!
I just tried extending the Huion and it worked! Encouraging.
I almost want to keep it now … perhaps.
May I ask what you have now and why did you used to have a cintiq but no longer?
Most people on these forums use pen and paper for drawing perhaps (right?) which is fine except I don’t know how to digitize that pen and paper drawing. I purchased a canon photo scanner (canon lide 120; canoscan) but I have not tested how the sketches and paintings look scanned. Drawing on a tablet or computer surface is easier / more convenient in my humble opinion. Right?
I had to sell the Cintiq for financial reasons and am back to good ol’ fashioned sketching. I definitely did not want to part with it! But as it was my least used of my more pricey tool kit, I sadly had to part with it.
I do still have a scanner though which I use to scan in my sketches. If you scan them in and trace them in Illustrator it should work just fine. Sometimes I will try using the “Live Trace” function in Illustrator and then make adjustments depending on the scenario.
All in all I suggest keeping the Huion and keep messing with the settings for some time before you find a good spot. It’s a fraction of the cost of Cintiq, so if you can get it to work for you then by all means keep it! I also suggest reading up on the Huion return policy so you have a time frame to decide if you want to return it or not.
Why was it least used of your “more pricey tool kit” ?
What could be more expensive than a Cintiq , if you don’t mind my asking?
Honestly I had this awesome Thinkpad tablet which was perfect for me. (this was before IBM sold thinkpad to the completely different Lenovo people whose products I personally am not a fan of).
The screen on the thinkpad was soft and did not have hard glass. It was silky and smooth and yet soft like gel. That was ideal. I don’t know what happened to my tablet, its a haze but I really loved it and wanted to make more use of it, Alas! if I recall correctly some distant relative asked for it and I just quietly gave it to them (I can’t believe it but I did give it to them like as if I was in some sort of a suggestive mind control scenario ).
I have 20 days to return it and I may have to purchase a better computer just to have it work properly . . .
Because a small notepad and pen/pencil travel a lot better than a giant graphic tablet (:
I got my Cintiq back in 2011, and it was $999. Lots of stuff is more expensive! Cameras, computers, etc… But I said it was the least used, not the most expensive (:
Yes Thinkpad was great, while I also agree Lenovo definitely lacks the quality and durability.
Do some digging and see if others had issues running the graphic tablet on lower ended specs. I may be wrong here, it’s also entirely dependent on how the tablet’s software interacts with the computer. I would think 8GB and i3 would be enough, but maybe not?
I use XP-Pen Artist 16 Pro monitor tablet with 15.6" IPS Screen and i love it since I prefer drawing on a screen tablet.
However, a few years back, I started with XP-Pen Star 03 graphics tablet without screen . The cheapest starting tablet they have is like, $50 USD, so if you’re a beginner you’re better off starting with it .
A lot of people have said good things about XP-Pen. They’ve had good reviews for their standard drawing tablets and are really cheap.
Programs I’ve used are:
-Photoshop (good overall. Can be slow once you start working big files. Expensive)
-Paint Tool SAI (One of my first programs. I like it. Very lightweight. Affordable. Basic tools)
-Clip Studio Pro (Good for comics. Easy to run in my experience. Smooth and stable. Many tools. Affordable and often have 50% to 60% sale).
My experience with a 2018 iPad (6th gen.) and my 2012 MacBook Pro (13", 10.13.6, 2,5 GHz Intel Core i5, 16 GB, Intel HD Graphics 4000 1536 MB):
Besides working with Clip Studio paint and Affinity Designer directly on the iPad I use Astropad to get full graphic tablet functionality with CS6 and Corel Painter 2018. This is by far the best graphics tablet I have ever laid hands on. I don’t think any other offer in the price range or above can beat it.