Digitizer

A digitizer also known as a graphics tablet or a digitizing tablet is an input device that allows users to convert analog art (pictures, portraits, sketches etc) into their digital form (by tracing the media over the digitizer) that can be stored on a computer. The primary instrument used to draw or write is a stylus albeit fingers can also be used in circumstances that mandate their use.

Working principle of device:

The digitizer in itself is not sufficient. It needs to be connected to a monitor as it doesn’t incorporate a display panel. Thus all that is drawn/written needs to be transferred to the computer to which it is connected or to the monitor for the content to be displayed. However, since this design calls for multiple gadgets it becomes unwieldy. To address this issue digitizers having their own display panels have also been developed. The stylus could be battery operated or directly connected to the tablet. When the user draws anything on the tablet, the coil circuit transfers the signals to the main circuit of the stylus. This operation calculates the number of lines drawn and a capacitor calculates the pressure with which they were drawn. The amount of pressure applied accounts for the thickness of the line so generated. The detection of pressures gives a more natural and intuitive pen-pencil type approach to the user that is ordinarily not available. These impulses are detected by a chip mounted inside the tablet called a sensor board. The horizontal and the vertical wires in the tablet and the circuits in the stylus function both as a receiver and as a transmitter that exchange electromagnetic signals. Furthermore, the final electromagnetic signals that contain the image or the replication of the analog entity such as an image are then sent to the computer for display or storage.

Device installation: Connect the stylus to the digitizing tablet and the tablet in turn to a computer. Appropriate the appropriate drivers and/or software from the manufacturer’s website and install them. That’s it! You should be ready to go!

Manufacturer of device, its models and prices:

1.      Wacom – Wacom CTL 471/K0-CX (Rs. 4,725), Wacom Cintiq 13hd Dtk-1300 (Rs. 68,700), Wacom Intuos Pen and Touch Small Tablet (Rs. 10,950) etc

2.      iBall – iBall Pen Digitizer PD-5548U (Rs. 3,731), iBall Pen Tablet 5548U (Rs. 2,949) etc

3.      Ugee – Ugee M1000L Ultra-thin (Rs. 2,897), Ugee 1910B 19" (Rs. 21,616), Ugee M708 (Rs. 8,241) etc

4.      Huion – Huion 4x2.23 inches USB (Rs. 3,779), Huion H610PRO (Rs. 11,999), Huion H610 Pro  (Rs. 4,674)

5.      Parblo – Parblo A610 10x6 Inches (Rs. 12,850), RedEyeA9 (Rs. 1299), FreeGo G6 (Rs. 699) etc

Standard Configuration of device: Usually the digitizer can be connected to the standard USB port of the computer. Standard screen sizes include those ranging from 7 to 12 inches. However, larger screen sizes are also available for some extra bucks. Stylus is also included with the digitizer. Besides styluses, pucks can also be used which can detect their absolute position and rotation. The physically and functionally resemble a computer mouse. 

Cost: The price of low-end digitizer is falls a tad short of a modest Rs. 4,000 while that of professional models can shoot up to an extravagant Rs. 70,000!

Market share of different models (Standard companies only):

l  Wacom

l  iBall

l  Ugee

l  Huion

l  Parblo