Comments on: Wacom XP ADB USB recognition not working HELP !!!

Question: Wacom XP ADB USB recognition not working HELP !!!

orlin — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 17:00:51 -0800

Help -- for Wacom Intuos GD users on windows IE - XP users: I bought an used Wacom tablet on e-bay and an ADB to USB. I hooked it up by slapping the wacom male to the ADB to USB and shot that into the USB 2.0 hub. The Wacom reacts with a green indicator light although the pen won't work. I've installed the download software and can not get the Wacom pen / device to work. Any idea's??? Many, many thanks...

By: kindall

kindall — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 17:10:55 -0800

You will need a USB driver that expects to see an ADB Wacom tablet through an adapter. I doubt any such driver exists.

By: zsazsa

zsazsa — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 17:21:23 -0800

The ADB to USB adapters are pretty much only to convert mice and keyboards to standard USB HID devices. I doubt that it'd work, even on a Macintosh.

By: provolot

provolot — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 18:22:00 -0800

Apparently the ADB-USB cable doesn't help windows users... according to this thread.

It seems that the answer is to buy an ADB - Serial cable and use that to connect to your PC.

By: cosmonaught

cosmonaught — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 20:57:45 -0800

I'll buy into what provolot's linked thread says, but as an aside, my (native USB) Intuos2 pulls more juice then a non-powered USB hub can provide and needs to be plugged in direct, or to a powered hub.

By: mumeishi

mumeishi — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 22:01:13 -0800

My understanding is that ADB Wacom tablets will not work on Windows, with the exception of some mouse functionality. I.e. no pressure-sensitivity, or angles, etc.

ADB includes a data format for which there is no windows driver.

ADB is a Mac only standard and there is no way to use an ADB tablet on a PC. Therefore any emulator software would at most support serial devices due to the compatibility between RS-232 (PC) and RS-423 (Mac). But such configurations have never been tested by Wacom. We also cannot give any statement regarding any adaptors' compatibility to any Mac OS emulator software. Conclusion: for PC a serial or USB tablet is mandatory required.

By: orlin

orlin — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 07:57:32 -0800

I'm bummed !! I'd like to thank you all...

By: orlin

orlin — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 08:00:39 -0800

Is there a Wacom type tablet that does work with an IBM? I know this maybe a stupid question although I would really like to use a Wacom type devise with photoshop. Again -- many thanks...

By: mumeishi

mumeishi — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 10:45:55 -0800

Wacom has USB, Bluetooth, and serial tablets that work fine with PCs. I have several and use them as follows:

UD1212 Serial - nice big tablet, needs serial port - I use it on the PC but have moved to the following

6x8 Graphire Bluetooth - wireless, decent size, not an Intuos but gets the job done - I use it on the PC (w/ linksys usb-bluetooth gizmo) and with a laptop (straight bluetooth)

6x8 ADB Intuos - nice, ADB only - I use it with my PowerMac 9500 (i.e. not much anymore)

You know, it's a crying shame that perfectly good peripherals go to waste. In my case, I've got a wonderful and hugely expensive serial tablet that is becoming more of a pain to use (it will no doubt be retired for good soon), and an ADB tablet that is useless on the PC and outdated on the Mac. It was a very bitter pill when I learned my ADB tablet was worthless. Surely someone has written a driver or built a dongle or engineered some marvel that would keep me going. It just can't be junk! It can't! Oh, yes it is.