Hi, I’m looking for a recommendation for a drawing tablet that I can use with an app like OpenBoard or Microsoft Whiteboard (so no need for a super duper graphical artist board) that
a) works under Linux
b) works under Windows 10 without needing to install drivers. The reason is I want to use it for work purposes as well, and I don’t have admin privilege.
So far it seems that only something like the Trust Flex Design Tablet fulfills criteria b). However searching for Linux compatibility seems to paint a bit of a mixed picture. Wacom seems to be good for Linux but requires driver installation. Same with XP-Pen and Huion tablets.
I just recently bought two HUION tablets (a H430P for ~27 € and a large HS611 for 60€) for note taking on linux and for use with a digital whiteboard at work on windows.
The software I primarily use on Linux and on Windows is Xournal++ (xournalpp).
Both tablets fully work under Arch Linux, meaning full pressure sensitivity and all the buttons.
The installation was very straightforward; I could provide you with setup instructions should the need arise.
I have the same problem at work. Before buying I read somewhere that certain Huion tablets should work under Windows without the need to install drivers. Sadly, I don’t recall where I read this.
Not being very expensive I decided to just risk it and bought the tablets but before I could test this Corona hit and I found myself working from home. Lacking Windows I haven’t been able to test this. I’ll probably be able check if the tablets work without drivers mid next week and post the results.
I just had to scratch that itch and decided to install Windows 10 to test the tablets.
The good
Both tablets were recognized as input devices out of the box. They work as you would expect; hovering, selecting, ‘clicking’, all OK. Some of the buttons were preprogrammed, most weren’t.
Drawing in ‘Paint’ worked with no noticeable lag (so maybe this would also apply to the software you mentioned - OpenBoard and Microsoft Whiteboard). Oh, the media buttons on the HS611 worked too.
The bad
Of course there was no pressure sensitivity; the pen works just like a mouse. I don’t think there is a way to reassign the buttons.
The ugly
The experience in my preferred note taking application Xournal++ was a disaster! There was some kind of ‘starting lag’ which made note taking impossible. Drawing longer lines and shapes was possible but shorter shapes or characters - no way.
Conclusion
It probably all comes down to the specific software you’re going to use. Some applications will work while others won’t. Sorry, I know this doesn’t really help.
I then installed the newest driver for the HS611. Painless, straightforward install which also provides an application which let’s you assign buttons, change pressure values etc. The installed drivers and application worked for both tablets, so no need to install anything for the other tablet.
With the Windows drivers installed there wasn’t any real difference to the experience in Arch Linux.
I don’t think my experience at work will be any different, but if, I’ll post a follow-up next week. I think my workplace has some interactive touch-board specific software installed I’ll test.
Well, it helps a lot actually. I don’t think I need pressure sensitivity, it’s really for actually “writing” and “drawing” in Whiteboard. So I think I’ll bite the bullet and order one next week. Funny how it seems these days that things just work in Linux and driver issues messing up Windows
To be fair to Windows , I had to install a package (sudo pacman -S xf86-input-wacom) and edit/create at least one conf file in Arch Linux too, for the tablet to be recognized on one of my devices while everything worked out of the box on another. Both are running a Antergos to Arch converted system, so I don’t know why the one device had issues while the other didn’t.
, I had to install a package (