Plug 'n play: tablets work well with PS3
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Jun 4th 2008 at 7:00AM }
You can plug all sorts of USB devices into your PS3. For example, you can plug in a keyboard and mouse into the system, making your PS3 a rather capable internet browsing device. Binaryfiend from YouTube discovered that you can also plug in a USB tablet, and the PS3 will accept the connection no questions asked. Watch as he quickly surfs through the XMB faster than a standard controller, and see how comfortably he can use the PS3 with just a stylus.
PS3's ability to interface with a variety of non-proprietary devices is really amazing. Add this to the growing list of gadgets we can connect to our systems: keyboards, mice, printers.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nerdkiller @ Jun 4th 2008 7:15AM
Well, even though he says that you can't control the games with the tablet, he says that it has the same sort of functionality as a mouse, so it might work with UT3, but I'm not so sure.
Rowdehaj @ Jun 4th 2008 8:44AM
You don't want to use a tablet for FPS games, trust me.
YAFB @ Jun 4th 2008 7:30AM
Remember that "all sorts of USB devices" includes any USB 2.0 headsets. They usally have better audio and mics than blutooth headsets.. that is if you can stand having a cord on it ofc.
Lars @ Jun 4th 2008 2:25PM
Being corded bothers me a lot less than having to charge the headset all the time.
Plake0815 @ Jun 4th 2008 8:44AM
amazing library of compatible devices?!?!? i have three different USB cam's at home... none of them works on the PS3... and i don't buy an eye toy just for burnout: P
Popfrogs @ Jun 4th 2008 11:05AM
USB cameras are notoriously driver-dependent. They don't follow any sort of standard even in Windows. I wouldn't expect any of them except for the official one to work.
Ed @ Jun 4th 2008 4:19PM
Actually, there's UVC (USB Video Class), which is supported by Windows and OS X as well as the PS3 and 360.
farfisa @ Jun 4th 2008 9:10AM
That video could've been 10 seconds. Seems like anybody can take a video and get it on YouTube, but nobody can edit!
Binaryfiend @ Jun 4th 2008 10:01AM
Sorry I don't even have editing software on my comp (yet) but I wanted to share this with other PS3 users. Maybe I should have just kept it to myself.
farfisa @ Jun 4th 2008 10:16AM
Not at all, man--I have Wacom tablets myself and was pretty interested to hear that they're recognized. I'm sorry if I offended you personally--I guess with video, I see too many examples where I can't see the thing I want to see. Luckily you moved when you realized you were in front of the screen... but then you were in front of the tablet. ;)
You could set up the camera so that it's right in front of the screen, move the tablet into view, and then turn off the auto focus (if you can) so it doesn't go blurry in the middle.
Dr. Strangepork @ Jun 4th 2008 10:21AM
Binary
Don't worry about this guy's comment. On the internet it is easier to be negative (like farfisa) than it is to create something and share it (like you did).
As for "anyone can make a video and get it on YouTube" Yeah, that's the whole point of YouTube.
Good work, Binary. Thanks for sharing.
Dr. SP
Binaryfiend @ Jun 4th 2008 10:48AM
I get what your saying and your right. I just couldn't find the boot so I could use my Tri-pod. I had to set the camera up on top of something kind of far away. I'm going to try to keep making videos. I'll keep your comments in mind :)
farfisa @ Jun 4th 2008 11:05AM
Cool--and I'll try to keep my comments constructive!
ugh @ Jun 4th 2008 9:18AM
Plug in a Wacom tablet to your mac or PC without drivers and it'll act like a mouse, with relative motion. I don't have my tablet, but I suspect that's what's happening here.
Binaryfiend @ Jun 4th 2008 10:07AM
I'm pretty sure that is what is going on too because it would be crazy for the PS3 to have drivers for it. Just neat to see that it works at all.
baby sea tuna @ Jun 4th 2008 9:21AM
Neat. I'd try that if I hadn't already gone and picked up one of those BT Logitech keyboard/touchpad combos.
emaxximus @ Jun 4th 2008 9:32AM
Wow, you mean I can move through the xmb three tenths of a second faster?!? Who cares.
Andir3.0 @ Jun 4th 2008 10:09AM
A lot of people might. Especially if Sony picks it up and starts using it for some of the games that we've seen in development that use the eye toy. Imagine being able to draw on a tablet instead of on paper and taking a picture of it. It's just another interface, but it's an opportunity to use different methods of control in many games.
emaxximus @ Jun 4th 2008 10:21AM
Fat chance
Binaryfiend @ Jun 4th 2008 10:41AM
The possibilities with this are quite large (if Sony or other developers took note). Imagine being able to draw on your photos or tag them via hand writing. Imagine being able to write notes about a movie or draw onto your favorite character. Imagine a drawing game? Wouldn't this work well with that gardening program we had been hearing about? Seeing as this is my preferred method on input, I'd like to see Sony implement it further into the XMB. Will it happen? Probably not...but I hope that some artists in the industry get excited about it and play with the possibilities in some way.
ArmiMaan @ Jun 4th 2008 10:57AM
I agree. It would be pretty wicked if Sony, or someone, picked this up and ran with it, even if it were just unofficial integration into certain titles. Imagine if LittleBigPlanet had the ability to use a tablet to actually draw your own textures right into the game. That would take the customization aspects of the game to a whole new level.
adolson @ Jun 4th 2008 11:06AM
I'd buy a Wacom Tablet if they integrated it into a few games like LittleBigPlanet. That would be sick!
Binaryfiend @ Jun 4th 2008 11:34AM
O yeah, I hadn't even thought of LittleBigPlanet. That would be awesome! Adding another level of depth.
MCX @ Jun 4th 2008 5:08PM
From one graphic designer its interesting. I always wanted to get a Wacom tablet. I am pretty fast with the mouse thought. Thanks for the post.
someone @ Jun 4th 2008 9:30PM
the haters are always there. The ones that dont care but care enough to type in a comment just to look edgy and cool.
Binaryfiend @ Jun 5th 2008 2:45PM
It's funny to see these people that hate on what is basically just another fun thing to do with your PS3. I mean what is there to hate? I guess some people just have unhappy lives and it seeps out on the net....
AnDCShoe @ Jun 4th 2008 11:35AM
Which movie were you watching? Looked interesting;)
Binaryfiend @ Jun 4th 2008 11:51AM
The disc was Shinobi which is really good but what you were watching was the trailer for Samurai 7. It's pretty good.
snake79 @ Jun 4th 2008 11:39AM
nice!! I never knew that. I had a wacom tablet with me for a long time and I never would have thought that it will work for ps3.
I'll try it out later. by the way, the wacom tablet have freaking long cord. niceeeeeee~~~~
Phil @ Jun 4th 2008 12:02PM
Anyone who has ever plugged a Wacom and possibly any other brand of graphics tablet into their PC before installing drives should know that BY DEFAULT it emulates an ordinary USB Mouse and works as such. Many of them even come with a mouse that works on top of the tablet in this way.
The benefit of tablets is that, once drivers are installed, they support a proportional mapping between the area of the tablet and the area of the screen, I've not watched the video (we blocked youlag at work) but I'm going to go right ahead and assume that the PS3 does not support this.
Most of the benefits of a tablet are lost if the surface of the tablet isn't mapped to the screen, however you can still move the pen around to 'drag' the cursor as you would a mouse- you just can't point at things, trace pencil drawings etc.
That said, I've got an Intuos 3 so I'm gonna go home and try it for myself.
Binaryfiend @ Jun 4th 2008 4:51PM
Your right about this. The PS3 just recognizes it as a default mouse. It does not map but since the XMB is not a square area and rather just a cross bar it works well for that sort of control. If a company wanted to I don't think it would be to hard to build in that functionality. I'd like to see someone take this Idea further. I just stumbled across it.
Styar @ Jun 4th 2008 12:42PM
Now if only they can get photoshop and painter to work on PS3 along with a messenger service (like Msn), i can drop in a larger HDD n get rid of my computer. lol.
Lars @ Jun 4th 2008 2:26PM
Sooo.... it works EXACTLY like a mouse.... Woo?
JayD-1K @ Jun 4th 2008 2:47PM
okami would be amazing with this thing.
KarlW @ Jun 4th 2008 2:53PM
The reason this works is that tablet devices appear as a Mouse. Even to a computer. That way no special drivers are really needed (although they are for special information that a mouse wouldn't give - such as pressure).
Not a surprise. Doesn't suggest anything. It's a side-effect.
Ian @ Jun 4th 2008 6:37PM
Samurai7 trailer? what DVD/BR did you have in the system?
Binaryfiend @ Jun 4th 2008 7:41PM
It's the Shinobi Blu-ray.
Think Adrian @ Jun 5th 2008 2:15AM
This isn't shocking news, sorry... a tablet has the same input as any other mouse when without drivers (with drivers you get preassure control too), so this was pretty obvious...
Binaryfiend @ Jun 5th 2008 2:45PM
I don't think the point is that this is a technical marvel or that it should be shocking. Anybody could have figured this out. I think the point is that this is something else people can do with their PS3 and something that "some" people would care to know about. It's about sharing information.
ThinkingOf @ Jun 9th 2008 2:20PM
thanks Binary, this add yet another thing to my long list of usb related ps3 plug-ins. i actually spent a few hours plugging in whatever usb device i had laying around to test if they would work. to my surprize, many of them did. currently, a 4port usb hub and 2 external hdd's and a multicard reader, my epson printer, my cell phone (sony ericsson w300i), external cd burner (only plays), both my logitech and microsoft controller and wireless mouse and keyboard are connected/confirmed working. thanks to your efforts, i can add my wacom pad to that list. anyone else find anything else usb that works on/with the ps3?