3D Connexion: Space Navigator etc.

Hi-
There are some posts on this subject (the only 3D input device for Blender, or any other 3D app), but they’re all years old, and contradictory.
Since i have a trackball (no middle button, no scroll) i obviously have a problem. I’ve found that the best trackball with those 2 vital features, the Elecom (Huge model being best) won’t run on Windows 7, so i’m reconsidering SpaceNavigator (too short on space to consider normal mouse).
I’m very wary because, as the owner of a marblemouse, i know how lousy Logitech software is (I read that they also cut corners with switches too). Ambiguous reports from Blender users confirm my doubts.
If you are the owner of a Space Navigator (or one of their truly exorbitant deluxe models) will you please write to confirm that Blender works well with it? Or if not, what the workarounds are?
Thanks for your time!

canadian noob

PS: Did you know that 3DConnexion is a subsidiary of Logitech? (Or so i’ve read.)

to anybody investigating this subject- i’d say the silence says bad things about this line of 3D mice.
If you’re interested in any other trackballs i’d like to share my findings…
The two chief contenders are Elecom and L-Trac, as they have the most programmable keys, scroll, and middle mouse buttons. Catch is: Elecom’s 2 models (the “Huge” and the “deft”) claim to run on Windows 7 but, according to a user, actually don’t (as of august 2017). And the L-Trac’s require partial disassembly for cleaning. (Doh!). That leaves only a few other Logitech’s (infamous for poor firmware/drivers and mouse button glitches), and 2 Kensingtons, with only 4 buttons, and odd scrolling. So you’re probably about as well off with a generic 3 button mouse.

Hi Surinam,
I was considering the 3D Space Navigator but don’t know whether it works on Mac which I am working with.
Their demo looks really nice nut I would like to make sur that Blender works with that mouse first…

Hi - I didn’t see this until today. I have a 3dconnexion Space Mouse Wireless, and it works great with Blender. I normally run Blender in “Maya input mode”, so I had to copy the preferences from blender for it over to the prefs for maya. I used it to zoom in/out, and orbit the selected model (in turntable mode). Works like a charm.

I do have one issue with it - it conflicts with something in my Surface pro (that I use for Blender), and occasionally (once every two or three weeks) the driver causes it to have an issue coming out of sleep mode. This doesn’t bother me enough that I choose not to use it.

Thanks for this info.

I have a spacenavigator, this model:

and I’m really happy with it. It allows you to spin around a model very smoothly and even navigate in large objects, like rooms. So far I have not regretted the purchase and using a mouse and keyboard to move around is not really nice, since the mouse wheel has steps and is jerky. And oh yes, it does work with Blender (I use it on Windows, just trying again to get it working on Linux), very well so.
If you have more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

HI-
Sorry to be so late but i’ve been distracted recently.
3Dconnexion discontinued the SpaceNavigator, you can buy it only on ebay, at inflated collectors prices. :frowning: