Hello, this is my first post, and i'll probably include a bit of new user introduction in various posts as well so you can understand where i'm coming from and what I do and don't know. Feel free to correct mistakes I have on anything if I say something that doesn't make sense or that shows I haven't thought something through yet.

I'm new to CAD, and new to machining. I'm currently in a planning phase. I want to be able to do hobbyist parts in the future - such as custom hot rod and antique car parts in example - and my main goal is keeping total costs of things down because this will be a hobby, not a business. If i'm able to build homebrew/DIY CNC equipment, or modify older NC equipment to do the job I hope to.

Right now i'm in sort of a planning phase and learning about things phase, everything from the software needed to the actual mills and such which will eventually make such stuff.


My specific question at the moment is concerning OLDER 6DOF CONTROLLERS, primarily 3DConnexion stuff since i'm not even aware of anyone else serving this market. (has anyone made a competing product?) Costing a few hundred $$ each normally the new ones get a bit pricey... and apparently driver support DOES expire over time. The only time these controllers actually get near-inexpensive is when they have expired from the newest available software apparently. Thus that is actually what i'm looking for...

My question, for a user of ANY type of CAD program (since I am not set on one yet, and haven't even narrowed down the field of what to use) is does your program support generic HID 6DOF controllers, or joysticks, and generic input? Or is it "modern spaceballs or nothing"? In other words do I need SPECIFIC support for the exact controller for it to work, or do the programs in general support standard HID controllers in Windows? (ie could I do all the same analog movements with a joypad properly set up for instance) The reason for my asking is a program called GlovePIE, which basically translate control inputs from one method to another. And an older spacemouse or spaceball (probably even a spaceorb 360 game controller) can be turned into a general duty joystick at least. If I can control the CAD camera view through there (spacemouse->glovepie->joystick input->CAD) then thats all I needed to know. If the CAD programs only have a limited set of 3d controllers though I need to know.

I'm having a difficult time finding this information about specific programs because normally they just say "support for an original spacemouse plus expired in 2009" for instance, but since Glovepie turns them into a generic HID compliant controller, it's possible it could still work afterall in the real world. I get the impression that GlovePIE may not be as widely known about in the CAD community actually as it's mostly for gamers, and nobody posts about apps over on their own board...

Any feedback is appreciated. I need to know whether older 6DOF controllers are a bargain that will still work, even with a few less buttons, or whether i'm forced to buy a newer controller to use modern CAD at all.