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.For those interested in using their computer toburn CDs for personal use, comprehensive CD burning capabilities, real-time audio file analysis, and batch processors further add to its functionaldepth.Steinberg s latest version also supports samplers, audio streaminput output (ASIO), wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), and avast range of file formats.Novices can use most of WaveLab s functions straight out of the box with-out much documentation reading.The software is offered in two versions:Wavelab Essential ($299), which is a bare-bones form of the other version,Wavelab ($499).Both are quite adequate for the average animator, and anupgrade kit is also offered for the difference in price between the two ver-sions (see Figure 3-10).Amplifier and SpeakersConsider how important sound is whenever you watch animation.If you areplanning on having your clients visit your facility to see your work,Figure 3-10A montage ofsome of theWavelab screensthat assist inanalyzing andediting sound filesfor their eventualexport toanimation invideos, CDs,DVDs, and games 03_200505_Avg_ch03 9/5/03 11:28 AM Page 153Investing in the Necessary Equipment153get yourself something better than those cheesy plastic speakers thatcome with most computers.You want a professional amplifier and studiospeakers.Fortunately, you don t need anything really powerful, because the soundonly needs to be loud enough for you and your clients to hear while seatedat the workstation.You re not equipping a club lounge or Yankee Stadiumhere.Choose an inexpensive amplifier with about 50 watts per channel.Thespeakers, however, should be the best you can afford, such as those found inhigh-tech audio stores or professional multimedia supply houses.The gen-eral cost range of the amplifier and speakers should be $150 to $300 for theamplifier and from $100 to $500 each for the speakers.Electronic Pen DevicesA popular though not strictly necessary tool in animation is a device calledan electronic pen.Electronic pens enable you to substitute your mouse fora pen device.You use the pen just like any pen, pencil, or brush, dependingon the software and how you set the defaults.Obviously, if you come from atraditional art background (or if maybe you think the mouse was neverdesigned to, well, draw), a pen device is a lot easier to use than a mouse.Electronic pens come in two basic types.The ones that require a dedi-cated surface or tablet on which to write are called pen tablets, includingthe pen itself.Screen pens are designed to write directly on your monitorscreen.One company, Wacom (pronounced WAH-come, www.wacom.com) isthe leading supplier of both types of pen input devices.The most commonproduct from Wacom is the Intuos pen tablet, available in a wide range ofsizes from 4 by 5 inches ($200) to 12 by 18 inches ($750).The Intuos line fea-tures a wireless pen that serves as a cursor and input device for whateversoftware you are running when it is brought to the surface of the tablet.Several color-coded pens configured for different artists can be used on thesame system if more than one operator needs the tablet.Wacom has also recently released a new screen-pen system, the Cintiq.This system is quite exciting, combining flat-panel convenience with thehands-on touch and feel of an easel, and it includes a pen that can writedirectly on the flat panel s surface.Two models are available.The Cintiq 15x($1,899) features a 15-inch screen, with 9 by 12 inches of drawing area.TheCintiq 18sx ($3,499) features an 18-inch screen with an 11.3- by 14.1 activearea.Although quite expensive, the Cintiq line stands as a paradigm of thebest way to draw on a computer (see Figure 3-11). 03_200505_Avg_ch03 9/5/03 11:28 AM Page 154Chapter 3154Figure 3-11Animator TomMaloneydemonstrating theWacom Cintiqscreen pen.Tom,a 3ds maxenthusiast,appreciatesCintiq s capabilityto accurately paintsurface texturesdirectly to 3-Dobjects.For those artists wanting to write directly onscreen but not having thou-sands to spend for a Wacom Cintiq, another option is FastPoint (www.fast-point.com), a wired pen device that connects to the computer.This deviceworks off the light from the monitor and is a bit unreliable in exceptionallydark areas of a design, but otherwise it works quite well.I use FastPoint onmy everyday computer just to avoid carpel tunnel syndrome.Prices for var-ious types with different button configurations run about $400, includingthe computer interface.Optional ToolsIn my first book, The Desktop Video Studio Bible, my premise was thatbecause you were creating your primary medium (in your case, animation)on a computer, and because all other media (writing, web sites, DVDs, CDs,and video) could also be created on the same computer, why not create pro-jects in those media too? Animators are a concentrated, specialized group ofartists.It is not easy, and perhaps even harmful, for animators to spin out 03_200505_Avg_ch03 9/5/03 11:28 AM Page 155Investing in the Necessary Equipment155on tangents away from their core expertise.And yet, here you are sitting ona machine that can make you more money.Maybe you can hire someone todo the other media when you go to bed? If this premise is worth consider-ing, here are some optional tools (and profit streams) you might consider
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