Enabling Pen on TouchSmart

[AlResnick]

Hi,

I just recently got an Envy All-in-One Touchsmart; it is a super machine and so far, so good.

The 10-point touch is really cool, but there are many instances when I would like to be able to use a pen in order to be more precise in my pointing or to "mark up" a document.  I know Microsoft Office has the "inking" feature because I use it on my Laptop with a "pen" while I am traveling and have found it invaluable -- and, by the way this laptop is both touch and pen enabled.

I tried to enable "pen" by going to the Control Panel feature that is says says Pen and Touch, but when you do so, it is only for Touch.  How can I make it so that it both touch and pen enabled?  If that is all possible, what type of "pen" do I need?

Thank you very much

[PeaceLily · Accepted solution]

Hi AIResnick,

A stylus used on a capacitive touch screen basically just takes the place of your finger, so enabling touch on the computer will enable pen input as well. But it can't just be any pen or stylus, the material at the tip has to be something that will register as touch on the screen, and not scratch it.

I read your other post and I understand you're looking for a finer-tipped stylus, rather than the ubiquitous blunt-ended, eraser-type stylus pens. That limits your options quite a bit, because I believe the larger surface area is part of what makes those pens work on capacitive screens. (Other types of touch screens can use other styles of stylus, including pointy-tipped ones in some cases.)

I've heard good things about the Jot Pro from Adonit. I haven't tried it, so I can't speak from experience. The design seems clever--it looks like they attached a clear, flat disc to the tip of a metal pen, so you can see precisely where you're writing with the point of the pen, but the clear disc provides enough surface area for the touch to register, and prevents damage to your screen from the sharp pen point.

I hope that helps.

[AlResnick]

Good enough!, Thanks

[Jen555]

Hi there!  I have purchased the Jot Pro from Adonis but it does not seem to work on my HP Envy Touchsmart.    My screen responds to my fingers but not the stylus, so I think I have touch enabled.  What else can I try? 

[PeaceLily]

Hi Jen,

From what I understand the Jot Pro should be compatible with all capacitive touch screens, just like the common blunt rubber-tip stylus. I'm wondering about the tip -- did you by any chance remove the plastic disc on the tip of the Jot Pro? It almost looks like packaging that you're supposed to remove, and a lot of people do snap those off not realizing it's crucial to the function of the stylus. Since the last post from earlier in this thread I have had the opportunity to use a Jot Pro on numerous touch screen devices. I haven't found anything it doesn't work on.

Could you provide the exact model number of your TouchSmart?

[Jen555]

The clear disk is still on the pen.  The guys at the store told me not to remove it or else I might have done so!  

My model number is 17-j117cl

[PeaceLily]

Very strange, I'm sorry I don't know what to tell you! I wonder if the pen could be defective. I just found a few videos on YouTube with people showing how they've had to fix their Jot Pros by adding conductive material in between the ball point and the disk, to bridge a gap that was causing the pen to "skip." But it sounds like your screen is not responding to the pen whatsoever, is that correct?

[Jen555]

That is right.  no response at all

[PeaceLily]

Super weird. Have you tried a rubber-tip stylus, or any other kind?

[Jen555]

No I have never had a stylus before.   Could there be something wrong with my screen?  It works fine with my finger