X220T digitizer -- my best results so far

[kvirtanen]

I've found a nice combo to make the infamous digitizer on the X220T behave a bit better. This will also enable pressure sensitivity in Adobe programs. It will only apply to one screen orientation at a time. I've updated to the P0006 firmware using Lenovo's firmware update utility. Here's what I did -- I'm just reporting it, I'm not encouraging anyone to do the same (though why not?)

I didn't have any Wacom drivers installed prior to this, btw. My system was clean of any Wacom residue

1. I updated the FW of the digitizer. Download the utility here: http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/fwdigi01.exe
2. I installed the Wacom ISD Tablet driver, v. 701_8int, from here: ftp://ftp.wacom-europe.com/pub/WINDOWS/isd701-8_int.exe
3. I restarted the computer
4. I hit Start, wrote 'calibrate' and chose Calibrate the screen for pen and touch input
5. I hit Reset on the next window (for both pen AND touch, to be sure), and then clicked OK
6. I started the Command Prompt as an Administrator and ran the following command:

tabcal lincal novalidate XGridPts=5,16,60,165,258,640,922,1115,1220,1264,1350 YGridPts=5,12,39,105,225,400,575,695,761

It needs to be a single line with no spaces between the values. This brought up a very detailed calibration screen I meticulously went through. It made the screen behave better, but it's only for one orientation at a time. Turning the screen to portrait will not provide optimal results.

If you use your tablet exclusively in portrait, swap the XGridPts and YGridPts and run the command. It will bring up a calibration screen better suited for portrait mode.

Cheers,

Kimmo

[fungui]

That calibration tool did make it much more accurate! The left half of my screen in landscape works very well. I will have to tinker with it more! thanks!

[kvirtanen]

It did, didnt't it? 

I'm glad it worked for you. Getting the corners to register during the calibration can be challenging. My advice is to just obstinately keep on tapping the targets until they register -- no compromises! Once I needed to restart the calibration a couple of times to get the corners.

And remember, if you by mistake miss a target and tap somewhere else, pressing the pen button will back up one step.

It says so in the instructions in middle of the screen, but I somehow managed to not see them 

[fungui]

Yes I managed to miss that note the few couple times as well lol.  When I touch the tip to the screen it actually makes the point a good 1/4" off of where I touched.  The only way I managed to hit the targets was to tap away from the target until I got it lined up right.  Is this what you mean by you keep tapping the targets until they register?  Or do you tap directly on the target over and over until it registers there?

The most annoying thing is that my right side (in landscape), and particularly the bottom right part of the screen is very off.  I think this is because when you tap on the last target, regardless of whether or not I adjusted properly, it immediately goes to the save/discard option.  It does not give me an option to right click and do it again.  

[kvirtanen]

If the calibration is so off that the tool refuses to register your tap, I'd still try to tap it until it does.I'm not sure, but you might gradually get there like you did: tap to a place that makes the "ripples" appear on the correct spot even if the pen isn't there. I read somewhere that the driver might be programmed so that it eventually gives in and lets you move on -- I had to tap at least 30 times and it was me who was ready to give in!

For some reason pressing ESC and restarting the process let me finish the first target on the upper left corner.

I probably still wouldn't be satisfied until I got the pen to register when I hit the target. Only then the driver actually calculates the offset from the pen's tip to the ideal coordinate.

I wish the drivers were open-source -- maybe some creative individual could make them super effective in conquering this annoyting defect. Forcing the driver to register the tap in even the most extreme off-set cases would be a place to start.

Currently the driver/tool is like "Naaah, it can't be THAT off, can it? Naaahh...keep trying."

[fungui]

That is odd, on my end it accepts every touch even though they do not register correctly.  It usually makes the ripple up and to the left from where I tap.

[kvirtanen]

Yeah, I especially the first target gives me grief. I can see the ripple in the corner, but the tool refuses move on. I got it to work eventually, I just needed to keep on trying.

[brokentech]

Thank you for this post. I am not sure if I have an X220T. Mine is a tablet, is that what the T means?  I have downloaded the firmware update. It helped, but calibration seems to work best in 1280x768 centered. It doesn't seem to work well in the 'optimal resolution'  1366x768.

How do I find if I need to update the Wacom driver? I have run the Lenovo driver update tool and have all the latest drivers that that tool found.

Where is there more information about the tabcal command? Are there certain values that should be used for certain size screens? You mention to keep tapping if it doesn't register. Does that apply to this calibration screen also, or just the 16 pt and 4 pt calibrations in the windows default calibration?

[kvirtanen]

How do I find if I need to update the Wacom driver?

I'm afraid it's a matter of trial and error and trying various drivers. The ones provided by Lenovo might not give best results. Always uninstall any previous drivers through "Add or remove programs". Removing a device via "Device manager" leaves the old drivers on your computer and **might** cause a conflict.

Where is there more information about the tabcal command?

I found it by googling "wacom pen calibration command line". My sources are in various discussion forums around the net.

Are there certain values that should be used for certain size screens?

Yes, the numbers in the command correspond to pixel coordinates on the screen, (0,0) being the upper left corner. If you specify coordinates greater than the current screen resolution, the calibration points will go outside the screen, thus you won't be able to tap tem. The one quoted above is good for the 1399x768 resolution.

You mention to keep tapping if it doesn't register. Does that apply to this calibration screen also, or just the 16 pt and 4 pt calibrations in the windows default calibration?

I would try doing it in both situations, though I referred to the Windows tool (tabcal.exe).

[Audois]

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kvirtanen wrote:

How do I find if I need to update the Wacom driver?

I'm afraid it's a matter of trial and error and trying various drivers. The ones provided by Lenovo might not give best results. Always uninstall any previous drivers through "Add or remove programs". Removing a device via "Device manager" leaves the old drivers on your computer and **might** cause a conflict.

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Don't forget to mention the built-in (kernel) Wacom driver, that you can't uninstall. Thus there is no need to install another one.