2 x PowerMate ?

funt4stic · 10-01-2003, 05:35 PM

Hi !

Does anybody of you guys know if i can connect two PowerMate's to my PC and configure them differently ? I wrote a mail to Griffin a few days ago but did'nt get an answer yet.

Thanks.
Jan

P.S.: Sorry about my bad english, i'm german

.

funt4stic · 10-04-2003, 08:47 AM

Hi ! I recieved this answer today :

Hello,
When we release the update driver that will be a feature that will be in it.
Jack C

Tech Support
Griffin Technology

Sounds good to me.

jasonsp6 · 10-06-2003, 08:07 AM

I can't wait for this driver release... for me to be able to fully remove my stereo... I need to have atleast 2 knobs... one for the volume and one for the sub level.

funt4stic · 10-06-2003, 09:11 AM

Which program do you use to control the sub level ? I've had the same idea to remove my head unit. I think 2 of these knobs will allow a comfortable navigation.

jasonsp6 · 10-06-2003, 09:21 AM

Unfortunatly none that I know of directly at the moment. I was planning to play around with what I can access through the DirectX SDK when I have more free time.

This issue is what is the greatest holdbacks in my carputer / stereo replacement project.

iPal · 10-06-2003, 10:26 AM

i believe you may use left/right and hold down left/right as deferent setup...
so you may use left/right for volume... then hold down left/right for sub if you want to...

jasonsp6 · 10-06-2003, 11:00 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by iPal

i believe you may use left/right and hold down left/right as deferent setup...
so you may use left/right for volume... then hold down left/right for sub if you want to...

These are not stock features of the Griffin Powermate & Software... am I right?

Mike00 · 10-06-2003, 02:06 PM

Why not just leave your head unit in though? Or are your planning on puttnig something there where it was? Even if I go directly into the amp I plan on leaving the head unit in simply for conveniance. Such as a friend brining a cd etc.

fluffy2097 · 10-06-2003, 02:30 PM

Griffin has promised quite a bit with their next driver release for win32. They've also been promising this update for quite some time now, I think since before june.

Griffin is really oriented more towards mac users. I'm a big fan of griffin (how can I not be? They sent me a free powermate for finding a bug). They're great people, but I have my doubts about these new drivers being out any time soon. I don't think they have a whole lot of manpower behind driver updates for win32.

fluffy2097 · 10-06-2003, 02:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by iPal

i believe you may use left/right and hold down left/right as deferent setup...
so you may use left/right for volume... then hold down left/right for sub if you want to...

With the current win32 drivers release you can use 4 out of 6 commands without any conflicts. However, when you assign down and rotate as well as the click commands, when you release down rotate you will click as well.

You can have rotate and down rotate or rotate and click/long click. trying to have click/long click and down rotate will cause problems. Should be fixed in the next driver release.

Another note. The software for controling the powermate will only control windows that are in focus. If you want Copilot on top and your powermate to control winamps track forward and backward functions you will have to use Girder and a few plugins to make it work.

To get the girder hack to work you have to use ANOTHER hack to make girder recognise the powermate. (the plugin that is supposed to recognise the powermate natively with girder is currently broken.)

In short. Powermates are a pain in the *** to set up properly. If anyone wants help scripting girder to control a powermate, send me a PM and I'll be glad to help, They're worth the trouble.

jasonsp6 · 10-06-2003, 02:53 PM

Forgetting the Powermate software, isn't it possible to read / write directly to the micro in the powermate knob? I know it would require low-level communications to the USB controller on it, but it would allow vitrually unlimited possibilities with the powermate.

I know actually reverse engineering the communications and getting it to work is ALOT more work than just saying it can work...

Just another project I don't have time for.

fluffy2097 · 10-06-2003, 02:56 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jasonsp6

Forgetting the Powermate software, isn't it possible to read / write directly to the micro in the powermate knob? I know it would require low-level communications to the USB controller on it, but it would allow vitrually unlimited possibilities with the powermate.

I know actually reverse engineering the communications and getting it to work is ALOT more work than just saying it can work...

Just another project I don't have time for.

You certantly could. The powermate API's are open source. Email them and I'm sure they'll gladly send you everything you need to make your own programming stuff for it.

RPM_VR4 · 07-27-2005, 06:50 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by fluffy2097

The powermate API's are open source.

Is this true??? I just got a PowerMate and the software for it sucks. I want to be able to define "profiles" and have long clicking change from one profile to another (instead of just having one profile for each application). I also want to be able to click & turn do letter-seek in CF1.3 (which means it would have to hold down the left mouse button and then move the mouse up & down with the knob).

I can easily program all this and more if I had a DLL or something that would let me recieve all actions from the PowerMate. Where can I get this API you speak of? I've tried e-mailing them when mine arrived broken, but they took so long I decided to open it up and fix it myself (the nut that screws the rotery encoder had come loose which lowered the knob so that it would hit the case before it could click). I still haven't heard from them. So far I am fairly dissapointed with my PowerMate, but it still has potential if I can make my own software for it.

RPM_VR4 · 07-27-2005, 07:18 PM

Nevermind... I found a Girder plugin for the PowerMate. Girder KICKS ***!