How many I/O boards Can you use?

[Warhog]

Are there any limits to how many interface boards you can use on a Win 7 64bit OS.

 

I have one Phidgets board and two U-HID boards by Ultimarc and I want to add another 2 U-HID boards and at least another Phidhgets 64 board for additional LED control. The Ultimarc U-HID boards have their own config software so they're programmed on their own although the pots they drive and the Phidgets boards all run through Helios. Maybe Helios has a limitation as well, I don't know.

 

It seems as though I have a switch fetish as I just can't have enough switches and buttons :smilewink:.

 

Thanks.

Edited May 13, 2013 by Warhog

[XRay_Specs]

Hey Warhog, all I know is the manufacturer of mine (I use Japanese boards called "revive usb" by AssemblyDesk) says that joining more than two to a single usb hub can result in problems. If you keep the usb inputs separate, maybe you can still fit a few more in?

(I am also succumbing to switch fetish and am planning my third panel now :D )

[JG14_Smil]

I am at well over 300 switches. Get busy :) (13 encoders, 12 potentiometers, a few motors and about 130 + LED's too)

 

There are some important things to remember. Helios can see 128 buttons per interface. Windows 'sees' 32 of them. IF you should save your Helios profile when you do not have your HID device loaded, you lose 96 of those bindings that will have to be redone, if you did not save a back up copy. A backup copy can and will fix the missing buttons.

 

If you reload Windows, then move your Helios and hardware back to the new Windows version, Helios will only see 32 buttons per HID device and a backup will not fix it. You must delete and re-add the HID controller interfaces in Helios, which means you start from scratch with all your controller bindings. A backup copy will not replace the missing bindings in this case.

 

I've had to learn this the hard way, so take note. Morale of story is: Try to do a restore before you do a reload of Windows if you use a large Helios profile and your hardware can do more than 32 buttons.

 

The Phidgets boards go through a Windows OS switch with flying colors in Helios. Your backed up LED bindings will always work, even when switching systems.

Edited May 13, 2013 by JG14_Smil

[Warhog]

Thank you JG14. That's what I wanted to hear.

 

I only have 72 switches, 12 pots and 63 LEDS so I have a way to go yet. I just wanted to make sure I didn't outpace what my PC or Helios could handle. Thanks for the backup tips. I do a daily backup automatically and I never save anything in Helios unless all is attached. I didn't realize that bindings would be lost if your device is not attached.

 

Can I ask what interface boards have you been using? These UHID boards by Ultimarc were really easy to program but I have had two out of two fail on me and although they were replaced at no cost to me, Its still a pain to have to deal with it. I wouldn't mind trying another type of board for my next 50 or 100 switches :music_whistling: but something that is easy to program and not necessarily programmed in Helios. The UHID boards allowed me to do some very precise actions when it came to switches and I really liked that.