Can Max send data to HID devices

Hans's icon

Hi,

is there a way to have Max send data to a HID device? I looked at the documentation for the "hi" object, but no such method is documented.

Thanks,
Hans

earsmack's icon

I'm new here but I'm going to go out on a limb and see if this is helpful :-)

Assuming by HID you mean Human Interface Device you might want to look at some of the starter monome examples. The monome (which you may already know) is a USB device that sends button presses and receives LED on/off messages - at it's simplest level.

Max patches communicate with the monome using udpsend and udpreceive via a helper app called "MonomeSerial" on the Mac side - not sure what on Windows. You can find out more information (and another very helpful forum) at http://monome.org

So...I would consider the monome a HID - so hopefully this is helpful and can point you in the right direction.

aaip's icon

Take a look at the serial object as well :)

Hans's icon

I meant HID devices, right. The "hi" object (https://cycling74.com/docs/max5/refpages/max-ref/hi.html) is convenient in that one can directly read from HID devices connected by USB. The documentation does not show a way to send data back to the HID device, which is something I need to do with the wireless PS/3 Buzz controllers I try to use. I am hoping for an undocumented method that allows sending data. It would be nice to get away without additional helper applications.

Cheers,
Hans

nick rothwell | project cassiel's icon

The monome isn't actually a HID-class device - it uses FTDI to emulate a serial port over USB (hence the need for FTDI drivers).

Maximilian Weber's icon

I'm reanimating this thread, as I'm interested in the same as OP: I want to be able to send HID to a device instead of merely receiving data from it.

I found this external for now:
https://www.anyma.ch/hitools/

But it reports an error "hi.in: could not load due to incorrect architecture" :(

Has anyone else worked on this and solved it before? Is it possible with Max's native library?

Hiroaki Hanyu's icon

I found this external for now:

looks like it's working fine.

José Andrés Medina Ochoa's icon

Maximilian Weber I was getting excited! until I saw it supports OSX only... I hate that! Windows need love too! :'v

I´ll have to check the maxhidapi

tiago morais morgado's icon

yes. you can both send and receive data from HID devices. an example of that would be collecting sensordata from a gamepad or joystick, while simultaneouly getting it to vibrate, among many other things

Source Audio's icon

TIAGO, can you post example of what you describe ?

I mean max patch and all the rest that shows the working process.

I ask because ...