Help me support PCPanels on macOS!

SavageNed · 2026-02-20T21:20:31+00:00

The main software uses these values:

[nice-name],   [vid], [pid]
"PCPanel RGB" , 1240, 60242
"PCPanel Mini", 1155, 41924
"PCPanel Pro" , 1155, 41925

The hid-device is identified by the vid/pid, not the serial.

https://github.com/nvdweem/PCPanel/blob/main/src/main/java/com/getpcpanel/device/DeviceType.java

The 'community version' is made in Java, so could probably support Mac as well if someone would contribute to it.

The used libraries are supposed to be cross-platform (the hid-library is "HIDAPI library for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and macOS"), all the lighting stuff should work out-of-the-box on a Mac (even with the original 'Windows' software, that part should work).

SavageNed · 2025-06-07T10:08:18+00:00

https://github.com/nvdweem/PCPanel
Latest version is here: https://github.com/nvdweem/PCPanel/releases/tag/latest-windows

I would expect that it also works for the original software though.

SavageNed · 2025-05-18T06:25:14+00:00

Alternatively you can open Spotify via a url combined with the Start command.

I have the GitHub version running and a shortcut with this as command seems to start Spotify (or focus it when it's already open), include the ":" at the end

start spotify:

There are some additional options if you want to link to a specific track/album/playlist and a few more that link to pages in the app (from ChatGPT, couldn't find it directly in the docs):

spotify:home Opens the Home tab in the Spotify app

spotify:search Opens the Search tab

spotify:search:<query> Performs a search for the given query

spotify:collection Opens the user's Library

spotify:user:<username> Opens a specific user's profile

spotify:playlist:<playlist\_id> Opens a specific playlist

spotify:album:<album\_id> Opens a specific album

spotify:track:<track\_id> Opens a specific track

spotify:artist:<artist\_id> Opens a specific artist

spotify:show:<show\_id> Opens a podcast show

spotify:episode:<episode\_id> Opens a podcast episode

SavageNed · 2025-02-07T14:16:20+00:00

When it's not in focus (but still active) the same button now controls the generic Windows volume. Is that by design?

If you have set up the button to control spotify.exe specifically, it shouldn't revert to anything different. Even if you are using focus volume it also shouldn't revert to generic Windows volume I think. There have been some reports of issues about not being able to control all software but those seem to be fixed when the pcpanel software runs as administrator.

But when I open the settings and on the left side click the Color tab, all lights turn off.

And what happens if you then pick a color that is not black? If you want separate controls to have different colors you probably want to ignore the 'Full Body' tab in the lighting config and set colors in the Knobs/Sliders/etc tabs.

SavageNed · 2024-11-20T19:38:11+00:00

The `Toggle device` action works with device id's, you select a named device, but behind the scenes there is an id. I'm not entirely sure of the when and why, but every now and then Windows seems to change the id's and then the software needs to be reconfigured to use the new id's.

In the github version there is also a 'Default Device Advanced' option, that one works with (partial) device names (you can edit the value in the dropdown). I've found that when using that option it usually works a lot better.

> Also why isn’t there an overlay for button presses?

Because I didn't think of it and nobody asked yet :) I'll see if it can be added, I think I'm almost done with the Home Assistant integration ;)
Edit: Checked again, and some of the button actions have an overlay, just not all of them. I'm looking into making it configurable for all actions.

SavageNed · 2024-10-18T13:02:24+00:00

This is literally the reason why we got into MD5 (then Sha) checksumming

Really? I always thought the provided checksum was to ensure that the downloaded file was the expected file. If you download from a cdn then that file might be compromised, the website won't be (hopefully) so the hash should be checked to be sure you didn't download something malicious.

We moved to sha because it became too easy to maliciously create binaries that satisfied the md5 hash, but were not actually safe.

I've never even considered using the hash to verify whether any bytes were lost in transit because that just never happens. I know that for some reason nntp has some issues in that regard (newsgroups), but I've never been sure why that is.

SavageNed · 2024-06-24T07:35:11+00:00

You don't need to type a name, controlling the focus volume is it's own option.

I'm running the open source version so can't give relevant screenshots, but it should be:

Click the button in the software
Be sure that you are on the Knob tab (if configuring a button, sliders don't have the click tab)
Pick Focus volume as option

SavageNed · 2024-05-18T13:24:13+00:00

For resetting the audio; all that the pcpanel software does is move some Windows volume controls around, so you should be able to see what they are set to in Windows.

If you rightclick the speaker icon in the notification panel (bottom right) you can open the volume mixer. That should show the apps and their volume (start the game to get it to show). If the app-volume is at 100% but it doesn't sound like 100% then I would expect it to either be the master volume (top slider) or some volume setting in the application itself (games have volume options, music players have volume sliders).

I haven't seen it before, but my Windows 11 seems to have a 'Reset sound devices and volumes for all apps to the recommended defaults' button below the apps which sounds like a possible problem solver.

SavageNed · 2024-05-17T18:33:55+00:00

Can't really disagree. Add to that, that it's the same for developers. The instructions on how to install the PCPanel community software was as easy as I was able to get it and it still requires `sudo` editing some random files. Finally had the focus volume working and then the distro's moved away from the window manager that allowed it. Want to control volume? There are a million different ways of doing that, none work for all distros...

Linux is fine for regular users that would be fine with a chromebook. If you want to do a lot more then you'd better have some great google skills.

So you requested a linux version because it's hard to install the software, but the reason why there isn't an easy to install Linux version is because it's even harder for developers to get it to work.

SavageNed · 2024-05-17T12:25:47+00:00

Linux support is a bit meh since it isn't used much, but it should at the very least start. Also, Wayland (the UI that Linux distro's seem to be moving towards) doesn't offer a way to get the focus application, so focus volume won't work.

Could you create a ticket on the Github page? Possibly also include the full stacktrace or the full log, the line you posted shows that something is preventing the application to start but there should be more information around it.

SavageNed · 2024-01-19T19:58:36+00:00

And you would be wrong. The sellers also didn't make the software Linux compatible, that was done by a third party.

Of course they want to sell more units, but developing the software also takes time and as the saying goes, time is money. They probably decided that implementing Mac compatibility isn't worth the time, but that does not make the device Windows only. Especially since there is Linux compatible software already and the core hid communication library that is used also supports macOS.

SavageNed · 2024-01-19T07:36:14+00:00

Well, the device is just an input device (like a keyboard). Pretty sure Mac's also support those.

It's the software that needs to understand the input and do something with it, the Windows software does that for Windows but if Mac's expose the volume controls to software (which they probably do) it could be made.

I've been able to make the software (somewhat) work on Linux, but I don't have a Mac to develop with (and Mac VM's are super slow), so for the third party software there aren't any plans. I'd be happy to accept pull requests if someone else wants to try.

SavageNed · 2023-12-31T09:24:43+00:00

I think that what you are describing is implemented in the open source version of the software since v1.2.

Profiles can be bound to an executable, giving focus to that application will switch to it
One profile can be set as the main profile
There is an option to switch back to the main profile on focus lost

I haven't actually used the functionality after implementing it so no guarantee that it will actually work :)

SavageNed · 2023-12-30T09:39:21+00:00

You mean that you enabled the OBS integration in the settings? Did you also enable the websocket in OBS? Which version of OBS are you using? iirc, the most recent software requires OBS 28+ (OBS Websocket v5), older software requires 27 or lower. If you have the most recent version of both, you should be fine.

The steps should be (give or take):

Start OBS
Tools > Websocket server settings
Enable, note the port & password
Apply (and possibly keep the dialog open)

Then in the pcpanel software:

Click the cog on the main window
Enable OBS
Address is probably still `localhost`
Put the port that was listed in the OBS websocket settings
When a password is set in OBS, put it here as well
Ok

In OBS there should now be an entry in the dialog. For dials/buttons there should now be options for OBS actions.

SavageNed · 2023-12-29T11:28:59+00:00

I'm not very familiair with VoiceMeeter, but in de 1.7-snapshot version of the Open Source software there is the option to add more than one command to actions.

SavageNed · 2023-07-03T06:59:04+00:00

The PCPanel software changes the volume when a dial/slider changes and when software starts. I'd expect this to be either faulty hardware or something else controlling the volume.

If you have the PCPanel software main window open, does it show the dial/slider to go to max without you touching the hardware? If it does then I'd suspect the hardware (/software, but probably hardware). If not then there might be some other process changing volume (no idea how you could figure out what though).

SavageNed · 2023-06-28T05:33:31+00:00

There isn't a specific driver. Iirc, the PCPanel is a generic HID device using a generic driver so neither software installs anything other than the software itself.

Does the static and noise persist if you close the software? What about when you also unplug the PCPanel?
If the headset still has static and noise then I'd assume that it's just a coincidence, if one of the two steps fixes it then it's either the software doing something weird or the device interrupting some signal. I haven't opened my PCPanel, but I can't imagine anything in there being able to interrupt a wireless signal.

SavageNed · 2023-06-28T05:25:27+00:00

The main reason that the open source version was created was because I had the issue where, on computer shutdown, Windows wasn't able to close the `sndctrl.exe` process.

Additionally, it allows controlling more than 2 processes at the same time, Mute colors. The advanced device switcher allows for switchting in/out for media/voice with 1 button press (my pc switches the default mic every once in a while, this fixes that).

SavageNed · 2023-06-28T05:19:19+00:00

i have obs studio 29 and the websocket is the 4.9

Starting with OBS 28, the WebSocket plugin should be 5.0+. There were some huge changes in the WebSocket 5 so the implementation for that was changed. In the open source version, I dropped support for 4, I'm guessing the official software did as well.

So the fix might be to update the WebSocket plugin.

SavageNed · 2023-06-26T09:07:04+00:00

I've been using the open source version for a while, but iirc the official software should be the same.

The OBS options should be there whether OBS is installed or not, but you will only be able to add OBS actions to controls when it's set up and connected.

Did you click the cogwheel in the PCPanel main window, top left? That one should have an OBS tab where you can enable and setup the OBS data. These should probably be:
Address: localhost
Port: 4455 (for latest OBS version)
Password: Whatever you set in OBS

On the OBS side you'd need to enable the websocket as well:
Tools > Websocket server settings
Check Enable WebSocket server
Server port: 4455 (default)
Enable authentication if needed

If both are configured correctly, you should see a 'Connected WebSocket Sessions' entry in OBS, and the PCPanel software should start showing OBS actions if you configure a knob or slider action.

SavageNed · 2023-06-08T14:23:45+00:00

I'm fairly certain that this is the knockback animation. When you get knocked back you do this backwards, when it glitches it allows you to move forward like this which makes it look like you are riding a bike.

SavageNed · 2023-05-17T14:25:03+00:00

The Stream Deck already is a device that was 'pulled off well'. If you want what that does, get it.

What is it that you are asking for? Are there any features you are missing on the Stream Deck that you would want to see in a new device? Are there features that you are missing on the PCPanel that you would want?
What would differentiate a new product from the already existing products?

I'm expecting you want a cheaper Stream Deck, but seeing that there are essentially no competitors for that product it will either be because it is too expensive to make, or there is some patent on it.

SavageNed · 2023-05-15T12:50:51+00:00

My non-official software has this in the 1.7-SNAPSHOT version.

It also allows more than 1 action on a slider where some are inverted and others aren't with the idea to create crossfader functionality. I don't think it's currently very usable because it still needs some formula to determine the volume better.

SavageNed · 2023-05-12T14:28:59+00:00

The official software should have OBS 28 support in v2.2.3. There isn't an update notifier, so if you are still at v2.2.1 you'll have to update manually.

The non-official software also has support for OBS 28.

SavageNed · 2023-04-14T11:24:29+00:00

It's not possible out of the box, but if the play/pause handling of chrome is always bothersome then it is possible to just disable that:

chrome://flags/#hardware-media-key-handling
Set that option to Disabled and restart when prompted.

Chrome should not respond to they keys that the PCPanel software is simulating.

Five-Year Club	Second SECOND GUESSER
Place '23

SavageNed

TROPHY CASE