How to use xKeys with TriCaster, vMix, Wirecast, OBS and xSplit
4,380 views · Published 30 January 2017 · 27:09 · Indexed 1 November 2026
Channel: The PTZOptics Channel · 2017 · Science & Technology
In this Facebook Live Exclusive, Dan Slider from PI Engineering shows us how to integrate xKeys USB button controllers with TriCaster, vMix, Wirecast, OBS and xSplit. Paul Richards, Chief Streaming Officer, for PTZOptics reviews how easy it is use Hotkeys, MacroWorks and native integrations with some of the industries top live streaming software. Every X-keys has two ways of sending data to the PC. We call them Software Mode and Hardware Mode. Software mode data is just raw data on the USB HID Consumer Page. Our data report is the equivalent of “I’m and X-keys XK-24 and my key #06 just went down.” Without any software to translate this into action, nothing will happen. Martin uses this message to tell vMix essentially, “Hey, treat this like a MIDI device with a key pressed.” MacroWorks software also uses this message and lets the user define what to do with it (launch an app, send Ctrl+C, run a mini script I wrote in VB, etc.). So if you have both vMix and MacroWorks running simultaneously, it can cause conflicts or duplicate actions. We also use MacroWorks for Hardware Mode programming. Whereas Software mode uses a script stored on the PC to map the X-keys keys to actions, Hardware Mode stores keystrokes in X-keys on-board memory. Hardware Mode messages enter the PC on the USB Keyboard pipe, so they are treated the same as any USB keyboard. After programming keys in MacroWorks they have to be written into the memory. After that, MacroWorks can be closed or removed entirely, or the X-keys can be moved to a different PC and it will still act like a USB keyboard. Other differences. Since a Hardware Mode X-keys is a USB keyboard, it can only send messages to the application in focus. Hardware mode can’t support analog controls like the T-bar or Jog & Shuttle. ✓ Join the Giveaway of the Month (USA & CANADA ONLY) - http://ptzoptics.com/giveaway/ ✓ Free UDEMY Course on how we live stream here: http://ptzoptics.com/landing/coupons.html ✓ Join the PTZOptics User Group - http://ptzoptics.com/FB/ ✓ Watch our Latest Friday Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QItkvlnhQyM&list=PLyY0t7zWqRQoVWffzTC2B7eWwO0DqdCFC ✓ View Upcoming Live Webinars: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa-H8O_q6M6P9XkgLmzxxDw/videos?shelf_id=1&live_view=502&sort=dd&view=2 ✓ Watch our Latest Company VLOG: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyY0t7zWqRQoJXccjLRlCVIvGQ_CbiR95 Hashtags: #ptzoptics, #livestreaming, #tech, #videoproduction, #PTZCameras, #streamingmedia, #webinar, #collaboration #wirecast #vmix #newtek #Tricaster #blackmagic
