6400M Mouse Control

john

I haven’t ordered the 6400M yet but was wondering about mouse control without PC. Anything in the future about this or cw decode? Thanks in advance. John W9QP

VE7ATJ_Don

Hi John.. others who actually own a 6400M will likely chime in, but I'm pretty sure there isn't a way to plug a mouse into the unit.  I think the USB port provided is used for specific items, like the DSTAR usb stick and possibly the Flex control.

CW decode has been suggested as in idea, but there are accessory products (CW Skimmer) which can be integrated into the device (unfortunately only if running from PC) which provides this functionality.

Thomas NE7X

I also own a 6400M and I use it stand-alone without it tethered to a PC. This is why I purchased the :M: model.  It would be nice for us who don't use a PC to have the ability to connect a mouse to the radio. This seams like it would be a very simple software update.

Bill -VA3WTB

Official Response





No.  Mouse control is a "client-side" function, meaning it needs to be associated with the client (SmartSDR for Windows) and not the radio hardware (server side).  With Multi-client access coming in a future version of SmartSDR v2.x, it would very challenge to associate a client-side device (mouse, FlexControl, etc) connected to a radio with a particular client.
(Edited)

• Like

Thomas NE7X

My ICOM radios (IC-7700) allows a mouse to be connected direct via a USB port to the radio to control functions. Being a software programmer (retired) from both Intel and IBM, I'm sure this feature could be implemented. Its more of a matter "if" Flex is willing to do it.

Bill -VA3WTB

As Tim said, it would be very challenging with multi client. Icom is not multi client..

Paul Leach

FWIW I have a 6400 (with ATU) in my garage and connect to it via ethernet to the PC
I simply use the mouse or the Flex Control unit.
Works a treat, no problem at all
Incidentally, REALLY enjoying using the 6400 (only had it a week) and set up FT8 and digital modes. Regret - should have gone for the 6600!!

Paul GW4AMZ

Thomas NE7X

Its a little frustrating that Flex keeps developing enhancements for only the SmartSDR Software used on a PC and is leaving out some of these enhancements for the stand-alone M and Maestro owners. Saying its really just too challenging with multi client sounds like an excuse. When I worked at Intel and IBM and told that excuse to my boss, he would show me the door.

Steve K9ZW

Perhaps you have missed the features added to the M-models and Maestro's?

Now if you are comparing between 2.3.x versions, there may not be so much, but if you've had your Maestro since was it 1.6.x to now... there is a lot of improvements.

Typically most items added to SmartSDR-W are also released to SmartSDR-M at the same time.  Some get positioned into menus for organizational reasons, but there are very few features that are limited to one version of SmartSDR or the other.

Not certain if it is supposed to be this way, but at times SmartSDR-iOS has had more features, though some of them are in-app purchases (Apple-talk for "paid upgrades").
---
Multi-Client has a lot of challenges - I agree with you that it should and could become a feature of SmartSDR, though it is a very non-trivial undertaking. 
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Personally I am rather more interested in the reverse of Multi-Client, as I'd like to be able to combine several remote Flex-6000's back into one combined client.  A sort of wide-area-diversity setup.   Again non-trivial and more complex in detail than one might expect.  I laid out my thoughts on this about 6 years ago in:
https://k9zw.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/flex-6700-fantasies-dreaming-what-might-be-series-diversity-re...
https://k9zw.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/flex-6700-fantasies-dreaming-what-might-be-series-slices-impac...

73

Steve
K9ZW

VE7ATJ_Don

that being said, on the M unit, isn't the screen (and by the same token the Maestro) operating in 'client' mode?  Could a mouse/usb control be added to the client software running the screen?

W8WD

My understanding is that even though everything is in the same box with the -M versions the USB host and display are running on different processors connected by TCPIP and UDP. I think the challenge is that asynchronous mouse data would have to be put on the internal network connection for the information to be communicated from the radio (USB host) to the front panel. Technically it probably can be done but from a practical point of view there may be latencies that may cause the user experience to be undesirable. Maybe someone from Flex can clarify? 

What ever happened to Multi-client? I don’t understand the ICOM comment, Flex has not released anything to the market either… until it exists, what is the point?

Brian / W8WD

K4SOW

> @john said:
"wondering about mouse control without PC"

I'm a brand new owner to the 6400M Flex Radio, for about a week or so now and was disappointed to find this thread... ) :
I disconnected the HDMI cable from my Icom 7610 and plugged it into the 6400M, fired it all up and the 32" TV sprang to life as a HUGE Flex Radio display!... Yea!
I had also unplugged the wireless mouse from the Icom and stuffed it into one of the handy usb ports on the 6400 as well. Unfortunately I found no joy with that... But hey, we all know how this stuff works, probably just needs a driver right?...
After much reading and surfing the web, it seems in order just use a mouse I will have to install the remote control software and use the pc link to move the mouse around on the screen...

Oh well, guess I'll just move the big screen and wireless mouse back to the Icom radio where they came from and leave well enough alone...

KD0RC

Another choice is to use SmartSDR so that you have mouse and keyboard control on your big monitor. Then put your M front panel in SmartControl mode to allow knobs and buttons, and you will have the best of both worlds.