Hagstrom KEAD6 User Manual

KEAD6

USB Joystick Interface
and Keyboard Encoder

User Manual

Table of Contents

Introduction to the KEAD6 1

Computer Connections and Device ID Jumper 2

Interfacing to the KEAD6 3

The KEAD6.EXE Program 4

The Program Screen 5

File Menu Selections 6

Options Menu Selections 8

Confi guring the KEAD6 9

KEAD6 Operating Tips 19

Error Messages 20

Appendix A: KEAD6 Specifi cations 22

Appendix B: Using the KEAD6 with Custom Software 23

Accessories 24

Thank you for purchasing the

HAGSTROM ELECTRONICS, INC.

KEAD6. This product is confi gurable in a variety

of ways to meet your specifi c requirements.

Please take a few minutes to read this manual

before using your KEAD6.

HAGSTROM ELECTRONICS, INC. warrants this
product against defects in material or workmanship for a
period of ONE YEAR from the original purchase date. We will
repair or replace (at our option) the returned defective unit
at no charge during this warranty period.

No responsibility is assumed for any special, incidental,
or consequential damage resulting from the use of or
inability to use this product. In no case is HAGSTROM
ELECTRONICS, INC. to be liable for any amount which
exceeds the purchase price of the unit, regardless of the
claim.

No other warranty, written or verbal, is authorized. This
warranty is applicable only to units sold in the United States.
Units sold outside the United States are covered by a similar
warranty.

Depending on the state in which you live, you may have additional rights.

Great care has been taken during the assembly, testing, and burn-in
of your KEAD6 to ensure its performance. If you have any questions,
please send us an email or give us a call. Support is available Monday
through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST).

customer service email: [e-mail]

Call Toll Free 888-690-9080, or [phone]

NOTICE The KEAD6 product is designed to be used by technically

oriented computer users. When the KEAD6 is in use, your computer’s
signals and voltages are present on the unit. Prudent handling and
packaging is necessary to prevent damage to your computer.

Your keyboard encoder is designed for OEM use, and is not FCC part 15 approved. Because
the packaging and use of the product will directly affect the characteristics of the unit, it is the
responsibility of the purchaser to obtain fi nal approval of their application, if required.

1

Introduction to the KEAD6

Our KEAD6 Interface is a product designed to interface potentiometers
to the computer’s USB port. Potentiometers connected to the KEAD6
input channels produce joystick axis movement and/or keystrokes on
the PC.

The KEAD6 is fully programmable by the user. This programmability
feature allows the confi guration of each input channel according to the
joystick axis and/or keystrokes to be emulated by the potentiometer
connected to that particular input. Each input of the KEAD6 may be
programmed to emulate a joystick axis, send keystrokes based on
the potentiometer movement, or both joystick and keystrokes from a
single channel. The KEAD6 stores the user’s confi guration program in
non-volatile memory so that the confi guration information is retained
on the unit even after power is turned off. The KEAD6 confi guration
may be changed using the included software as many times as
required for various applications.

The KEAD6 Input Channels

The KEAD6 features six input channels with screw terminals to easily
connect potentiometers. Three Joystick Buttons are also provided.

Power Requirements

The KEAD6 requires no external power source. It is powered directly
from the USB port on the PC.

Supported Computers

All PCs with a standard USB port will work with the KEAD6. The
KEAD6.EXE confi guration program is for Windows based systems.

Hardware Requirements

The KEAD6 is designed to work with standard, commercially available
cables for connection to the PC. A standard A-B Type USB cable is
required for this connection.

Default Settings

The KEAD6 is programmed and shipped with a default confi guration
with keystrokes from all channels disabled.

Computer Connections

There is one USB connector located on the KEAD6. Connection
to this port can be made with power on as the KEAD6 supports
“Hot Plug” operation as a USB device. When the KEAD6 is
plugged into a PC for the fi rst time, the appropriate standard
drivers are loaded by the operating system.

The KEAD6 emulates both a USB joystick and a standard USB
keyboard. The KEAD6 may be used in addition to or in place of
the system’s own keyboard.

2 23

Using the KEAD6 with Custom Software

In addition to converting potentiometer movement to keystrokes
or joystick action, the KEAD6 input channels can also be used
as an analog to digital converter. The current voltage level of
each channel can be read as an 8 bit value by the user’s custom
software utilizing the KEAD6.dll which is located on the included
CD-ROM.

A Visual Basic sample program demonstrating how to read
the digital values from the KEAD6 inputs is included on the
CD-ROM under the KEAD6_Sample folder. The source code for
this sample is also located under this folder.

*Note:

KEAD6 when used strictly as an analog to digital converter. To
disable the channels, use the KEAD6 confi guration utility.

Device ID Jumper

Two KEAD6 units may be connected to
the same computer and programmed
independently. If using one unit, leave
the Device ID jumper open (factory
default). If using two KEAD6 units,
leave the jumper open on unit 1 and
closed on unit 2. This setup will present
two different USB devices to the system
that both work as USB keyboards.

Interfacing to the KEAD6

The three-position screw terminal blocks on the KEAD6 are
used to connect potentiometers to the unit. The potentiometers
used with each KEAD6 input can range in value from 500Ω up
to 1MΩ. Potentiometers are connected to the +5V, Wiper input,
and Ground as shown below.

322

Wiper

+5V

Ground

Three Joystick Buttons

The four position header on the KEAD6 provides three inputs
and a logic ground signal. To activate an input, short it to the
provided logic ground through a switch. The activation of the
switch will create a joystick button press on the computer.

Button 3
Button 2
Button 1

Gnd

The KEAD6.EXE Program

The KEAD6 unit is shipped with a CD-ROM containing the KEAD6.
EXE utility program which is used for confi guring the unit. The
confi guration program allows selection of whether the channel
is to emulate a joystick axis, keystrokes, or both. Additional
adjustable parameters include defi ning the number of response
steps per channel, the keystrokes generated by each step, and
other tuning options.

Getting Started

To use and confi gure the KEAD6, follow the steps listed below.

1. Attach the KEAD6 to the computer as described on

page 2 under the section “Computer Connections.”

2. Insert the CD and save the content to its own folder

on the hard drive. The CD may now be removed and
stored in a safe location for future use.

3. Open the folder that was created in step 2 and start

the confi guration program by selecting the program
fi le KEAD6.EXE.

*Note:

The programs must be copied to and run from its own
folder on the PC’s hard drive. The CD itself should be reserved
for backup purposes only.

4

*Note: When the KEAD6.EXE program is running, joystick

movement and keystrokes will no longer be produced by the
KEAD6 until the program is closed again. This disable mode
prevents any confl icts that may arise between the KEAD6
programmed responses and the confi guration program.

“Invalid confi guration”
“Invalid confi guration fi le”

When loading an already existing confi guration from a fi le or
uploading a confi guration from the KEAD6, the program will
give this error message if the fi le is corrupted or if it is the wrong
fi le type.

“Error opening the fi le”

This error message is shown if the KEAD6.EXE program attempts
to open a fi le that is already open in another application. If this
happens, close the other application and open the fi le again.

“Error saving fi le”

This error message is shown if the KEAD6.EXE program attempts
to save a fi le that is already open in another application, or if
there is not enough disk space. If this happens, close the other
application and try saving the fi le again.

“Error while writing to the KEAD6”

This indicates that, while the computer can communicate with
the KEAD6, it was not able to read or write the confi guration.
Communication may be interrupted if a user presses a key on
the keyboard or if another program takes the focus away from
the KEAD6 application. If this error message is displayed, load
the confi guration again.

The Program Screen

The main program screen displays graphs of the current
positions of each of the six channels corresponding to the six
potentiometers on the KEAD6.

520

Switching Selected Device

If two KEAD6 units with properly assigned Device ID jumpers (see
page 2, section “Device ID Jumper“) are both connected to the
PC, then the KEAD6.EXE program must be set to which device
to monitor. In the lower right corner of the main screen there
are two checkboxes which are used to switch between Device
1 (left box) and Device 2 (right box). To change which device
is selected, click on the corresponding checkbox. An alternate
method is to select the Device ID under the Options menu.

If using a single KEAD6, the selection will be made automatically
by the program.

File Menu Selections

The fi le selections, located within a drop-down list, are accessed
by clicking on “File” in the upper left corner of the main program

screen. This list provides several options that include creating
and saving fi le confi gurations as well as reading and writing to
the KEAD6. A list of these options, along with descriptions of
how they pertain to the KEAD6 setup, are listed on the following
page.

Please check the following items before calling us.

• When connecting the KEAD6 to a PC, use a standard
USB A-B type Cable.

Saving a Confi guration to the KEAD6

To load the KEAD6 with the completed confi guration, click on
“Write to KEAD6” under the File menu. Be sure that the KEAD6

is connected to the PC. Once the KEAD6 is loaded and the
KEAD6.EXE program is closed, the KEAD6 will begin running the
new setup.

Once the desired confi guration is created, it should be saved to
disk. To do this click on “Save” under the File menu and specify
a fi le name under which to save the confi guration.

718

New: Creates a new confi guration fi le by either clicking on

“New” with the mouse or by pressing Ctrl+N on the keyboard.
This option will also return the program screen to the default
settings.

Open: Recall a previously saved confi guration fi le by either
clicking on “Open” with the mouse or by pressing Ctrl+O on the
keyboard. Locate and select the name of the confi guration fi le
on the PC that is to be opened.

Save: Once a confi guration setup has been created on the
program screen, it is recommended that it be saved on the PC’s
hard disk. Click on “Save” with the mouse or press Ctrl+S on the
keyboard, then choose a location to save the fi le.

Read from KEAD6: This option will read the current
confi guration in the selected KEAD6 and display it on the screen.
Click on “Read from KEAD6” with the mouse or press Ctrl+R on
the keyboard to perform this operation.

Write to KEAD6: This option will write the current
confi guration displayed on the screen to the selected KEAD6.
The KEAD6 can be programmed and re-programmed as many
times as necessary. Click on “Write to KEAD6” with the mouse
or press Ctrl+W on the keyboard to perform this operation. After
the KEAD6 has been loaded with the new confi guration, it will
scan according to this new setup upon exit from the program.

Exit: This option exits and closes the KEAD6.EXE program.

*Note:

Make sure that the KEAD6 is connected to the PC before
performing either the “Read to KEAD6” or “Write to KEAD6”
operations. If the KEAD6 is not present, a “The KEAD6 was not
Found” error will be displayed on the computer screen.