HowTo: Connect Philips SpeechMike and/or Philips Foot Control to a VMware View Session

[#1]

Hi Community!

This is a step-by-step Guide, how you can connect a Philips SpeechMike Dictation Device or a Philips Foot Control Pedal to a View Session.

These devices are often used in hospitals for online dictation (like Philips SpeechMagic Dictation Software).

This workaround works over LAN or WAN connections.

In my case, I use the following Philips devices and want to connect to my View Desktop:

* Philips SpeechMike III Pro (LFH3200/00)

* Philips Foot Control (LFH 2310/00)

These devices are HID devices (human interface devices). VMware View is underbinding the connection of HID devices by default.

First, you must install the following regkey on the device, from where are you connecting to your View infrastructure:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VMware, Inc.\VMware VDM\USB]

"AllowHardwareIDs"=hex(7):56,00,69,00,64,00,5f,00,30,00,39,00,31,00,31,00,26,\

  00,50,00,69,00,64,00,5f,00,31,00,38,00,34,00,34,00,00,00,56,00,69,00,64,00,\

  5f,00,30,00,39,00,31,00,31,00,26,00,50,00,69,00,64,00,5f,00,30,00,43,00,31,\

  00,43,00,00,00,00,00

I´ve also attached this regkey as file for downloading. Please remove the ".txt" file ending or change it to ".reg".

This Key allows your View Client on the source to connect/redirect this two Philips devices via USB.

If you use a different SpeechMike or Foot Control device, you must correct the AllowHardwareIDs entries (VIDs) in this regkey.

Here you can find more informations about this:

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1011600

Now, add the following line to the .vmx file of your View Desktop VM:

svga.noHWCursor = "TRUE"

If you use a Desktop Pool with Linked Clones, you also can set this in your Golden Master Image.

This is required to get the Trackpad in your Philips SpeechMike running.

Otherwise your cursor doesn´t follow your mouse if you are using the Trackpad.

Next, you estable a connection to your View Desktop.

After the successfully authentification and connection to your View Desktop, you can connect the Philips Hardware to your Laptop/PC and connect this via View Client to your View Desktop.

ATTENTION: DO NOT CONNECT THE HARDWARE TO YOUR PC BEFORE YOU HAVE A VIEW SESSION OPENED/RUNNING!

The Problem if you connect the hardware before you start the View Client and connect:

Your PC allocate the Philips HID devices, and the View Client wasn´t able to get this allocation back. So the connection of the devices will fail with an error!

The VMware Support was working on a solution. At this moment, this way was the only way to connect your Philips devices.

REMEMBER: CONNECT HARDWARE AFTER ESTABLE A CONNECTION TO VIEW.

If you follow this step-by-step Guide, you get now a running solution for your Dictation Software: A virtualized desktop, you can reach this everywhere and can dictate everywhere you are.

UPDATE:

Here is a very nice blog entry how VMware solves this problem in View 5.1:

http://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2012/05/vmware-view-usb-redirection-51.html

[jo_strasser]

If you find this information useful, please vote or award points for "correct" or "helpful".

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jo_strasser

[bsalek]

Thanks for posting!

[jo_strasser]

It´s my pleasure

cu Jo!

[Charles0245]

Hello johannes, I have problem with my foot control LFH2330 to work on VMware Fusion.

It is not even detected...

Could you please help me ? Thanks in advance.

[jo_strasser]

Hi Charles,

can you send me more detailed informations of your problem.

Have you the latest version of Fusion installed? Which OSX version?

Have you updated the VM to the latest VM hardware version?

Work the connection of other USB devices (like a USB Stick) properly?

Which guest OS?

I will give my best to help you.

thanks and hear us, Jo!

[jo_strasser]

Hi Charles:

UPDATE:

If you use Fusion 4.x, please turn on Debugging in "Preference-Diagnostics".

After this, your USB connection maybe will work.

Thanks, Jo!

If you find this information useful, please vote or award points for "correct" or "helpful".

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jo_strasser

[Charles0245]

Hello Johannes, and thank you for your answer.

I tried the debugging, but it did not work.

I am using Fusion 4.0.2 , and MacOs 10.6.8, windows XP pr SP3.

I do not not any problem with my USB devices (Wacom table, Lexar card reader, Canon printer, USB storage keys, Philips digital pocket memo 9600,...) , but my foot control is not even detected !!! -> no sound when connecting/deconnecting (even on MacOs, it is not detected, but is not compatible with MacOs). I have tried it on a PC running XP, and it works perfectly...

[jo_strasser]

Hi Charles,

please try this and restart your mac.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=2007368&sl...

Does you get an error code while connecting the foot control?

Are the foot control working on an earlier version of fusion? (3.x)

Can you send me your debug log of fusion?

There are differences of USB connections between VMware Fusion and VMware View.

Fusion connects the devices locally, View over the network.

So we should find out this especially problem.

Thanks, Jo!

[Charles0245]

Johannes, I have tried this : http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=2007368&sl...

but it does not change anything.

Concerning an "error code" when connecting the foot control, no, I do not receive any. Just nothing happens !! (either on MacOs or on Vmware).

I am afraid I do not have any earlier version of fusion.

Concerning the debug log, what exactly do you need? How could I send it to you ?

Thank you again for trying to help me.

[jo_strasser]

Hi Charles,

the script needs root rights on your Mac.

If you have set any password on setup, you need this now.

Type in "sudo su"

Which, will prompt you for your own password. If you're in the administrator group, and root is enabled, successfully authenticating with your password will switch you to the root user.

Then execute the script.

To connect the logs read "collect vmware.log files"

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8720

Thanks, Jo!

[jo_strasser]

Hi Charles,

your issue was solved.

Please follow my document:

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-17351

Thanks, Jo!

[Charles0245]

YEEESSSSSS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really did not expect to find an answer to my problem, and that someone would take its time for helping a poor noob !

Thank you so much Johannes !!!!!!

PS : I can not understand why VMware blocks HID devices by design....

[jo_strasser]

Hi Charles,

Thank you, it´s my pleasure! :smileyblush:

Allowing certain HID devices by design was on the roadmap, VMware knows about this.

Underbinding keyboard and mouse was ok, these devices shouldn´t never redirected in a VM.

But for SpeechMikes, Foot Controls or other devs like Barcode Scanners it should be possible to get a working solution.

I´m very happy that I could help you.

Some months ago I was in the same situation, but with an enterprise solution for 1200+ customers of me.

I know, it was sometimes frustrating.

I wish you a nice day!

Best regards from Salzburg!

Johannes!

[Charles0245]

Hello Jo,

I contact you again concerning Vmware as I have the same problem with a new USB device on Vmware.

I have bought an RC Simulation software (Easy Fly 4). It comes with a gamepad (4 axes, no button).

My device is not even recognized on Vmware... (exacty the same problem I had with Philips foot controller).

I am running Vmware fusion last version (7.1.0). The client is running Windows XP SP1.

Thank you for your help.