USB Host & Supported Devices
The USB 2 port of the FrenschPress can run as a USB host. In that role the FrenschPress drives an attached USB device instead of presenting itself as a USB device to a computer.
Two device families are supported:
| Device | Function |
|---|---|
| Elgato Stream Deck | Additional key surface with macro mappings, colour and text feedback, timecode display and a device-local tools menu |
| FrenschConnection LTC dongle | LTC input — the dongle converts LTC to MTC, which the FrenschPress treats like any other timecode source |
Enabling USB host mode
The USB 2 role is switched in Settings under USB Host Support.
- Enable Enable USB Host support
- Press Save & Restart USB 2
- USB 2 restarts and takes on the new role
The status below updates live (Checking USB 2 status…, then the detected state). If the change fails, a Retry now button appears.
The USB 2 role is exclusive. In host mode USB 2 no longer enumerates as a USB MIDI device on a computer. MIDI output then runs over USB 1, RTP-MIDI and the network protocols.
The board supplies no USB VBUS voltage. Every USB accessory in host mode must therefore be attached through a powered USB hub — Stream Deck and LTC dongle alike.
Supported Stream Decks
All devices use Elgato VID 0FD9.
| PID | Device | Keys | Encoders |
|---|---|---|---|
006D | Stream Deck 2019 | 15 | 0 |
0080 | Stream Deck Mk.2 | 15 | 0 |
00A5 | Stream Deck Mk.2 (scissor keys) | 15 | 0 |
00B9 | Stream Deck 15-key module | 15 | 0 |
0084 | Stream Deck + | 8 | 4 (+ touch strip) |
Not supported
| Device | Reason |
|---|---|
Stream Deck Classic (2017, PID 0060) | Legacy protocol |
| Stream Deck Mini | Legacy protocol |
| Stream Deck XL / XL 2022 / 32-key module | Earmarked for a coming hardware generation |
| Two devices at once | The host serves one USB accessory at a time |
Hubs, docks and failure modes
- A powered hub is required. A simple powered Full-Speed / USB 1.1 hub is the most reliable option.
- Composite docks work. Some docks expose additional vendor-specific functions next to the hub. Those are rejected (an Anker auxiliary function, for example) without losing the Stream Deck behind them — new devices are queued and the bus is rescanned periodically.
- Devices plugged in later are detected. As long as devices are enumerated on the hub, host mode stays active.
- If the device stays silent, a different, simpler powered hub or another host controller usually fixes it.
LTC dongle
The FrenschConnection LTC dongle is detected automatically in the same host mode. It delivers MTC derived from an LTC signal; the FrenschPress treats that timecode like any other source and can distribute it to USB 1, Art-Net and the Timeline.
Quarter-frame packets are passed through without reordering, so forward and reverse/scrub runs keep their direction.
When a recognised Stream Deck or dongle is removed, a 60-second fallback timer returns USB 2 to device mode — but only while no device at all is enumerated on the bus.