coolermaster (a)RGB controller - control via MB

[asheenlevrai]

Hey

 

I have this RGB/aRGB controller from coolermaster (CM):

https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/coolers/cpu-liquid-coolers/masterliquid-ml360r-rgb/#image-Item4

 

(https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/coolers/rgb-accessories/argb-led-controller/)

 

It has 1 aRGB port to connect to the MB and 4 aRGB ports to connect to peripherals (fans or others)

 

There is a sATA port to power the controller. There is also an USB2.0 port but I'm not sure what it's for (maybe required when using CM software to operate the controller?).

 

I usually don't use any controller and plug my (a)RGB devices directly onto headers located on the MB.

I also prefer to use the RGB software from my MB rather than any 3rd party app.

 

On my current MB I don't have enough aRGB headers. I was thus wondering if I could use the CM aRGB controller as a glorified 4-way splitter cable. I want to control aRGB peripherals through the software of the MB, not using the buttons on the controller.

 

However, I am not successful yet. The controller can light up the peripherals but I cannot find a way to control RGB via the MB. It seems like the aRGB cable from the MB to the CM controller has no effect whatsoever.

 

The documentation says it should work, though. I tried my best to understand it but I'm likely missing something.

Maybe it is required for me to use the CM software? idk, this would suck, big time...

 

Any help here would be greatly appreciated

 

Oh and I know many of you guys will tell me to drop all that completely and to use signalRGB but unofrtunately they don't provide the feature I want (yet). I contacted them already and they say they're working on it. Thanks

 

Best,

-a-

[asheenlevrai]

OK. It works if I use MasterPlus (the CM RGB app) and set it up so that aRGB ports are controlled by the MB. But I need to keep MasterPlus running all the time, which is a big PITA in my books...

[NaClKnight]

You mentioned using this as a glorified argb splitter, but is there any reason you can't actually just use a splitter? 

 

The CM argb hub is only going to provide correct performance when it detects its app running, unfortunately.

 

When Signal supports the feature you want, you may be able to use Signal to control your MB and your CM hub without needing either of their apps. I've done that before with the Razer argb hub.

 

I'm in the same boat as you in that Signal doesn't fully work on my main build's MB so I'm using the Mobo software instead to control ARGB

[asheenlevrai]

54 minutes ago, NaClKnight said:

You mentioned using this as a glorified argb splitter, but is there any reason you can't actually just use a splitter? 

 

The CM argb hub is only going to provide correct performance when it detects its app running, unfortunately.

 

When Signal supports the feature you want, you may be able to use Signal to control your MB and your CM hub without needing either of their apps. I've done that before with the Razer argb hub.

 

I'm in the same boat as you in that Signal doesn't fully work on my main build's MB so I'm using the Mobo software instead to control ARGB

Thanks.

I could use a splitter but I don't have one. I wanted to save a buck by using this CM controller that was sitting around

[asheenlevrai]

1 hour ago, NaClKnight said:

You mentioned using this as a glorified argb splitter, but is there any reason you can't actually just use a splitter? 

 

The CM argb hub is only going to provide correct performance when it detects its app running, unfortunately.

 

When Signal supports the feature you want, you may be able to use Signal to control your MB and your CM hub without needing either of their apps. I've done that before with the Razer argb hub.

 

I'm in the same boat as you in that Signal doesn't fully work on my main build's MB so I'm using the Mobo software instead to control ARGB

Now I'm in RGB software incompatibility hell:

 

 - MasterPlus to have CM controller detectable and enable fans and case RGB

 - Mystic light to control fans and case RGB (via CM controller). Corsair RAM modules are not detected until iCue is installed, RAM modules are detected but cannot be managed (unlinked icon?) in Mystic light after iCue is installed

 - iCue to control RAM modules RGB

 

When working in Admin account it is already a PITA

 

Now, from standard users account:

 - Mystic light won't open (although MSI center loads normally). Apparently the service needs admin rights or something.

-> RGB is on but doesn't behave as expected (I set up color according to CPU temp in Mystic light but it stays green no matter the temp for standard user accounts)

 

 

Funny how now Armoury Crate no longer seems so f##ed up...

(I cannot install Armoury crate on an MSI MB I guess...)

[thrasher_565]

12 hours ago, asheenlevrai said:

Now I'm in RGB software incompatibility hell:

 

 - MasterPlus to have CM controller detectable and enable fans and case RGB

 - Mystic light to control fans and case RGB (via CM controller). Corsair RAM modules are not detected until iCue is installed, RAM modules are detected but cannot be managed (unlinked icon?) in Mystic light after iCue is installed

 - iCue to control RAM modules RGB

 

When working in Admin account it is already a PITA

 

Now, from standard users account:

 - Mystic light won't open (although MSI center loads normally). Apparently the service needs admin rights or something.

-> RGB is on but doesn't behave as expected (I set up color according to CPU temp in Mystic light but it stays green no matter the temp for standard user accounts)

 

 

Funny how now Armoury Crate no longer seems so f##ed up...

(I cannot install Armoury crate on an MSI MB I guess...)

welcome to rgb hell...

[asheenlevrai]

On 10/15/2022 at 5:05 AM, thrasher_565 said:

welcome to rgb hell...

I heard about OpenRGB. Sounds like a good alternative on paper (it should be able to replace all other RGB apps in my setup). I'll give it a try...

[thrasher_565]

13 minutes ago, asheenlevrai said:

I heard about OpenRGB. Sounds like a good alternative on paper (it should be able to replace all other RGB apps in my setup). I'll give it a try...

ya theres alos singal rgb as well. i think its one guy that worked on both but one offer probly more pay so he jumped ship... i tryed it but it didnt work but i didnt singe up and had w7 so might work better with w10 i dont no.

[DutchGreen]

On 10/14/2022 at 3:16 PM, asheenlevrai said:

Hey

 

I have this RGB/aRGB controller from coolermaster (CM):

https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/coolers/cpu-liquid-coolers/masterliquid-ml360r-rgb/#image-Item4

 

(https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/coolers/rgb-accessories/argb-led-controller/)

 

It has 1 aRGB port to connect to the MB and 4 aRGB ports to connect to peripherals (fans or others)

 

There is a sATA port to power the controller. There is also an USB2.0 port but I'm not sure what it's for (maybe required when using CM software to operate the controller?).

For some reason it's not in the manual, but you should've received a cable with an usb-header to usb port, as well as a usb cable that goes into the controller. Connect them all and you have control over your lighting via your controller.

 

On 10/14/2022 at 3:16 PM, asheenlevrai said:

I usually don't use any controller and plug my (a)RGB devices directly onto headers located on the MB.

I also prefer to use the RGB software from my MB rather than any 3rd party app.

 

On my current MB I don't have enough aRGB headers. I was thus wondering if I could use the CM aRGB controller as a glorified 4-way splitter cable. I want to control aRGB peripherals through the software of the MB, not using the buttons on the controller.

 

However, I am not successful yet. The controller can light up the peripherals but I cannot find a way to control RGB via the MB. It seems like the aRGB cable from the MB to the CM controller has no effect whatsoever.

Yes, you can. I myself use OpenRGB to control all my leds. It's an amazing free software which is highly customizable, and compatible with most RGB lighting I believe.

If it isn't, request a new device on their Gitlab and they'll have it on there in no time. I just requested my RTX 3080 to be added and it took about 1 or 2 days.

 

Good luck.

[asheenlevrai]

I switched to openRGB and the CM ARGB controller is already in their list of supported devices. So good news.

The not so good news is that for some reason my fans are not displaying the correct color while my case strip and RAM modules do display the colors as expected (both the fans and the case strip are connected on argb headers on the MB now).

 

I went on their discord and they suggested to use the latest beta version of OpenRGB (haven't had time to test that yet) since it allows to switch red and green channels or something like that. I hope it will solve my "problem".

 

Another thing I'd like to do is use the

OpenRGBHardwareSyncPlugin

to have RGB color reflect the CPU temperature (something signalRGB doesn't offer yet). However, this requires admin access and I need to figure out how to make it work in standard user accounts.

https://gitlab.com/OpenRGBDevelopers/OpenRGBHardwareSyncPlugin/-/issues/24

 

Although the UI is quite overwhelming in OpenRGB, I believe I'll find my way in it. I guess it's designed for power users mainly

 

[DutchGreen]

1 hour ago, asheenlevrai said:

I switched to openRGB and the CM ARGB controller is already in their list of supported devices. So good news.

The not so good news is that for some reason my fans are not displaying the correct color while my case strip and RAM modules do display the colors as expected (both the fans and the case strip are connected on argb headers on the MB now).

 

I went on their discord and they suggested to use the latest beta version of OpenRGB (haven't had time to test that yet) since it allows to switch red and green channels or something like that. I hope it will solve my "problem".

 

Another thing I'd like to do is use the

OpenRGBHardwareSyncPlugin

to have RGB color reflect the CPU temperature (something signalRGB doesn't offer yet). However, this requires admin access and I need to figure out how to make it work in standard user accounts.

https://gitlab.com/OpenRGBDevelopers/OpenRGBHardwareSyncPlugin/-/issues/24

 

Although the UI is quite overwhelming in OpenRGB, I believe I'll find my way in it. I guess it's designed for power users mainly

 

Glad you're making progress.

I just tried out HardwareSyncPlugin and it works like a charm.

 

Here's how to run it when you log on:

 

1. Set it up properly.

2. Make sure to check the 'autostart' checkbox in all your HardwareSync measures before saving them and then save your profile.

3. Make sure to disable any services for your systems lighting that interfere with OpenRGB, then move those files for backup.

4. Open Task Scheduler -> Create Basic Task.

5. Name it.

Trigger = "When I log on".

Action = "Start a program".

Browse to your OpenRGB.

Check "Open the properties dialog after I finish" or double click the task afterwards in Task Scheduler Library.

6. Set the user that runs the task.

Run only when user is logged in.

And Check 'Run with highest privileges'.

 

Next time you log on it should automatically have HardwareSync running.