News MSI preps web-based RGB controls so you don't have to install bloatware on your PC

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
SomeoneElse23 said:
I'm curious how this would work. I'm pretty sure browsers aren't able to access and change underlying hardware settings without some sort of background program or plugin running?
Click to expand...
Previously it was with Microsoft ActiveX, system libraries which can be called by javascript or vbscript.
But it's not supported anymore, so nowadays it's either with a browser plugin or with a local web services, the web service listen only on localhost interface and can use CORS to allow the access only to specific domains, the security is ensured by the navigator, you can make an application to freely query the web service.
 
This appears to be a tacit admission they are incapable of writing good software to support their products.

That Microsoft API to provide a unified solution to this issue is really needed, it only to provide a one-stop location in Settings to turn this crap off.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Loadedaxe and Albert.Thomas
I made the mistake of buying G.Skill RGB Trident DIMMs. The Trident lighting control software uses between 0.7 and 7.5% of the CPU cycles. This is what it takes to turn off the lighting on my HTPC. Why can't they just have the program run on start up, set the lighting to Off, (or whatever), then close? Also the software does not scale it's display. On a 4K tv, the screen is very, very tiny. Unreadable unless you are standing very close to the Screen.

If I close the program, the lights stay off. Clearly they could have it shut it's self off right after setting the lighting. If I could cut some traces on the DIMMs that would solve the problem.
 
  • Like
Reactions: truerock
Sluggotg said:
I made the mistake of buying G.Skill RGB Trident DIMMs. The Trident lighting control software uses between 0.7 and 7.5% of the CPU cycles. This is what it takes to turn off the lighting on my HTPC. Why can't they just have the program run on start up, set the lighting to Off, (or whatever), then close? Also the software does not scale it's display. On a 4K tv, the screen is very, very tiny. Unreadable unless you are standing very close to the Screen.

If I close the program, the lights stay off. Clearly they could have it shut it's self off right after setting the lighting. If I could cut some traces on the DIMMs that would solve the problem.
Click to expand...
Does your motherboard have RGB controls? I was able to turn off the RGB on my Team Group DIMMs with MSI's software which doesn't need to be running.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sluggotg
When i first got my Newer Desktop in 2024, i was like how do i control the lightning lol, first tried Mystic Light, well that was ok, but couldn't do much from my standard user account with it.

So then i uninstalled that, and settled on SignalRGB, and that has worked fine for my needs, then at night i can open the little app, and select Good night option and turn off all the RGB lol.

Seems to work pretty good
 
Thank god I don’t care for RGB, I don’t want a website changing things on my pc.

Seems like a security incident AND a data gathering scheme AND a run up to requiring a subscription to use your own hardware all in one.

No thank you MSI I’ll pass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MoxNix
TheOtherOne said:
How about start making your hardware RGBCrap free for those who don't want or care about all this? 🤨 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Click to expand...
FWIW,

Lighting is quite important for those of us running completely fanless. CPU, power supply, all of it.

I don't necessarily need custom RGB, though, the one item I have that is RGB as opposed to a solid-lit color doesn't require software it just cycles through the different colors every few seconds back to the top of the color range for another cycle.(indefinitely)
 
Guy's use the OpenRGB

OpenRGB

Open source RGB lighting control that doesn't depend on manufacturer software
openrgb.org openrgb.org

Use the plugin to get some mods and put with low fps on the config will not use the cpu alot :)

another great app to use is the Fan control :) I have made a desk fan with four cheap akasa piranha fan (draw 7w max speed)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Albert.Thomas
The company also didn't state which browsers are supported, but Microsoft Edge was used in MSI's screenshot, so we know at least that browser is compatible.
Click to expand...
Webusb is not supported in Firefox, but is widely supported in Chrome and chromium forks, as long as the dev doesn't disable support for it. So any Chrome browser will work, but no Firefox.
SomeoneElse23 said:
I'm curious how this would work. I'm pretty sure browsers aren't able to access and change underlying hardware settings without some sort of background program or plugin running?

A background app isn't any better than "bloatware" IMHO.
Click to expand...
Web USB. It has been around in Chrome for about a decade. I have used it many times to connect to DIY smarthome projects to flash and update firmwares of their microcontrollers. Besides that, a really popular and relatively mainstream nowadays use of Web USB is configuring keyboards. QMK/VIA based keyboards and recently Keychron, among others probably, are well known to use them.

You do not need a background program or app installed, the web app connects directly to the USB hardware over the browser using the Web USB API.

As many PC builders that use RGB have experienced, many controllers, both onboard the motherboard, or third party hubs that you stick at the back of your motherboard tray, connect via USB. So web USB can easily control these.

The easiest way to know if a browser supports web usb and to find out if a device uses web usb is try visiting a web usb based site, press the connect button and see if the permission to select and connect to a USB device pops out, such as Keychron: https://launcher.keychron.com/

https://developer.chrome.com/docs/capabilities/usb

Connect a website to a USB, Serial, or HID device - Google Chrome Help

Chrome lets you connect a website to your computer’s USB, Serial, and HID devices. For example, keyboard, headset, speaker, gamepad, camera, and even microcontroller. On Android, you can connect a web
support.google.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebUSB
AkroZ said:
Previously it was with Microsoft ActiveX, system libraries which can be called by javascript or vbscript.
But it's not supported anymore, so nowadays it's either with a browser plugin or with a local web services, the web service listen only on localhost interface and can use CORS to allow the access only to specific domains, the security is ensured by the navigator, you can make an application to freely query the web service.
Click to expand...
Erm no, its just webusb, been around for a long-ish time already. If u wanna comment, maybe keep yourself up to date before commenting.
 
Guys! Guys! I just stepped out of a portal to a parallel universe that happens to be perfect, and you'll never guess what they have over there!

No proprietary RGB solutions! It's actually illegal for manufacturers to make them proprietary! There's an app called "The One Ring" that can freely communicate with any RGB device regardless of brand, and every device has an onboard memory function so you can set it and forget it. Fans accomplish this through controller hubs. No need for an app to run in the background at all! It's all at hardware level!

Meanwhile, back in the sucky universe, I have to run everything through Signal, which mostly works, but they don't support Gigabyte devices, so I'm SOL with my GPU.

Let me just state for the record though that I am totally out on a web-based, online connection required solution. That's not a solution, just a different problem.
 
  • Like
Reactions: truerock
wakuwaku said:
Webusb is not supported in Firefox, but is widely supported in Chrome and chromium forks, as long as the dev doesn't disable support for it. So any Chrome browser will work, but no Firefox.

Web USB. It has been around in Chrome for about a decade. I have used it many times to connect to DIY smarthome projects to flash and update firmwares of their microcontrollers. Besides that, a really popular and relatively mainstream nowadays use of Web USB is configuring keyboards. QMK/VIA based keyboards and recently Keychron, among others probably, are well known to use them.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I learned something new!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Albert.Thomas
SomeoneElse23 said:
I'm curious how this would work. I'm pretty sure browsers aren't able to access and change underlying hardware settings without some sort of background program or plugin running?

A background app isn't any better than "bloatware" IMHO.
Click to expand...
eh, Google managed to make an Android flash tool for Google Pixels that can be used on a browser though. I think they used WebUSB or something.

edit: never mind, someone mentioned WebUSB before me, lol
 
Bad idea. That's how companies force people to register with them, give them personal information, collect tracking data and force unwanted updates/policies or w/e upon us often without out knowledge or consent. Eventually it'll be the only way to access features you paid for and then they'll start charging you extra to do it too.

It's already happened with things like security cameras. Most of the companies put the best features the ones people buy them for behind a subscription paywall. There's no good reason for doing that other than forcing you to keep giving them more money. Stay away from Wyze products they're really bad for selling lowcost cameras with good features for the price then after a while they'll put all the best features behind the paywall.
 
Last edited:
thestryker said:
Does your motherboard have RGB controls? I was able to turn off the RGB on my Team Group DIMMs with MSI's software which doesn't need to be running.
Click to expand...

Last time I used MSI Center, it had around 7 processes/services running and all I wanted was to control the RGB. It doesn't matter if you quit the app. Those will be still running. Thankfully, switched to OpenRGB and not only is it better at controlling the lighting than MSI's own software, that one truly doesn't need any background service or process running. Besides controlling other non MSI devices as well.
 
Why do I need RGB in my computer is a mystery.

Can someone explain me how that decreases the power consumption of the computer or increases performance?

Also glass / acrylic is a worse heat conductor than aluminum / steel, and the grid mesh with fans with rgb... I'm not sold on the peculiar cooling capabilities and sound proofing of that either.
 
Kindaian said:
Why do I need RGB in my computer is a mystery.

Can someone explain me how that decreases the power consumption of the computer or increases performance?

Also glass / acrylic is a worse heat conductor than aluminum / steel, and the grid mesh with fans with rgb... I'm not sold on the peculiar cooling capabilities and sound proofing of that either.
Click to expand...
Of course you don't "need" it. And if your computer was comprised of things you actually truly needed, and nothing else, it would probably still look a lot different than you imagine.

Some of us however, like the theatrics of RGB lighting. If you don't, then don't.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom