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Fabio Scaccabarozzi f447baa244 Improve documentation: some features are not available via HID for HyperX Cloud 2 Wireless, only via Windows APO

2025-10-19 18:12:36 +01:00

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HyperX Headset USB HID Protocol Documentation

This document describes the USB HID communication protocol for HyperX wireless headsets, based on analysis of the official NGenuity2 Windows application.

General Information

All HyperX headsets use USB HID for communication with the dongle. The protocol varies slightly between different headset models, but follows similar patterns.

Vendor IDs

0x0951 - HyperX (Kingston)
0x03F0 - HP (for DTS variants)

HyperX Cloud II Wireless (Non-DTS)

Product IDs: 0x1718, 0x018B, 0x0b92
Dongle Product ID: 5912 (0x1718)

Packet Structure

Buffer Size: 62 bytes
Report ID: 0x06 (first byte)

Base Packet Template

Byte    Value   Description
[0]     0x06    HID Report ID
[1]     0x00    Fixed
[2]     0x02    Fixed (for most commands)
[3]     0x00    Fixed
[4]     0x9A    Fixed (154 decimal)
[5]     0x00    Fixed
[6]     0x00    Fixed
[7]     0x68    Fixed (104 decimal)
[8]     0x4A    Fixed (74 decimal)
[9]     0x8E    Fixed (142 decimal)
[10]    0x0A    Fixed (10 decimal)
[11]    0x00    Fixed
[12]    0x00    Fixed
[13]    0x00    Fixed
[14]    0xBB    Fixed (187 decimal)
[15]    CMD     Command ID
[16+]   ...     Parameters (command-specific)

Commands (byte[15])

Cmd ID	Hex	Name	Description
1	0x01	Get Connection Status	Query wireless connection status
2	0x02	Get Battery Level	Query current battery percentage
3	0x03	Get Charging Status	Query charging state
8	0x08	Mute Status (Response)	Microphone mute status (in responses)
9	0x09	Initialization	Sent during device initialization
17	0x11	Get Firmware Version	Query firmware version (4 bytes)
24	0x18	Set Auto Power Off	Set automatic shutdown time
25	0x19	Set Sidetone	Enable/disable sidetone
26	0x1A	Get Auto Power Off	Query auto shutdown setting
29	0x1D	Initialization	Sent during device initialization

Command Examples

Get Connection Status (Cmd 1)

Send:     [06 00 02 00 9A 00 00 68 4A 8E 0A 00 00 00 BB 01 00 ...]
Response: [0B 00 BB 01 <status> ...]

Status values:
- 0x01 = Connected
- 0x02 = Pairing mode
- 0x04 = Connected (alternative)

Get Battery Level (Cmd 2)

Send:     [06 00 02 00 9A 00 00 68 4A 8E 0A 00 00 00 BB 02 00 ...]
Response: [0B 00 BB 02 00 <data> <data> <battery> ...]

Battery percentage is at byte [7] (0-100)

Get Charging Status (Cmd 3)

Send:     [06 00 02 00 9A 00 00 68 4A 8E 0A 00 00 00 BB 03 00 ...]
Response: [0B 00 BB 03 <status> ...]

Charging status values:
- 0x00 = Not charging
- 0x01 = Charging (wired)
- 0x02 = Fully charged
- 0x03 = Charge error

Set Auto Power Off (Cmd 24)

Send:     [06 00 02 00 9A 00 00 68 4A 8E 0A 00 00 00 BB 18 <minutes> ...]
Response: [0B 00 BB 1A <minutes> ...]

byte[16] = shutdown delay in minutes (0 = disabled, typical: 5, 10, 15, 20, 30)

Set Sidetone (Cmd 25)

Send:     [06 00 02 00 9A 00 00 68 4A 8E 0A 00 00 00 BB 19 <enable> ...]
Response: [0B 00 BB 19 <status> 01 ...]

Command byte[16] = 0x01 to enable sidetone, 0x00 to disable
Response byte[4] = 0x01 for enabled, 0x00 for disabled (NOT inverted)
Response byte[5] = Always 0x01
IMPORTANT: Command and response use SAME logic (1=enabled, 0=disabled)

Get Auto Power Off (Cmd 26)

Send:     [06 00 02 00 9A 00 00 68 4A 8E 0A 00 00 00 BB 1A 00 ...]
Response: [0B 00 BB 1A <minutes> ...]

byte[4] = shutdown delay in minutes

Get Firmware Version (Cmd 17)

Send:     [06 00 02 00 9A 00 00 68 4A 8E 0A 00 00 00 BB 11 00 ...]
Response: [0B 00 BB 11 <v1> <v2> <v3> <v4> ...]

Response bytes[4-7] = firmware version components (e.g., 4.1.0.1)
- byte[4] = major version
- byte[5] = minor version
- byte[6] = build number
- byte[7] = revision number
Note: This response is typically only logged, not emitted as a DeviceEvent

Get Microphone Mute Status (Cmd 1)

Send:     [06 00 02 00 9A 00 00 68 4A 8E 0A 00 00 00 BB 01 00 ...]
Response: [0B 00 BB 01 <status> ...]

byte[4] = connection/mute status
- 0x01 = Connected
- 0x02 = Pairing mode
- 0x04 = Connected (alternative)
Note: This command ID (1) serves dual purpose - it returns connection status
Limitation: Mute cannot be SET via HID command (hardware button only)

Microphone Mute Status (Cmd 8)

Response: [0B 00 BB 08 <status> ...]

byte[4] = mute status
- 0x01 = Microphone muted
- 0x00 = Microphone unmuted
Note: This appears as an unsolicited response when the hardware mute button is toggled on the headset
Limitation: This is a READ-ONLY event; you cannot programmatically mute the microphone

Initialization Commands (Cmd 9, 29)

Command 9:  [06 00 02 00 9A 00 00 68 4A 8E 0A 00 00 00 BB 09 ...]
Command 29: [06 00 02 00 9A 00 00 68 4A 8E 0A 00 00 00 BB 1D ...]

Purpose: These commands are sent during device initialization/connection
Behavior: They appear to prepare the device for subsequent commands
Exact function: Unclear from reverse engineering, but critical for proper device operation

Special Packet: Get Surround Sound Status

This command uses a different packet structure:

Send:     [06 00 00 00 FF 00 00 68 4A 8E 00 00 00 00 00 00 ...]
Response: [0A 00 <dsp_status> 03 ...]

Report ID: 0x0A (10 decimal) - different from standard responses
Packet structure: Simplified format (not using BASE_PACKET template)
byte[2] & 0x02 = Surround sound enabled if bit 1 is set
Example: 0x02 = surround OFF, 0x03 = surround ON
Limitation: On Cloud II Wireless (non-DTS), surround sound can only be READ, not SET via HID
- Surround sound control is handled through Windows DTS Audio Processing Object (APO)
- The physical headset button or Windows audio settings control this feature
- The HID protocol only allows monitoring the current state

Feature Control Capabilities

The Cloud II Wireless (non-DTS) has the following control capabilities:

Feature	Read Status	Set/Control	Notes
Battery Level	✅ Yes	❌ No	Read-only
Charging Status	✅ Yes	❌ No	Read-only
Connection Status	✅ Yes	❌ No	Read-only
Auto Power Off	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	Full control via commands 24/26
Sidetone	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	Full control via command 25
Microphone Mute	✅ Yes	❌ No	Hardware button only (commands 1/8)
Surround Sound (7.1)	✅ Yes	❌ No	Controlled via Windows DTS APO, not HID
Firmware Version	✅ Yes	❌ No	Read-only (command 17)

Response Packet Format

Most responses use Report ID 0x0B (11 decimal):

Byte    Value       Description
[0]     0x0B        Response Report ID
[1]     0x00        Fixed
[2]     0xBB        Fixed (187 decimal)
[3]     <CMD_ID>    Command ID being responded to
[4+]    <DATA>      Response data

Some responses (DSP/surround) use Report ID 0x0A (10 decimal).

Initialization Sequence

The Windows application sends a specific initialization sequence when connecting:

Get Connection Status (Cmd 1)
Get Surround Sound Status (special packet)
Get Firmware Version (Cmd 17)
Unknown Command (Cmd 29)
Unknown Command (Cmd 9)

Before each command, the application calls GetInputReport(0x06) to prepare the device.

Microphone Mute Status

Microphone mute status is reported asynchronously or in response to Get Connection Status:

Response: [0B 00 BB 08 <mute_status> ...]

byte[4]: 0x01 = muted, 0x00 = unmuted

HyperX Cloud II Wireless DTS

Vendor ID: 0x03F0 (HP)
Product IDs: 0x1718, 0x018B, 0x0D93, 0x0696
Dongle Product ID: 395 (0x18B)

Packet Structure

Buffer Size: 20 bytes
Report ID: 0x06

Base Packet Template

Byte    Value   Description
[0]     0x06    HID Report ID
[1]     0xFF    Fixed (255 decimal)
[2]     0xBB    Fixed (187 decimal)
[3]     CMD     Command ID
[4+]    ...     Parameters

Commands (byte[3])

Cmd ID	Hex	Name	Read/Write	Description
1	0x01	Get Wireless State	Read	Query connection status
2	0x02	Get Battery Info	Read	Query battery level
3	0x03	Get Charge Status	Read	Query charging status
5	0x05	Get Mic Mute	Read	Query microphone mute status
6	0x06	Get Sidetone Status	Read	Query sidetone on/off
7	0x07	Get Auto Shutdown	Read	Query auto-off time
8	0x08	Get Mic Boom Status	Read	Query if mic boom is connected
9	0x09	Get Pairing Info	Read	Query pairing information
11	0x0B	Get Sidetone Volume	Read	Query sidetone volume level
32	0x20	Set Mic Mute	Write	Set microphone mute
33	0x21	Set Sidetone Status	Write	Enable/disable sidetone
34	0x22	Set Auto Shutdown	Write	Set auto-off time
35	0x23	Set Sidetone Volume	Write	Set sidetone volume (0-100)

Command Examples

Get Battery Level (Cmd 2)

Send:     [06 FF BB 02 00 ...]
Response: [06 FF BB 02 00 00 00 <battery> ...]

byte[7] = battery percentage (0-100)

Get Charging Status (Cmd 3)

Send:     [06 FF BB 03 00 ...]
Response: [06 FF BB 03 <status> ...]

byte[4] charging status (same values as non-DTS)

Get Mic Mute (Cmd 5)

Send:     [06 FF BB 05 00 ...]
Response: [06 FF BB 05 <muted> ...]

byte[4]: 0x01 = muted, 0x00 = unmuted

Get Sidetone Status (Cmd 6)

Send:     [06 FF BB 06 00 ...]
Response: [06 FF BB 06 <enabled> ...]

byte[4]: 0x01 = enabled, 0x00 = disabled

Get Sidetone Volume (Cmd 11)

Send:     [06 FF BB 0B 00 ...]
Response: [06 FF BB 0B <volume> ...]

byte[4]: volume level 0-100

Set Mic Mute (Cmd 32)

Send:     [06 FF BB 20 <mute> ...]
Response: [06 FF BB 20 <mute> ...]

byte[4]: 0x01 = mute, 0x00 = unmute

Set Sidetone Status (Cmd 33)

Send:     [06 FF BB 21 <enable> ...]
Response: [06 FF BB 21 <enable> ...]

byte[4]: 0x01 = enable, 0x00 = disable

Set Sidetone Volume (Cmd 35)

Send:     [06 FF BB 23 <volume> ...]
Response: [06 FF BB 23 <volume> ...]

byte[4]: volume level 0-100

Set Auto Shutdown (Cmd 34)

Send:     [06 FF BB 22 <minutes> ...]
Response: [06 FF BB 22 <minutes> ...]

byte[4]: shutdown delay in minutes

Response Format

Responses echo the command structure with the command ID at byte[3] and data starting at byte[4].

Asynchronous Notifications

The DTS variant sends asynchronous notifications for:

Connection status changes (Cmd 1 responses)
Microphone mute changes (Cmd 32 responses)
Sidetone changes (Cmd 33 responses)

HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless

Product IDs: 5955 (0x1743), 5989 (0x1765), 2445 (0x098D)

Packet Structure

Buffer Size: 20 bytes
Report ID: 0x21 (33 decimal)

Base Packet Template

Byte    Value   Description
[0]     0x21    HID Report ID (33)
[1]     0xBB    Fixed (187 decimal)
[2]     CMD     Command ID
[3+]    ...     Parameters

Commands (byte[2])

Cmd ID	Hex	Name	Description
1	0x01	Get Wireless State	Query connection status
11	0x0B	Get Battery Info	Query battery level
12	0x0C	Get Charge Status	Query charging status
13	0x0D	Get Mic Mute	Query microphone mute
14	0x0E	Get Sidetone Status	Query sidetone on/off
15	0x0F	Get Sidetone Volume	Query sidetone volume
32	0x20	Set Mic Mute	Set microphone mute
33	0x21	Set Sidetone Status	Enable/disable sidetone
34	0x22	Set Sidetone Volume	Set sidetone volume

Response Format

Responses use the same report ID (0x21) with command ID at byte[2].

HyperX Cloud III Wireless

Product IDs: Multiple variants exist

Packet Structure

Buffer Size: 20 bytes
Report ID: 0x21 (33 decimal)

Base Packet Template

Byte    Value   Description
[0]     0x21    HID Report ID (33)
[1]     CMD     Command ID
[2+]    ...     Parameters

Commands (byte[1])

Similar to Cloud Alpha Wireless but with additional features:

SIRK (Secure Identity Resolution Key) management
Silent mode
Voice prompts
Product color information

Cmd ID	Hex	Name	Description
1	0x01	Get Wireless State	Query connection status
2	0x02	Get Battery Info	Query battery level
3	0x03	Get Charge Status	Query charging status
4	0x04	Set Charge Limit	Set battery charge limit
5	0x05	Get Mic Mute	Query microphone mute
6	0x06	Get Sidetone Status	Query sidetone on/off
7	0x07	Get Sidetone Volume	Query sidetone volume
8	0x08	Get Voice Prompt	Query voice prompt status
9	0x09	Get Auto Shutdown	Query auto-off time
10	0x0A	Get Silent Mode	Query silent mode status
32	0x20	Set Mic Mute	Set microphone mute
33	0x21	Set Sidetone Status	Enable/disable sidetone
34	0x22	Set Sidetone Volume	Set sidetone volume
35	0x23	Set Voice Prompt	Enable/disable voice prompts
36	0x24	Set Auto Shutdown	Set auto-off time
37	0x25	Set Silent Mode	Enable/disable silent mode
64	0x40	Get SIRK	Get SIRK key
65	0x41	Reset SIRK	Reset SIRK to default

Common Patterns Across All Models

Reading Device State

Always call GetInputReport(0x06) before writing commands (prepares the device)
Write command packet using SetOutputReport()
Wait 20-200ms for response
Read response using GetInputReport() or wait for async notification

Battery Levels

Always reported as percentage (0-100)
May be at different byte positions depending on model

Charging Status

Consistent across models:
- 0 = Not charging
- 1 = Charging
- 2 = Fully charged
- 3 = Error

Sidetone

Most models support on/off toggle
Some models (DTS, Alpha Wireless, Cloud III) support volume control (0-100)
IMPORTANT: Cloud II Wireless non-DTS sidetone status is NOT inverted:
- Response byte[4] = 0x01 means enabled
- Response byte[4] = 0x00 means disabled
- Command and response use identical logic

Auto Power Off

Specified in minutes
0 = disabled
Typical values: 5, 10, 15, 20, 30

DSP/Surround Sound

The DSP mode is model-specific and varies significantly:

Cloud II Wireless Non-DTS

Reading Status: Uses a special packet structure with Report ID 0x0A
Enabling/Disabling: NOT supported via HID commands
- Surround sound is controlled through Windows DTS Audio Processing Object (APO)
- Users must use the physical button on the headset or Windows audio settings
- The HID protocol only allows reading the current state
Uses bit flags in the DSP status byte to indicate 7.1 surround sound state

Cloud II Wireless DTS

Uses Windows DTS APO (Audio Processing Object) system calls instead of direct HID commands.

Other Models

May use different approaches or not support surround sound at all.

Notes and Gotchas

Input Report Preparation: Always call GetInputReport(0x06) before sending commands on Cloud II Wireless non-DTS models.
Response Timing: Wait at least 50ms after sending a command before reading the response. The Windows application uses 200ms delays during initialization.
Battery Position: Battery level byte position varies:
- Cloud II Wireless: byte[7]
- Cloud II Wireless DTS: byte[7]
- Other models: varies
Thread Safety: The Windows application uses command queues and thread synchronization. Multiple simultaneous commands may cause issues.
Product ID Detection: Some headsets report different product IDs for dongle vs headset. Always check both.
Initialization Sequence: Commands 9 and 29 appear during device initialization. While their exact purpose is unclear from reverse engineering, they are part of the device startup sequence.
Firmware Version: Command 17 returns firmware version information but does not typically generate user-facing events—it's primarily for logging and diagnostics.
Microphone Mute: Hardware mute button on headset generates unsolicited responses with command ID 8. This allows the application to detect physical button presses. Cannot be controlled programmatically - mute is hardware-only.
Surround Sound Control: Cloud II Wireless (non-DTS) can only READ surround sound status via HID. Enabling/disabling is controlled through Windows DTS APO system, not HID commands. Use the physical headset button or Windows audio settings to toggle surround sound.
Limited Write Commands: Only Auto Power Off (Cmd 24) and Sidetone (Cmd 25) can be SET via HID. All other features are read-only or hardware-controlled.

Live Testing Verification

The following features have been verified with a physical HyperX Cloud II Wireless headset:

Successfully Tested

✅ Battery Level Reading - Correctly reads battery percentage at byte[7] (tested at 92%)
✅ Charging Status - Accurately detects charging state changes
✅ Sidetone Toggle - Properly enables/disables sidetone (response[4]: 1=enabled, 0=disabled)
✅ Surround Sound Status - Correctly reads 7.1 surround state via DSP packet (0x0A)
✅ Auto Power Off - Successfully reads and sets auto shutdown timer
✅ Firmware Version - Parses version from bytes[4-7] (tested: 4.1.0.1)
✅ Microphone Mute Detection - Detects hardware mute button press via command 8 responses
✅ Connection Status - Properly detects wireless connection state
✅ Initialization Commands - Commands 9 and 29 handled without errors during device startup

Response Parsing Notes

All command responses (1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 17, 24, 25, 26, 29) have been verified to parse correctly with no "unknown command" errors when the device is actively refreshing state. The protocol implementation has been tested with continuous polling at 1-second intervals.

Implementation Tips

Rust/hidapi

// Prepare device (Cloud II Wireless non-DTS only)
let mut input_report = [0u8; 64];
input_report[0] = 0x06;
device.get_input_report(&mut input_report)?;

// Send command
device.write(&packet)?;

// Wait for response
std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(50));

// Read response
let mut response = [0u8; 256];
let len = device.read_timeout(&mut response, 1000)?;

Response Parsing

Always validate:

Response report ID matches expected value
Command ID echo matches sent command
Packet length is sufficient for expected data

References

HyperX NGenuity2 Windows Application (decompiled with dnSpy)
Live packet captures from HyperX Cloud II Wireless dongle
USB HID 1.11 Specification

Document Version: 1.0
Last Updated: 2025-10-19
Based on: NGenuity2 application version analyzed

20 KiB Raw Blame History

HyperX Headset USB HID Protocol Documentation

General Information

Vendor IDs

HyperX Cloud II Wireless (Non-DTS)

Packet Structure

Base Packet Template

Commands (byte[15])

Command Examples

Get Connection Status (Cmd 1)

Get Battery Level (Cmd 2)

Get Charging Status (Cmd 3)

Set Auto Power Off (Cmd 24)

Set Sidetone (Cmd 25)

Get Auto Power Off (Cmd 26)

Get Firmware Version (Cmd 17)

Get Microphone Mute Status (Cmd 1)

Microphone Mute Status (Cmd 8)

Initialization Commands (Cmd 9, 29)

Special Packet: Get Surround Sound Status

Feature Control Capabilities

Response Packet Format

Initialization Sequence

Microphone Mute Status

HyperX Cloud II Wireless DTS

Packet Structure

Base Packet Template

Commands (byte[3])

Command Examples

Get Battery Level (Cmd 2)

Get Charging Status (Cmd 3)

Get Mic Mute (Cmd 5)

Get Sidetone Status (Cmd 6)

Get Sidetone Volume (Cmd 11)

Set Mic Mute (Cmd 32)

Set Sidetone Status (Cmd 33)

Set Sidetone Volume (Cmd 35)

Set Auto Shutdown (Cmd 34)

Response Format

Asynchronous Notifications

HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless

Packet Structure

Base Packet Template

Commands (byte[2])

Response Format

HyperX Cloud III Wireless

Packet Structure

Base Packet Template

Commands (byte[1])

Common Patterns Across All Models

Reading Device State

Battery Levels

Charging Status

Sidetone

Auto Power Off

DSP/Surround Sound

Cloud II Wireless Non-DTS

Cloud II Wireless DTS

Other Models

Notes and Gotchas

Live Testing Verification

Successfully Tested

Response Parsing Notes

Implementation Tips

Rust/hidapi

Response Parsing

References

20 KiB

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