Downloading and Installing the Basecam GUI (Graphical User Interface)
The Basecam GUI (Graphical User Interface), designed by Basecam electronics, is the graphical user interface that allows you to interact with the Letus Helix and change settings used in its operation. The GUI can be found at https://kb.letus.net/where-to-get-the-helix-software/ . Then download the most recent GUI and the most recent manual for the Helix there.
To install this application on OS X systems
- Download the application from the URL above.
- Drag the zipped folder to the location where you want to store the GUI (e.g. Documents folder)
- Unzip the folder
- Click on the .jar file. You may receive a warning saying that this is an unsigned application and preventing you from running it. If so, you can run it by right-clicking (or clicking while holding the control key down) the .jar file, selecting Open, and then selecting Open again and the next message window.
- If prompted to install the Java Development Kit, please do so. That can be downloaded from here: (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk8-downloads-2133151.html)
Downloading and Installing the Virtual COM Port Driver
In order for the GUI to work with a USB cable, a virtual COM port must be established (not necessary to communicate via Bluetooth. This requires a USB to UART bridge virtual COM port driver for Mac OS X, which can be downloaded here.
Install the appropriate driver for your operating system before attempting to connect the computer to the Helix. When connecting to the Helix (covered below), you will use the COM port that is created by this driver. The process is relatively straight forward for Windows. Instructions for OS X are as follows:
Instruction for installing the USB driver
- Download VCP for the Mac OS
- Right click on downloads
- Select Open “Downloads”
- Double click on SiLabsUSBDriverDisk.dmg
- Open up the Silicon Labs VCP Driver Install Disk (Under devices in Finder) and click on the main file to start installation.
- Follow the prompts to continue installation.
- Start Finder and under Devices hit the eject icon next to Silicon Labs VCP Driver Install Disk to get rid of it.