Freeform & Freeform Plus Installation Guide - SensAble Technologies

Freeform & 

Freeform Plus 

Installation Guide

Copyright Notice 

©1993-2013. Geomagic, Inc. All rights reserved. Produced in the USA. 

Except as permitted by license, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or 

transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without prior written consent 

of Geomagic Technologies. 

Trademarks 

Freeform, Freeform Plus, Geomagic, Phantom, Phantom Desktop, Phantom Omni, Sensable, Geomagic Technologies, 

Inc., are trademarks or registered trademarks of Geomagic, Inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their 

respective holders. 

For the most up-to-date trademark information, visit www.geomagic.com. 

Warranties and Disclaimers 

Geomagic does not warrant that this publication is error free. This publication could include technical or typographical 

errors or other inaccuracies. Geomagic may make changes to the product described in this publication or to this 

publication at any time, without notice. 

Hardware usage guidelines are provided to assist the user in protecting the effectiveness and life of the device. They 

are not intended as recommendations for the prevention of repetitive stress injury, carpal tunnel syndrome or any other 

conditions, injuries or disorders; users should consult their own physicians. By using the Phantom device, the user 

acknowledges and agrees that Geomagic shall have no liability for any disorder, condition or injury arising from any use 

of the device. 

Warning Do NOT open the Phantom device. Attempting to open or repair the device by anyone other than a 

certified authorized service center voids the manufacturer warranty and hardware maintenance contract. 

Questions or Comments 

If you have any questions for our technical support staff, please contact us at SensableSupport@geomagic.com. You 

can also phone 1-888-736-7225 (U.S.A. only) or 1-781-939-7444 (International). 

If you have any questions or comments about the documentation, please contact us at 

SensableDocumentation@geomagic.com. 

P/N - 02377 R15: 1/25/13 

Geomagic, Inc. 

430 Davis Drive, Suite 300 

Morrisville, NC 27560 

www.geomagic.com 

www.geomagic.com

Contents 

Preface.............................................................................................. i 

Resources for Learning Freeform ....................................................................................... i 

Typographical Conventions .............................................................................................. ii 

Chapter 1 Getting Started ................................................................................ 1-1 

Contents of the Shipping Box ........................................................................................ 1-1 

System Requirements ..................................................................................................... 1-2 

Overview of the Installation Process .............................................................................. 1-4 

Chapter 2 Installing and Operating the System ............................................ 2-1 

Component 1: Installing the Freeform Application ....................................................... 2-2 

Component 2: Installing the Phantom Device and Drivers - An Overview ................... 2-2 

Running the Freeform Application for the First Time ................................................... 2-3 

Proper Handling of the Phantom Device ........................................................................ 2-4 

Chapter 3 Phantom Desktop: Compatibility with Parallel Port Dongles ..... 3-1 

Hardware Considerations ............................................................................................... 3-1 

Software Considerations ................................................................................................ 3-2 

Appendix A: 

Troubleshooting ...........................................................................A-1 

Appendix B: Customer Support ........................................................................B-1 

Freeform & Freeform Plus - Installation Guide


Preface 

Congratulations on your purchase of the Freeform® system! Freeform is offered in two 

different solutions: Freeform® and Freeform® Plus, available on both 32-bit and 64-bit 

operating systems. This guide will step you through the installation and setup of your 

Freeform system. Please note that the software installation instructions do not differ for 

the Freeform and the Freeform Plus system. As such, the term Freeform is used to refer to 

either solution. Detailed instructions for installing the Phantom® haptic device and 

Phantom Device Drivers can be found in the Phantom Device Guide and Phantom Device 

Driver Installation Guide. 

Throughout the documentation the use of the term “Phantom device” refers to either the 

Phantom® Desktop haptic device or Phantom Omni device. Any exceptions are 

noted. 

Resources for Learning Freeform 

The following documentation and other materials are provided to assist you in learning 

how to use the Freeform system: 

The Freeform & Freeform Plus Installation Guide This printed and electronic 

document contains instructions on installing and setting-up the Freeform system as well as 

troubleshooting tips. 

The Freeform Online Help The Freeform Online Help is your primary source for 

information about how to use the system. At any time while working with the Freeform 

system, you can use the system’s online Help by pressing F1 on your keyboard, or by 

selecting “Freeform Help” from the Help menu. You can also reach tool specific help by 

double-clicking the active tool name in the dynabar. 

The Freeform & Freeform Plus Tutorials An electronic document containing several 

lessons that exercise the basic features of the system. If you do a typical install, this 

document is available from the Freeform program group. Otherwise the document can be 

found on the product CD. 

The Freeform Quick Reference Card An electronic document that provides an overview 

of Hotkey Shortcuts and Key Concepts for Freeform as well as a glance at all the 

application palettes and their commands. 

Freeform & Freeform Plus - Installation Guide 

i

PREFACE 

The Phantom Device Guide A printed document that is shipped with your haptic device 

that describes the process of installing the device drivers and connecting the haptic device 

as well as how to work with the device including proper handling, troubleshooting, and 

device specifications. This can also be found in electronic form on the Freeform product 

CD. 

Product CD Users may also find helpful files located on the Freeform product CD. 

Geomagic WebSite A variety of information is available via our Web site at 

http://www.geomagic.com, including updated information, answers to Frequently Asked 

Questions, expert “tips and tricks,” example models, and more. 

Typographical Conventions 

This guide uses the following typographical conventions: 

Convention Description Example 

Italics 

Bold 

Greater Than (>) 

First use of a new term; 

reference to another 

document or file. 

Keywords, actual user input, 

or examples. 

Indicates a menu pick, as in 

“select Options from the 

Tools menu”. 

A Voxel is...; see the User 

Manual. 

Click Ok. 

Tools>Options 

ii 


1 

Chapter 

1Getting Started 

This guide covers the currently shipping Freeform and Freeform Plus systems. The 

information contained in this manual was current at the time of publication. Visit 

www.geomagic.com for the latest information. 

This chapter describes the following: 

• The contents of the shipping box 

• System Requirements 

• An overview of the installation process 

Contents of the Shipping Box 

If you are purchasing a Freeform system for the first time, in your shipping box you 

should find the following: 

• The Phantom 3D Touch Device: The Phantom device uses high-fidelity force 

feedback to make it possible to touch and manipulate virtual objects. 

• The Phantom Device Guide: Describes the process of installing the device drivers 

and connecting the haptic device as well as how to work with the device including 

proper handling, troubleshooting, and device specifications. This can also be found in 

electronic form on the Freeform Modeling product CD. 

• The Freeform Kit: This kit contains a CD-ROM and this Installation Guide. 

• One of the following: 

- Parallel Port Cable: (For Phantom Desktop Units) The cable is used to attach 

the Phantom Desktop device to the computer’s parallel port. 

- FireWire® Cable: (For Phantom Omni Units) This IEEE-1394a compliant six 

pin to six pin FireWire cable is used to connect the Phantom Omni device to the 

IEEE-1394a compliant six pin FireWire port on your computer. 

• Universal Power Supply: The power supply can be used on any standard circuit, 

using the supplied power cord. 

• Power Cord: The power cord connects the Universal Power Supply to the wall outlet. 

If any items are missing, please call Support at 1-888-736-7225. 

Freeform & Freeform Plus - Installation Guide 1-1

1 GETTING STARTED 

System Requirements 


32-Bit Operating 

Systems 

This sections describes the hardware and software requirements for running the Freeform 

systems at the time of writing. Check the support section of the Web site 

www.geomagic.com for the latest system requirements information and to learn about 

specific qualified system configurations. 

Some Freeform users have had success running system configurations that deviate from 

the following. In such cases, these configurations are not officially supported by 

Geomagic, Inc. 

Additionally, we test a variety of hardware platforms in combination with the graphics 

subsystems. While we make every attempt to be as thorough as possible, hardware 

manufacturers change their products frequently and may be shipping newer products or 

have discontinued active support for others. Check the support section of the Web site for 

the latest system requirement information and specific qualified systems. 

The 32-bit editions of the Freeform software are designed to run on the Microsoft® 

Windows® XP Professional (32 bit edition), Windows® Vista (32 bit edition) or 

Windows® 7 (32 bit edition). Running the system requires the following: 

• At least 4GB of free hard disk space (1GB for application files and the rest for 

working files). Larger files may require more disk space to assure sufficient 

performance. 

• 1280 x 960 or higher display resolution 

• Either: 

- Phantom Desktop: An EPP or ECP compatible parallel port, or if using the 

Phantom Communications Converter (sold separately), an IEEE-1394a 

compatible FireWire Card. 

- Phantom Omni: IEEE-1394a compatible FireWire Card 

• Phantom Device Driver v4.2.131 or later 

Additionally, your machine must meet either the recommended or minimum requirements: 

Recommended: 

• (2) Intel Dual-Core Xeon (Woodcrest) 5150/ 2.66 GHz, 4MB L2, 1333 MHz FSB or 

better processor 

• 4GB RAM 

• Windows® XP Professional SP3, or Windows® Vista SP2, or Windows® 7 

• A compatible graphics card with drivers supporting OpenGL version 2.1 or later. (see 

Table 1 on page 3) 

1-2 Freeform & Freeform Plus - Installation Guide



64-bit Operating 

Systems 

Supported Graphics 

Cards 

The 64-bit editions of the Freeform software are designed to run on the Microsoft® 

Windows® XP (64 bit edition), Windows® Vista (64 bit edition) or Windows® 7 (64 bit 

edition). Running the system requires the following: 

• At least 4GB of free hard disk space (1GB for application files and the rest for 

working files). Larger files may require more disk space to assure sufficient 

performance. 

• 1280 x 960 or higher display resolution 

• Either: 

- Phantom Desktop: An EPP or ECP compatible parallel port, or if using the 

Phantom Communications Converter (sold separately), an IEEE-1394a 

compatible FireWire Card. 

- Phantom Omni: IEEE-1394a compatible FireWire Card 

• Phantom Device Driver v4.2.131 or later 

Additionally, your machine must meet the following requirements: 

• (2) 64 bit AMD Opteron 248 2.2 GHz processors with 1GHz-HT or (2) Intel Dual- 

Core Xeon (Woodcrest) 5150/ 2.66 GHz, 4MB L2, 1333 MHz FSB or better 

• 4GB RAM (If you will be using Autosurfacer, 8GB RAM is required for 64-bit) 

• A compatible graphics card with drivers supporting OpenGL version 2.1 or later (see 

Table 1 on page 3). 

For the most current list of graphics cards and to download drivers for use with the 

Freeform systems, visit www.geomagic.com 

Company Model Driver 

NVIDIA® Quadro FX 570 181.20 

NVIDIA Quadro FX 1500 181.20 










Table 1: Freeform-compatible graphics cards. 



Overview of the Installation Process 

Overview of the Installation Process 

The Freeform system is comprised of two components: 

• The 3D modeling application (software) 

• The Phantom haptic device and drivers (hardware and driver-software) 

Installing the system requires several steps which will vary depending on whether you are 

a new or existing Freeform user, on the particular haptic device, and the operating system 

of your PC. Each step is explained in more detail in the following chapter. For any last 

minute changes to the installation process, see the readme. 

Note Any post release information can be found on the support pages at 

www.geomagic.com. 

Installation for Existing Users 

If you already have a previous version of the Freeform system installed and you are 

upgrading, you will need to complete the steps presented in this section. The following 

chapter will guide you through the process. If you have any problems with the Phantom 

device, refer to “Appendix A: Troubleshooting” on page A-1 or to the Phantom Device 

Guide that shipped with your product. See the README for the latest information. 

The main installation steps are: 

• Start the master installer to: 

- Install the Freeform application 

- Install the latest version of the Phantom Device Driver. 

• Verify that the system operates properly. 

Installation for New Users 

To use the Freeform system, you must install various software components and set up and 

configure the Phantom device. The next chapter will guide you through the process. If you 

have any problems with the Phantom device, refer to “Appendix A: Troubleshooting” on 

page A-1 or to the Phantom Device Guide that shipped with your product. 

The main installation steps are: 

• Start the master installer to: 

- Install the Freeform application 

- Install the latest version of the Phantom Device Driver. 

• Connect the Phantom device to the computer and a power source. 

• Restart the computer. 

• Verify that the system operates properly. 


2 

Chapter 

2Installing and Operating the 

System 

Existing Freeform 

Users: 

This chapter will step you through the system installation process, help you verify that 

your system is set up properly, and describe how to properly handle the Phantom haptic 

device. The instructions are for both existing and new users except as noted. 

The Product CD found in the Freeform kit contains two types of software: 

• The Freeform application 

• The Phantom Device Driver (PDD) 

Note that, as with most other software packages, you must have administrator privileges 

on the machine in order to install. If you are unfamiliar with installing software or do not 

have administrator privileges, please see your System Administrator for more 

information. 

If you would like to unistall the previous version of Freeform, this can be done manually 

via Windows Start>Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs. 

To install the system: 1 Insert the Freeform product CD into your CD-ROM drive. The Installation Wizard 

starts automatically. 

Note If the installation wizard does not start, you will need to manually start the 

installation. Using Windows Explorer, browse the Freeform CD and locate and 

double-click the Install Wizardx.exe file (where x is either FFM or FFMP). See 

the sections below for information about installing each component. 

2 Click Install. 

3 Select the system components you want to install and click Next. The InstallShield 

Wizard will start automatically for each selected component in sequence. The 

following sections provide more information about installing each component. 

Note If you cancel the installation, you will be prompted to cancel the 

installer for each component individually. 


2 INSTALLING AND OPERATING THE SYSTEM 

Component 1: Installing the Freeform Application 

Component 1: Installing the Freeform Application 

To install the Freeform software, follow the instructions in the install wizard. When 

prompted, select the Complete installation option. Once you have installed the application 

you will need a permanent license. Choose one of the options below to contact support to 

receive a license: 

• If you are using a MAPI-compatible email client such as Microsoft® Outlook®, Outlook 

Express, or Eudora® click Help>About Licensing in the Freeform application. 

Fill out the form and click Send to Sensable. The information for your permanent 

license will automatically be included in your email request. 

• If you are not sure if your email program is MAPI-compatible, click Save to Text. 

This will enable you to save the information in the form to a text file. Then email your 

request for a permanent license along with the saved text file as an attachment to 

SensableSupport@geomagic.com. 

When you have completed the Freeform application installation, take a few moments to 

review the Readme file, which may contain important details about using the Freeform 

system. 

Component 2: Installing the Phantom Device and Drivers - An Overview 

Please see the Phantom Device Guide and Phantom Device Driver 

Installtion Guide for detailed information on installing and using your 

Phantom haptic device. 

Uninstall old PDD 

Install new PDD 

To enable communication between your computer and the Phantom device you must 

install a software driver, called the Phantom Device Drivers (PDD). We recommend that 

all users update to the most recent version of the PDD. 

This section contains a brief overview of the process for installing your Phantom device. It 

is recommended that you read the Phantom Device Guide before you install and use the 

Freeform system. The Phantom haptic device is a highly sensitive piece of equipment and 

the device guide contains important information that can help you avoid damaging the 

device. 

Existing Freeform users: Before proceeding with the installation of the Phantom Device 

Driver, you will be prompted to uninstall the previously installed device driver through the 

Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs. We recommend that all users update to the most 

recent version of the PDD. 

Install the current PDD from the Product CD. This will start automatically when you 

select to install the PDD component. 

Warning Vista and Windows 7 require special attention when installing. Do not 

proceed without reading the “Phantom Device Driver Installtion Guide.” 



Running the Freeform Application for the First Time 

Configuring the 

Phantom device 

Connecting the 

Phantom device 

After you have installed the PDD, go to the Start menu and select All 

Programs>Sensable>Phantom Configuration. You will be presented with a dialog box 

for configuring your device. Make sure that the correct Phantom model is chosen. 

Before you connect the Phantom haptic device, be sure to restart your computer. After you 

have restarted your computer, plug the Phantom device into a power source and into your 

PC as described in the Phantom Device Guide. 

Warning To lift the Phantom Desktop grab the covers and support the base 

when moving it. To lift the Phantom Omni grasp both sides of the base. Lifting a 

Phantom device by any of its moving parts may break the device. DO NOT lift by 

the stylus. 

Running the Freeform Application for the First Time 

Note Before you start working with the Freeform application, your monitor 

should be set to a minimum screen resolution of 1280 x 960. Additionally, make 

sure that your Phantom device is properly calibrated. See the Phantom Device 

Guide for details. 

Procedure To start the Freeform application: 

1 Select the Windows Start>Programs>Freeform (or the program location where the 

Freeform Modeling application will be installed in). 

2 Select the Freeform application. 

Freeform starts and displays an empty workspace. First become familiar with zooming in 

and out on a model and with moving about the workspace. 

Procedure Create and zoom out on the clay: 

1 Select File>New. The New Model dialog opens. 

2 Accept the defaults: Start with Shape, Cube, width, height, and depth of 100 mm, and 

Clay Coarseness equal to Rough Shape. Click OK. 

3 Using your standard 2D mouse, click and hold your right mouse button. Push the 

mouse away from you. That causes your view of the block of clay to zoom out, giving 

you room to work without bumping into it. 

4 Click and hold the left mouse button. Move the mouse around. Your view rotates 

freely. 

5 Click and hold both buttons to pan the view. 

Now it’s time to get acquainted with the Phantom device. 



Proper Handling of the Phantom Device 


Phantom Desktop 

IMPORTANT! 

Gripping the Phantom Desktop device improperly may damage it, so when you grasp the 

stylus, grasp it only by the black rubber grip with your fingers and thumb as shown 

below. The free end of the stylus should be pointing towards your body. Do not grab the 

end of the stylus. Also, do not rotate the stylus any further once you feel resistance. Doing 

so will damage the device. 

Calibrating the Phantom Desktop Device Periodically the Phantom Desktop will need 

to be calibrated. Gasp the grip of the Phantom stylus as you would a pen, with the free end 

of the stylus (what would be the non-writing end of a pen) pointing toward you and the 

point of the stylus (the end connected to the arm) pointing toward the unit. Explore the 

work area by moving your Phantom stylus to the left and then to right. When you reach a 

limit in either direction, you'll feel one of the device's mechanical stops. Don't force the 

device past one of these stops or you’ll risk damaging the device. 

Use the stylus to move the Freeform tool up and down the screen. Finally, explore the 

depth of the work area by moving the Phantom tool “into” and “out of” the screen by 

pushing your stylus toward or away from the base of the Phantom device. 

At some point during the above process, you may hear a click from the Phantom device 

and its light will stop flashing. That means the Phantom device has acquired the necessary 

information to properly simulate touch and you are ready to continue your initial 

exploration. If, while manipulating the Phantom Desktop tool as described above, the light 

continues to blink green, is unlit or displays some other color, please refer to Appendix A, 

"Appendix A: Troubleshooting" on page A-1. 




Phantom Omni 

Calibrating the device The Phantom Omni may need to be recalibrated from time to 

time, particularly if it has lost power. To calibrate the device, place the stylus in the 

inkwell and start your haptically enabled application. The indicator light on the Phantom 

Omni device will be a steady blue when the device is properly calibrated. 

Lifting the stylus out of the inkwell Grasp the end of the stylus and lift UP and then 

OUT as shown in the image on the left in Figure 2-1. Do NOT attempt to pull the stylus 

straight out as shown on the right. 

FIGURE 2-1. Be sure to lift the stylus in a two step motion. 

Storing the stylus After the device is calibrated, the stylus may be kept in the inkwell or 

left resting on the desk. Keep in mind that storing the stylus in the inkwell may increase 

the risk that the device will be knocked over or that the stylus damaged. 





3 

Chapter 

3Phantom Desktop: Compatibility 

with Parallel Port Dongles 

Some software packages use a hardware device called a “dongle” to ensure that the 

software is only used on the machine for which it is licensed. Usually, this device plugs 

into the parallel port of the computer. Since the Phantom Desktop device also plugs into 

this port, if you are using a software package that requires a parallel port dongle, you need 

to understand the following information. If you use a USB dongle, this section does not 

apply. 

Hardware Considerations 

You will achieve the best performance from Freeform when the Phantom Desktop is 

attached directly to the main parallel port on the computer. A second parallel port card is 

required so that the dongle for the other software package can also be used. In this 

configuration, it is recommended that the Phantom Desktop device attach to the main port 

and the dongle attach to the secondary port. Add-on parallel port cards are available for 

PCI slots at most computer stores. 

An alternate configuration that may provide sufficient performance on many computers is 

to plug the dongle into the main parallel port on the computer and plug the Phantom 

Desktop device into the back of the dongle. Although some throughput is lost in going 

through the dongle, in practice this may not prove noticeable if the computer is fast 

enough. 


3 PHANTOM DESKTOP: COMPATIBILITY WITH PARALLEL PORT DONGLES 

Software Considerations 

Software Considerations 

A dongle works by having its software “ask” the dongle whether a valid license exists. 

Early versions of this dongle “driver” software do not discriminate the dongle from other 

devices and may attempt to talk to all devices on all parallel ports. In doing so, the driver 

may attempt to erroneously communicate with the Phantom Desktop device, causing 

delays in software start up. This may have been corrected in newer versions of the dongle 

software. Additionally, there could be a parameter setting that lets you specify with which 

port the dongle software should attempt to communicate. For updated drivers or 

information on how to configure the dongle, please contact the software supplier who 

supplied the dongle. 

Because both the Phantom Desktop device drivers and the dongle drivers work at a very 

low level sending information to the various ports, they are not compatible when running 

simultaneously. As such, you should not attempt to run Freeform at the same time as a 

“dongled” application. If configured as described previously, they should run fine 

independently. 


xAppendix A: Troubleshooting 

Apendi 

This chapter provides tips for correcting some common problems that you may encounter 

when using Freeform. You can also visit the support section of the Web site for additional 

information. If you are unable to resolve your problem, please contact your authorized 

Reseller or Customer Support. 

When I start Freeform I 

get an unable to 

communicate error. 

This can happen if the Phantom device is not plugged in properly or if it is not configured 

properly. Execute the following steps, checking at each point for proper operation: 

1 Verify the power supply - Check to make sure the Phantom device is plugged in 

properly. The light on the device will be lit (and possibly flashing) if power is being 

supplied. 

2 Verify the port connection: 

• Phantom Desktop - Verify the parallel port connection - Make sure that you have 

the parallel port cable plugged into the lower port on the Phantom Desktop 

device. Make sure you have the other end plugged into the parallel port on your 

computer. 

• Phantom Omni - Verify the FireWire port connection - make sure that you have 

the FireWire cable plugged correctly into the port on the Phantom Omni device. 

Make sure you have the other end plugged into the FireWire port on your 

computer. 

3 Verify that you have the correct settings for your particular Phantom device and 

computer in the Phantom Configuration tool available from the Control Panel. 

If, after following the above steps, you are still unable to start the Freeform application, 

please contact Customer Support. 

I am not receiving 

force feedback 

The Freeform system will not return forces without a corrected calibration value. Solution: 

• If using Phantom Omni device, place stylus into the inkwell to calibrate. 

• If using the Phantom Desktop, run Phantom Test (Start>Phantom Configuration) to 

recalibrate the Phantom Desktop. 

I get an error message 

telling me that a DLL 

cannot be found. 

Either your existing installed Phantom Device Driver has become corrupt or you do not 

have the required version installed. Uninstall your existing PDD and re-install the PDD 

from the product CD. Visit www.geomagic.com for the latest system requirements 

information and to download the latest PDD. 

Freeform & Freeform Plus - Installation Guide A-1

A APPENDIX A: TROUBLESHOOTING 

The Phantom Desktop 

light does not come 

on at all. 


light is orange. 

If the Phantom Desktop device is receiving power, its light should be on. If the light is not 

on, check that the power supply (“the brick”) is plugged into a working outlet. The power 

supply’s light will be green if it’s receiving power. Then, check that the connection 

between the power supply and the Phantom Desktop device is made correctly. 

This is not a problem. When the device is plugged in, but not currently being used by an 

application, its light will be orange. That lets you know that it is receiving power. 


light is flashing 

yellow. 

This is not a problem. A flashing yellow light indicates that the power to the device and 

the parallel port have just been initially connected. Once you successfully run the 

Freeform application with the Phantom Desktop device, the light will turn green 

indicating it is receiving power. 

When running 

Freeform, the 

Phantom Desktop 

light is green and 

blinks on and off. 

A green blinking light means your Phantom Desktop device may not be properly 

calibrated. This can happen if you unplug it. To correct this situation, just run the Freeform 

application and move your stylus to all the limits of the work area: Move the stylus all the 

way up and down, right and left, and in and out. During this process, the light should turn 

a solid green, which lets you know you are ready to resume working in the Freeform 

application. If the light does not turn solid green, please contact Customer Support. 

The Freeform screen 

display is off and I get 

an error message. 

The Freeform application runs best if the display properties color settings for your 

graphics card are set to: Highest. To set your graphics card display properties: 

1 Right-click on the Windows Desktop. 

2 Select Properties from the shortcut menu. The Display Properties dialog box is 

displayed. 

3 Select the Settings tab. 

4 Select Highest from the Color quality pulldown list. 

5 Click on OK. 

Additionally, please make sure to set your display resolution to 1280 x 960 or greater. 

A-2 Freeform & Freeform Plus - Installation Guide


Phantom is clicking 

excessively upon 

launching Freeform or 

Phantom Test 

(64-bit only) 

Some amount of clicking is normal, but if you encounter clicking when you start up a 

haptically enabled application and the clicking interferes with normal use, you may need 

to adjust your hardware settings. 

First confirm that your parallel port card is properly installed by doing the following: 

1 Open your Control Panel, select System and select the Hardware tab. 

2 Select Device Manager. 

3 Expand the port settings and confirm that ITE887x is listed. ITE887x is the supported 

PCI parallel port card. If you are not using the supported card, select your card from 

the list. 

• If no parallel port card is listed, it may not be properly installed. Reinstall the card 

according to manufacturers instructions. If the problem persists and the following 

configuration settings do not fix the problem, contact Geomagic Customer support. 

• If the card is listed, verify the hardware configuration settings. 

4 To verify configuration settings, right-click the parallel port listed (shown above as 

ITE887x PCI Parallel Port) and select Properties. 

5 Select the Resources tab. 

6 Confirm that both I/O Range and IRQ resource types are present. If one or the other is 

not present, the Phantom device will be unable to communicate correctly leading to 

the clicking. If one or both is not present, reinstall the PCI parallel port card. 

7 Next, select the Port Settings tab and confirm that the Filter Resource Method is set 

to Use any interrupt assigned to the port. 

8 If this is not selected, change the setting and reboot your machine when prompted. 

I cannot get my 

Phantom device to 

work. There is and 

Interrupt Request 

Conflict (IRQ) 

If you have recently installed new hardware onto your computer, such as an Axxon 

parallel port card, and you cannot get the Phantom Device to work via 

Phantom Test, you should check to see if there is a conflict with the installed hardware, 

and Interrupt Request Conflict (IRQ). 

The following steps use the Axxon parallel port card as an example to explain how to 

check for a conflict with a newly installed device. 

1 Open your Control Panel, select System and select the Hardware tab. 

2 Select Device Manager. 

3 Within the Device Manager check to see if there is a 'Multi-port serial adaptors item' 

and expand it. 

a Right click the ITE 887x PCI and select Properties. 

b Select the Resources tab and confirm that there is an I/O Range resource type 

and an IRQ resource type. 

4 Expand the Ports (COM & LPT) item. 

a Right click the ITE887xPCI Parallel Port...item and select Properties. 



b Go to the General tab. If there is a hardware conflict, you may see a warning 

message within the Device Status area that says “This device cannot find enough 

free resources that it can use. If you want to use this device you will need to 

disable one of the other devices on this system. 

5 Check to see if there is an IRQ conflict: 

a Under the View menu select Resources by type. 

b Expand the Interrupt request (IRQ) item. 

You will see something similar to the following image if there is an IRQ conflict. 

There are two (PCI) 16 settings; an entry for the ITE 887x PCI parallel port card and one 

for the NVIDIA Quadro graphics card, which is creating an interrupt request (IRQ) 

hardware conflict. 

Changing IRQ settings: 



Warning: Changing an IRQ setting on your computer may cause the computer to fail to 

function correctly. Make a note of your system settings before making any changes in case 

you need to restore these settings. We strongly recommend that your IT representative 

make any system changes to your computer. 

To resolve conflicts with PCI or ISA cards you can either try manually setting them in 

your motherboard's BIOS or try a different slot for the newly installed device. Changing 

the slot will often successfully change the IRQ channel as well. 




xAppendix B: Customer Support 

Apendi 

Warning DO NOT OPEN THE DEVICE. Attempting to open or repair the 

device by anyone other than a certified authorized service center voids the 

manufacturer warranty and hardware maintenance contract. There are no 

serviceable components in the Phantom device or power supply. You must return 

the device for servicing. 

If you encounter any difficulties within your warranty period, you can obtain Technical 

Support through the three channels listed below. If you are out of warranty and do not 

have active maintenance, Technical Support is limited. 

• If you purchased your Phantom device from a distributor, please contact them first. 

• Customer Support can be reached via e-mail at SensableSupport@geomagic.com. 

• Customer Support can also be reached via telephone: 

- In the United States: 1-888-736-7225 

- Outside the United States: +1-781-939-7444 

Freeform & Freeform Plus - Installation Guide B-1

APPENDIX B: CUSTOMER SUPPORT 

B-2 Freeform & Freeform Plus - Installation Guide

Freeform & Freeform Plus Installation Guide - SensAble Technologies

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