Gamepad & TV
Knovis works fully with a gamepad. Connect a controller, sit back on the couch, and navigate your environments, browse items, run routes and playlists, all without touching a mouse or keyboard.
Connecting a controller
Plug in any XInput-compatible controller (Xbox controllers, most modern PC gamepads) and Knovis detects it automatically. No additional drivers or configuration needed. PlayStation controllers work too when connected via USB or with an adapter that presents them as XInput devices.
Multiple controllers and passing control
Connect as many controllers as you like. One controller drives Knovis at a time, and control is passed with a single gesture: hold both stick clicks (L3 + R3) for two seconds on any other controller. That controller rumbles briefly to confirm, Knovis shows on screen who has control, and the previous controller goes idle. Anyone can take a turn picking the next item without handing hardware around the room.
The same gesture summons Knovis back from a game or app you launched from it: hold L3 + R3 for two seconds on any controller and Knovis returns to the foreground with that controller in charge. If the controlling pad disconnects or runs out of battery, Knovis switches to another connected controller automatically.
Button map
| Action | Xbox | PlayStation |
|---|---|---|
| Move focus between items | D-pad | D-pad |
| Activate focused item | A | Cross ✕ |
| Clear focus / close viewer | B | Circle ○ |
| Save waypoint at current view | X | Square □ |
| Play / pause playlist | Y | Triangle △ |
| Pan the canvas | Left stick | Left stick |
| Fine pan | Right stick | Right stick |
| Zoom out | LT | L2 |
| Zoom in | RT | R2 |
| Previous waypoint / playlist step | LB | L1 |
| Next waypoint / playlist step | RB | R1 |
| Cycle nav panel tab | L3 (left stick click) | L3 |
| Cycle nav panel width | R3 (right stick click) | R3 |
| Fine-adjust nav panel width | Hold R3 + D-pad left/right | Hold R3 + D-pad |
| Toggle nav panel | View / Back | Share / Create |
| Open Knovis menu | Menu / Start | Options |
| Summon Knovis / take control | Hold L3 + R3 for 2 seconds | Hold L3 + R3 |
The Knovis menu
Pressing Start (or Escape on keyboard) opens the Knovis menu, a controller-friendly overlay designed for use from a distance. From here you can:
- Jump to any waypoint in the current environment
- Switch routes or start a playlist
- Open a different environment
- Access settings
- Exit Knovis
Navigate the menu with the D-pad, confirm with A, and close it with B or Start again. Everything is reachable without a mouse.
Navigating the canvas with a gamepad
D-pad focus moves between items; the currently focused item is highlighted with a selection ring. Press A to activate it. This works well in environments where items are clearly laid out in sections, since the focus jumps to the nearest item in the direction you press.
For open exploration, use the left stick to pan freely around the canvas. The triggers control zoom: hold LT to pull back and see the full environment, hold RT to zoom into detail.
Shoulder buttons step through waypoints in the active route, so you can drive a presentation or guided tour entirely from the controller.
Playlists and auto-advance
Playlists run without any controller input once started; the canvas advances automatically on the timer you set. Use the Knovis menu to start a playlist, then set the controller down. Knovis handles the rest, including triggering inline media at each step.
To pause a running playlist, press Start to open the menu. To resume, select the playlist again.
Long-press for context menu
Holding A on a focused item for about a second opens the context menu for that item, the same options you'd get from right-clicking on a mouse. From here you can edit the item, add it to a playlist, or delete it, all without leaving the couch.