That is a great question. The collaboration between Xencelabs and HP Anyware was developed to give our professional artist who work remotely a secure alternative to connecting remotely to create their artwork.
Note: Currently, Xencelabs macOS driver does not support HP Anyware. The driver team is working on creating compatibility between HP Anyware and Xencelabs macOS.
Customer Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Responsiveness | Locally terminated mode delivers near-native input responsiveness, low latency, and real-time pressure control. |
| Feature Completeness | In bridged mode, the full suite of Xencelabs drivers on the host allows advanced features, OLED shortcuts, presets, dial functions, to operate within apps like Photoshop or Maya. |
| Cross-Platform Support | Works across Windows, Linux, and macOS clients and host agents, flexibility for remote artists using diverse setups. |
| Simplified Setup | Pen displays connect and forward via Anyware's USB menu; auto-forwarding streamlines session initiation. |
| Consistent Remote Studio | Artists retain the tactile feel and precision of their local pen tablet while accessing powerful remote GPUs and software tools. |
| Secure and Efficient | With HP Anyware’s PCoIP protocol, only encrypted pixel data traverses networks—no raw pen input is exposed, protecting sensitive creative workflows. |
How Xencelabs and HP Anyware work together
1. USB Redirection & Dual Modes
The Anyware Software Client supports Xencelabs devices in two ways:
Locally terminated mode: Pen input (such as strokes and pressure) is processed on your local machine for ultra-responsive performance.
Bridged mode: All pen data travels to the remote host (Windows or Linux) for processing—ideal when you rely on host-installed drivers & apps
Supported on Windows, Linux, and macOS clients connecting to Windows/Linux agents—so artists can work from nearly any device
2. Easy USB Connection
Use the Anyware client menu (Connection → USB devices) to forward Xencelabs Pen hardware like any standard USB device
Automatic USB-forwarding rules ensure the pen display attaches each session, reducing setup friction
3. Optimized Creative Experience
The dual-mode setup gives artists pixel-perfect pen control, responsive pressure curves, and color-accurate strokes, even when working remotely.
When pen processing is local, latency is minimized; when remote, you still benefit from full driver/OS integration on the host end.
4. Workflow Consistency
Xencelabs Pens v2 now seamlessly switch between Display and Tablet modes, whether local or remote, letting artists maintain muscle memory across tools
Real-World Use Case
An animation artist working remotely in Blender might:
Launch HP Anyware client on the client's computer.
Connect USB-forwarded Pen Displays and Pen Tablets via the connection menu, selecting locally terminated mode.
Use the Pen Display and Pen Tablet with accurate pressure sensitivity and low lag while driving Blender in a Linux workstation in the cloud.
Access host-side features like custom shortcut presets on the Pen Tablet thanks to driver integration in bridged mode.
Switch seamlessly if switching apps or needing features only available through the host.
In Summary
Pairing an Xencelabs Pen Display or Pen Tablet with HP Anyware gives artists:
Fluid, pressure-sensitive pen input
Full driver-based feature access
Cross-platform consistency
Transparent pen connection via USB forwarding
Secure, server-powered remote creativity
For further assistance or inquiries, contact the Xencelabs Customer Care team at CustomerCare@xencelabs.com.
