How to Install a Character Overlay Device
There are many character overlay devices on the market, and their installation and usage are generally similar. Here we will take the Xudongtai HD Character Overlay Device K3A as an example to introduce step by step how to install it. After receiving the HD character overlay device, place the main unit, power adapter (some may also include a USB-to-RS232 control cable), remote control, and other accessories together. Then check the interfaces of the character overlay device and their corresponding functions, as shown below:
HD Character Overlay Device Interface Description
After reviewing the interfaces, you can start connecting the corresponding host, monitor, and other devices according to the interface type and function. The installation topology of the HD character overlay device is shown below:
HD Character Overlay Device Installation Diagram/Topology
For RS232-IN, you need to use a USB-to-RS232 control cable to connect the computer that controls the character overlay device. This computer also needs to have the USB-to-RS232 driver installed; otherwise, the connection will not work. The USB-to-RS232 control cable is shown below:
USB-to-RS232 Control Cable and Driver Software
How to Configure the HD Character Overlay Device
After completing the connections according to the topology diagram above, the device can be used normally. To output your own text content and control font size, color, position, etc., you need to download the control software for the HD Character Overlay Device K3A on the computer connected with the USB-to-RS232 control cable. The driver software is usually named 【drive_k3a.zip】. Extract it, then configure the computer’s IP settings.
Next, click 【Network & Internet Settings】, then 【Advanced Network Settings】, then 【More Network Adapter Options】. Select 【Ethernet】, right-click 【Properties】, select 【Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)】, click 【Properties】, then select 【Use the following IP address】. Enter 192.168.1.168 for 【IP Address】, 255.255.255.0 for 【Subnet Mask】, and 192.168.1.1 for 【Default Gateway】. The specific settings are shown below:
HD Character Overlay Device IP Settings
Then click 【OK】, open the 【4K60Subtitle】 folder, extract it, and double-click 【4K60Subtitle.exe】. Select 【COM1】 for the serial port (make sure the USB-to-RS232 driver is installed; the COM port depends on the driver installation and may be COM1, COM2, COM4, etc.). Set the baud rate to , click 【Add】, then 【OK】. Select 【192.168.1.168】, click 【Connect】, and you can now control the character overlay device through the software. The specific operation is shown below:
HD Character Overlay Device Software Control
In the 【Text】 field, enter the text you want to display, such as “eKL Character Overlay Device,” then click 【Send】, as shown below:
HD Character Overlay Device Text Settings
After setting the subtitle text content and style, you can use the included remote control to switch signal sources, freeze the screen, mute, switch scaling, and perform horizontal/vertical mirroring. The remote control button functions are shown below:
HD Character Overlay Device Remote Control Functions
Finally, check the manual to see which resolutions and common specifications the HD Character Overlay Device K3A supports, as shown below:
HD Character Overlay Device K3A Specifications
The HD character overlay device can be installed and configured as described above. Other character overlay devices are generally similar and can be referenced in this article. If you are unsure how to operate it, you can refer to this video tutorial: 【eKL Character Overlay Device K3A Video Tutorial】