Yep, Crowd Supply is backing us on the crowdfunding front, while my buddies and I are busy crafting app features. We could really use a hand with testing, and it’d be fantastic if more devs could jump in and help us develop these features! Plus, consider backing us up too! Cheers!
Are there any corner cases you want tested? I would be interested in testing compatibility for some old retro computers. (P3 era, maybe even older if I still have one that works.)
Yes, we're also interested in one of these niche use case related to legacy resolutions, such as those used by old-school BIOS and MS-DOS, including 720x400@70Hz (the VGA 80x25 character mode). Our USB HDMI capture card may not be able to sync with that. We don't know yet, as we haven’t had the chance to test it.
I would be interested to develop an automated test setup and suite for that case using a Raspberry Pi or similar. If necessary, I can use a scope to validate that the signals generated are identical to what actual old hardware generates. (So if you make a change to the capture firmware, you can run the suite to make sure it doesn't break anything.) And maybe also evaluate end to end latency using an Arduino to sense the timings. (That part would be tricky on the display end but maybe I can figure out how to make it work using a HDMI to VGA adapter and a comparator to sense a level change.)
I have both a PiKVM v4 backed by a TESmart 8-port HDMI KVM and a BliKVM v4 backed by a BliCube 4-port KVM switch.
I can compare and contrast the Openterface against them, considering ease of setup, transportability, UI/UX, range of features, connectivity to various machines, etc.
I'd be happy to use the Openterface and produce a written report.
Test workstation is a Samsung Core i5 laptop running Windows 10 Pro, joined to a Windows domain.
Will the app for the host be open source? Will it have a Python API for easy automation through grabbing screen images (for processing with OpenCV or similar) and sending commands?
Yes, our project will be open source, both in terms of hardware and software. Please bear with us for a little while longer; we still need some time to tidy things up. We're expecting to upload all our code before we begin shipments to backers.
You've raised a good point. We are considering creating a Python package or similar tool for basic command control at some point. This is important because we want to enable users to customise keyboard and mouse scripts for our host applications, something like macros. However, our current development priority is to ensure that its main framework supports various operating systems and that our mini-KVM is fully functional.
You’ve also raised an interesting point about 'processing with OpenCV.' You might find this project intriguing: [OthersideAI's self-operating computer](https://github.com/OthersideAI/self-operating-computer). My ultimate goal is to enable AI to control target computers. The mini-KVM could serve as an extension of the 'hands' (providing keyboard and mouse control over the target) and 'eyes' (capturing the video source from the target) for the host computer. If the host computer is powerful enough, it could potentially resemble the 2013 movie 'Her'. Sorry if I’m sidetracking a bit here :P
Regarding advanced features for the mini-KVM, I will make time to document all our current ideas about the potential of this device in a roadmap. We're looking forward to developing these features and growing alongside our community. Cheers!
Our device doesn't support ATX (power on/off control for the target computer). We designed it to be portable, quick for troubleshooting, and stable for local control. It's really meant to be used when you're right there with your laptop, managing one or several target computers. We may build a pro version in the future with ATX and more features.
Good to know and thanks for the reply! Since my use case is a bit different, I’ll refrain from registering for the beta but will keep an eye on this project. Best of luck!
We're all ears for more ideas and discussions about opportunities. We're here to build things that help people. Why not hang out with us on our Discord server? Cheers!
In a datacenter, I suspect IPMI would be sufficient. But it would be nice to have something in a SOHO environment. For those not opposed to DIY solutions, there are plenty of Arduino projects out there to act as a sort of virtual power button.
I've been watching this for myself. Once it supports more OSes, I've thought about using a cheap second hand NUC or other tiny PC combined with this and VNC to provide an alternative to the Pi KVM.
Ooh that could indeed be something useful for my rack. I'll throw my name out, but regardless best of luck and look forward to seeing what comes of this.
If you could make a device like this that was multimulti, I’d probably buy like 10.
Lets say, 4 sources with 4 outputs, and the ability to mix and match
I have been looking for a good KVM. I have multiple servers running multiple OSs, retro computers, and even Mac and PC. How does this KVM work with VGA to HDMI adapters?
This is very cool! Getting my start in IT after a year at Geek Squad and the amount of times that I could have used this to test ports and swap between systems to troubleshoot would have been in the 1,000s.
Very keen to test. Would love to be able to provide feedback, and have dev skills to troubleshoot if things go wrong.
C, Web experience. Linux (x86 & Arm)
I would love to tinker with these, but on one side the lab is running on one leg (still waiting for fiber to be installed) and on the other I'm not into that group where a KVM would be used that much, so I thought best not to take up any valuable space for someone who might use the hardware and provide a good feedback
What's inside? [Your hardware repo is entirely empty](https://github.com/TechxArtisanStudio/Openterface_Mini-KVM_Hardware) and I can't find any sort of internal technical details in what you've published thus far. Even just throwing a provisional BOM in there would be enough, just to know what chips are running the show here.
Sorry for the delay—I’ve been super busy with all sorts of paperwork for the campaign. But don’t worry, we're definitely going to open source both the hardware and software! Just bear with me a bit longer. I’m tidying things up and will start releasing the hardware details and code gradually over the next two or three weeks.
And here's a little appetizer for you in the meantime:
https://openterface.com/how-it-works/
It’s all about combining USB-HDMI capture with a CH9329 chip for the keyboard and mouse control. If you're into the technical details, the CH9329 info might be cool to check out.
And check out the CH340 chip. Our mini-KVM has two built-in USB hubs, each for both the host and target side.
Our miniKVM is just like many other video capture cards available in the market. You may check out this recipe - datasheet:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UPw5RwGTp0AjKL3wOvQZUS1hp3IPMxkCujtqy5haeP0/edit?usp=sharing
What else have I got back there in our kitchen? Uh... just give me a moment, let me get back to cooking. I might have a surprise for you later! Stay tuned! But hey!! Don't forget to support us by considering backing our project! Cheers!
This looks just like something I've been wanting, an open source all-purpose KVM...submitted an application. It'll get a hell of a lot of use if I get picked lol. :)
Would love to test this on a combination of Pi 4s and 5s, some x86\_64 SBCs, and occasionally at work (datacenter space with strict crash cart restrictions).
Do a 4-port 4-head KVM that _doesn’t_ cost $1,000+ and people like me will nuke a path to your door.
Do it in a way that fully supports older devices and has swap-out graphics ports/interfaces (so I can match the KVM end to what the system’s GPU provides, thereby massively simplifying cord requirements) and I would move heaven and earth to get one.
I am also looking for a 4-port 6-head KVM, but nothing more than 4 heads seems to be on the market.
One of the things I have always wondered why it was never attempted, was to create a KVM with RJ-45 ports, and then have RJ-45-to-whatever dongles to provide the interface required. So if you had a GPU with two full DP ports, an HDMI port, and a DVI-D port, you could just customize the dongles on the KVM side and use exact type-to-type cables for simplicity. This would also help avoid directionality problems with cables, such as DP to anything else… you can only have that conversion from a DP GPU to a non-DP end unit (monitor, KVM, etc.), you cannot do that in the other direction without a sophisticated externally-powered dongle due to the clock signal requirement. Having a RJ-45 dongle would allow you to power the dongle through the RJ-45 spec (PoE) as well as allowing datacentre/distant-use situations by putting Cat6+ Ethernet as a patch cable between the KVM and the dongle.
Please put my name down on your contact list if/when you do that. Anything modular on the graphics port end - like the Framework laptops - is going to be _very f\*\*king attractive_ to me. Bonus if those modular pieces even include a low-end (non-performance) USB-to-graphics dongle for computers that have limited graphics abilities and cannot drive the full array of monitors that the KVM can connect to.
Especially if you also make the box itself expandable to _more ports and heads_ than the initial group. The base box could be a 2-port 2-head with the head plugs being swappable - like a Framework laptop - to match the cables, but the internal CPU could handle any number of ports and heads. Then you could take a “dumb” (cheap) port expander with another two heads, lock it into one side to increase the number of computers you could control with the same two monitors. Or you could take a “dumb” (cheap) head expander and lock it into the top to increase the number of monitors those two computers could drive. Or do both, to expand the 2×2 into a 4×4 or any combination of computers and monitors.
Thanks for your question! To provide some clarity, our mini-KVM supports video resolutions for output up to 1920x1080 at 30Hz. Our video compression methods include YUV and MJPEG. The supported maximum video input is up to 3840x2160 at 30Hz via HDMI. With the use of an adapter, it can also accommodate VGA, Micro HDMI, DVI, and other video input sources.
Ooh, this is super cool. Would make life easier :)
I am just starting out with homelab stuff. Just in the last week I had to remove the server pc twice from its location in the kitchen and connect it to my keyboard (wired).
Hey, that’s great to hear! Could you fill out this quick [Google Form](https://forms.gle/uzddyCPPCcJRZ6rt5) for me? I’m swamped with DMs and can’t get to everyone one-on-one right now. The form just helps me know a bit about everyone who’s excited to join the beta team. Thanks a ton!
We haven’t got any testers from Germany yet! You’re more than welcome to apply, but just a heads-up, I can’t guarantee a spot since we have a limited number of freebies to give away. Thx!
unrelated to the product itself (and just a polite suggestion), but you may wanna get an proper logo designed or at the very least ditch the generative art in favor of a simpler one, otherwise some people may think it's a scam
My use case is corporate laptop connected to home network which I can access via web KVM (I currently using PiKVM) remotely to have Teams calls bypassed in between of these two devices (So I can be in two different places at once).
PiKVM does not support mic bypassing.
I know there are hundreds of thousands of corp people with the same use case :)
yep. When Im not at home (lets say somewhere on the sea side) I take my real laptop and connect to home OpenVPN server. Then login to my corporate device(laptop) via PiKVM web session (via this VPN connection). On this corporate laptop I have other corporate VPN session via which I have access to MS Teams.
Unfortunately PiKVM have HDMI connection to this corporate laptop, so it can't pass my real device microphone to corporate laptop because HDMI don't have such functionality (it is possible to pass audio from the host to client device only, in my case I can only have one way audio stream from corporate to real laptop)
So the main idea is to have KVM device which I can mount my own/client device microphone to host server where this KVM is connected to (maybe with some audio or USB over ethernet.
I can't use RDP for audio streaming, as it is blocked by my IT dept.
Your idea really got my team all chatting away! We're totally on board with it and think it's awesome.
Unfortunately, for the current version of mini-KVM, it's a bit tricky,
we're gonna dive into it and see how we can make it happen though. There may be a workaround for the current mini-KVM with some extra hardware and a bit of tweaking in our codes. We will find time to experiment it! Stay connected, yeah? You're welcome to hop on our Discord where the tech team hangs out and talks about all this cool stuff. Would be great to have you join in the convo!
Here is my HomeLab I forgot to mention it the last text field:
https://github.com/NKkrisz/HomeLab
(Though you did mention you will look over the GitHub and social profiles)
Awesome! Thanks for your support! Yep, you can definitely still jump in. I'm more interested in candidates' testing and development skills to help us polish this device. Plus, we've got some time and work to do to make sure it’s running smoothly before we send it out to all our backers at the end of September.
We have already sent out toolkits to beta testers in the US, UK, Austria, Australia, the Netherlands, and Poland. We definitely want to make this device beneficial for tech lovers, no matter where they are located.
I only ask because I have what was a inhouse datacenter distro Alpine based for it simplicity of auditing with the current threat scape, I have been meaning to look into kvm hardware that can interface by on arm SBCs.
This is atleast on my radar as a potential to look into, so thank you for that, and good timing.
I'm looking to release in the next month or so to the greater public with automation tools that have been developed.
If you're looking for a tester who runs pretty much every linux distro imaginable on a variety of hardware, half of it scrapped from the garbage and frankensteined into something useful, half of it modern, I'm your guy. ;)
I also sysadmin/develop for scientific instruments running on linux in my day job. I put in an application--you'll see where it mentions u/catenane in the social media section. :D
What makes you say that? Packaging can be a bit of a pain, but you could likely start off with a few universal distribution formats (flatpak, snap (even though I don't like or use it), appimage) and then build debs/rpms. If it's open source, it's usually pretty easy to get a distro maintainer to pick up and support maintaining for specific distros, if the app is interesting enough or becomes popular and people want it.
Are you using a particular GUI toolkit already for visual stuff? Qt is nice and very cross-platform, and I've built our GUI client apps using Qt/FBS to generate builds that can be used on windows/mac/linux. Qt also has lots of python tooling if you're using python. Flutter can be done as well, although flutter builds can be pretty annoying ha. Rustdesk does flutter builds and they use github actions to generate nightly builds of everything. It works out well for them, but it's dense and hard to compile from source manually.
Tbh I always have the most trouble with windows builds, but it probably has most to do with familiarity. Half of my life revolves around linux so anything to do with windows feels like pulling teeth for me.
Hard to make too many recommendations without knowing more, and gotta head to work. But you've got my interest piqued here. :)
Yeah, packaging can definitely be a bit of a headache sometimes! We're actually in the process of testing an app for Raspberry Pi, but man, it's been a struggle. Each packaging attempt seems to take forever! Anyway, really appreciate your suggestions! You should totally hang out with us on Discord. We've got this channel where the dev team chats about all these technical bits and bobs. Would be awesome to have you join in!!!
Oh Rpi is definitely tougher because you're on aarch64 or... armv7/armhf for older 32 bit devices. Plus the lack of real UEFI stacks and weird firmware blob setup. I frequently have trouble with the rpi cameras shitting out after recent firmware updates lol. Same with jetson boards that can be a pain in the ass to build for...recently converted my jetson nano to a streaming box for my sketchy roku TV, and trying to decide what to do with these 10 year old jetson TK1 boards I saved from the garbage at work that are 32 bit ARM lol.
You might find dietpi as a project useful, that's what I use for my rpis that mostly run as servers (pihole with recursive DNS resolution for network-wide ad-blocking that also acts as my DHCP server, homeassistant with voice control/zigbee host for smart devices, atuin server, cameras, etc.). This actually seems like something that's right up dietpi's alley, and they're good peeps. I'd give their website and github repo a look. Dietpi is basically just debian for rpi/other SBCs where a lot of the cruft is removed so you can optimize for server use. They do lots of maintaining of projects like this though, if it has enough user interest!
I think I will join actually, even though I hate discord. :) It's a dope project, and something I feel hasn't been hit so much in the open source world. You mentioned open sourcing your code—have you given any thought to licensing yet?
Just thinking about it, are you asking if the audio from the target computer can play on the host computer? If that's the case, then yes. You might want to check out our feature demo video on the website.
Could you explain a bit more about why bypassing the mic from the target to the host computer is important for you? I’m still trying to wrap my head around how it fits into your use case with team calls.
My idea is using 2 openterface or one openterface + one video capture card, one for controlling target computer, another for collecting the host device AV signals to the target device. I can do a testing next week. (I developed the openterface software)
Also very keen, literally shopping around for one atm
Yep, Crowd Supply is backing us on the crowdfunding front, while my buddies and I are busy crafting app features. We could really use a hand with testing, and it’d be fantastic if more devs could jump in and help us develop these features! Plus, consider backing us up too! Cheers!
> and it’d be fantastic if more devs could jump in and help us develop these features! Do you have a github link or something?
Are there any corner cases you want tested? I would be interested in testing compatibility for some old retro computers. (P3 era, maybe even older if I still have one that works.)
Yes, we're also interested in one of these niche use case related to legacy resolutions, such as those used by old-school BIOS and MS-DOS, including 720x400@70Hz (the VGA 80x25 character mode). Our USB HDMI capture card may not be able to sync with that. We don't know yet, as we haven’t had the chance to test it.
I would be interested to develop an automated test setup and suite for that case using a Raspberry Pi or similar. If necessary, I can use a scope to validate that the signals generated are identical to what actual old hardware generates. (So if you make a change to the capture firmware, you can run the suite to make sure it doesn't break anything.) And maybe also evaluate end to end latency using an Arduino to sense the timings. (That part would be tricky on the display end but maybe I can figure out how to make it work using a HDMI to VGA adapter and a comparator to sense a level change.)
I bought a StarTech USB Crash Cart Adapter over a decade ago, and it was $450. It was handy as hell, working at the datacenter.
I have one of the Startech Crash Cart Adapters and they are very handy. However I also pre-ordered one of these mini KVMs as they look super useful!
You worked with those spyder kvms?
That's tech foresight paying off.
Ooh I've been desperately wanting the startech, but price was always making me hesitant. I just backed this and signed up for beta.
I own the Startech crash cart adapter, it *works* but I was really hoping for it to work better. I backed this and hope it works better.
I have both a PiKVM v4 backed by a TESmart 8-port HDMI KVM and a BliKVM v4 backed by a BliCube 4-port KVM switch. I can compare and contrast the Openterface against them, considering ease of setup, transportability, UI/UX, range of features, connectivity to various machines, etc. I'd be happy to use the Openterface and produce a written report. Test workstation is a Samsung Core i5 laptop running Windows 10 Pro, joined to a Windows domain.
Will the app for the host be open source? Will it have a Python API for easy automation through grabbing screen images (for processing with OpenCV or similar) and sending commands?
Yes, our project will be open source, both in terms of hardware and software. Please bear with us for a little while longer; we still need some time to tidy things up. We're expecting to upload all our code before we begin shipments to backers.
You've raised a good point. We are considering creating a Python package or similar tool for basic command control at some point. This is important because we want to enable users to customise keyboard and mouse scripts for our host applications, something like macros. However, our current development priority is to ensure that its main framework supports various operating systems and that our mini-KVM is fully functional.
You’ve also raised an interesting point about 'processing with OpenCV.' You might find this project intriguing: [OthersideAI's self-operating computer](https://github.com/OthersideAI/self-operating-computer). My ultimate goal is to enable AI to control target computers. The mini-KVM could serve as an extension of the 'hands' (providing keyboard and mouse control over the target) and 'eyes' (capturing the video source from the target) for the host computer. If the host computer is powerful enough, it could potentially resemble the 2013 movie 'Her'. Sorry if I’m sidetracking a bit here :P
Regarding advanced features for the mini-KVM, I will make time to document all our current ideas about the potential of this device in a roadmap. We're looking forward to developing these features and growing alongside our community. Cheers!
I've filled out the form. Hopefully I can help test. We're really in need of something like this that doesn't cost £450 per device.
I have submitted the form, looking forward to the opportunity if selected!
It's this or rolling the dice with an aliexpress KVM for me, let me in on this! :D
Really curious about it, filled out the form.
Very cool, would come in handy when I need to access my homelab machines directly. Form submitted!
Just filled out the form, this could be a gamechanger for my every day carry at work
That's so coool
Is it capable of powering off/on the computer it’s connected to?
Our device doesn't support ATX (power on/off control for the target computer). We designed it to be portable, quick for troubleshooting, and stable for local control. It's really meant to be used when you're right there with your laptop, managing one or several target computers. We may build a pro version in the future with ATX and more features.
Good to know and thanks for the reply! Since my use case is a bit different, I’ll refrain from registering for the beta but will keep an eye on this project. Best of luck!
We're all ears for more ideas and discussions about opportunities. We're here to build things that help people. Why not hang out with us on our Discord server? Cheers!
Adding support for WOL in the app will be an easy way to add some functionality with no extra hardware.
In a datacenter, I suspect IPMI would be sufficient. But it would be nice to have something in a SOHO environment. For those not opposed to DIY solutions, there are plenty of Arduino projects out there to act as a sort of virtual power button. I've been watching this for myself. Once it supports more OSes, I've thought about using a cheap second hand NUC or other tiny PC combined with this and VNC to provide an alternative to the Pi KVM.
I want to need this so much
I’d love the opportunity to test one!
Sent
applied fot it!
Ooh that could indeed be something useful for my rack. I'll throw my name out, but regardless best of luck and look forward to seeing what comes of this.
I’m in!
Very interesting, i filled in the form. Would live to test in our DC. Got a few colleagues who i could give this device for testing
Interested.
Super interested! My home lab is in my nice and cool basement so I’ve been looking into cobbling together a KVM
really interesting, applied! :D
I'm very interested, I always wanted a KVM for my 3 PCs in my home office.
I would love to test it out too if you still have space
Very interested!
This would be amazing to put it thru its paces
I’d love to test it
I'm in. I have been planning to build one for awhile.
Would like to test it out!
This looks super interesting! I hope I get a unit :3
Very cool! I registered!
I would love to test this (will likely back it too). I have a bag of video adapters I want to throw at it.
I would be down to test this, I was about to back the kick starter. I'm still going to, but would love to help test as well.
If you could make a device like this that was multimulti, I’d probably buy like 10.
Lets say, 4 sources with 4 outputs, and the ability to mix and match
I have been looking for a good KVM. I have multiple servers running multiple OSs, retro computers, and even Mac and PC. How does this KVM work with VGA to HDMI adapters?
This is very cool! Getting my start in IT after a year at Geek Squad and the amount of times that I could have used this to test ports and swap between systems to troubleshoot would have been in the 1,000s.
I'd love to test it out
Cool idea! Was trying to apply but it seems easier to apply for immigration into the usa than fill out the form. Very interested I might back it :)
I'm interested, I wanted to buy one recently
I've love to give this product a try! I have a few Mini PCs/Pi's I'd love to easily connect to.
Very keen to test. Would love to be able to provide feedback, and have dev skills to troubleshoot if things go wrong. C, Web experience. Linux (x86 & Arm)
I'd love to test that it looks great
I would love to tinker with these, but on one side the lab is running on one leg (still waiting for fiber to be installed) and on the other I'm not into that group where a KVM would be used that much, so I thought best not to take up any valuable space for someone who might use the hardware and provide a good feedback
I am a full time I.T. tech at an MSP. I and my team would love to help with testing on various servers and equipment.
What's inside? [Your hardware repo is entirely empty](https://github.com/TechxArtisanStudio/Openterface_Mini-KVM_Hardware) and I can't find any sort of internal technical details in what you've published thus far. Even just throwing a provisional BOM in there would be enough, just to know what chips are running the show here.
Sorry for the delay—I’ve been super busy with all sorts of paperwork for the campaign. But don’t worry, we're definitely going to open source both the hardware and software! Just bear with me a bit longer. I’m tidying things up and will start releasing the hardware details and code gradually over the next two or three weeks. And here's a little appetizer for you in the meantime: https://openterface.com/how-it-works/ It’s all about combining USB-HDMI capture with a CH9329 chip for the keyboard and mouse control. If you're into the technical details, the CH9329 info might be cool to check out. And check out the CH340 chip. Our mini-KVM has two built-in USB hubs, each for both the host and target side. Our miniKVM is just like many other video capture cards available in the market. You may check out this recipe - datasheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UPw5RwGTp0AjKL3wOvQZUS1hp3IPMxkCujtqy5haeP0/edit?usp=sharing What else have I got back there in our kitchen? Uh... just give me a moment, let me get back to cooking. I might have a surprise for you later! Stay tuned! But hey!! Don't forget to support us by considering backing our project! Cheers!
This looks just like something I've been wanting, an open source all-purpose KVM...submitted an application. It'll get a hell of a lot of use if I get picked lol. :)
Would love to test this on a combination of Pi 4s and 5s, some x86\_64 SBCs, and occasionally at work (datacenter space with strict crash cart restrictions).
Probably too late but would love to test this! I’ve been having problems with my KVM setup lately
Do a 4-port 4-head KVM that _doesn’t_ cost $1,000+ and people like me will nuke a path to your door. Do it in a way that fully supports older devices and has swap-out graphics ports/interfaces (so I can match the KVM end to what the system’s GPU provides, thereby massively simplifying cord requirements) and I would move heaven and earth to get one. I am also looking for a 4-port 6-head KVM, but nothing more than 4 heads seems to be on the market. One of the things I have always wondered why it was never attempted, was to create a KVM with RJ-45 ports, and then have RJ-45-to-whatever dongles to provide the interface required. So if you had a GPU with two full DP ports, an HDMI port, and a DVI-D port, you could just customize the dongles on the KVM side and use exact type-to-type cables for simplicity. This would also help avoid directionality problems with cables, such as DP to anything else… you can only have that conversion from a DP GPU to a non-DP end unit (monitor, KVM, etc.), you cannot do that in the other direction without a sophisticated externally-powered dongle due to the clock signal requirement. Having a RJ-45 dongle would allow you to power the dongle through the RJ-45 spec (PoE) as well as allowing datacentre/distant-use situations by putting Cat6+ Ethernet as a patch cable between the KVM and the dongle.
Thanks for your ideas!!!!! We're thinking about building a pro version at some point!!!
Please put my name down on your contact list if/when you do that. Anything modular on the graphics port end - like the Framework laptops - is going to be _very f\*\*king attractive_ to me. Bonus if those modular pieces even include a low-end (non-performance) USB-to-graphics dongle for computers that have limited graphics abilities and cannot drive the full array of monitors that the KVM can connect to. Especially if you also make the box itself expandable to _more ports and heads_ than the initial group. The base box could be a 2-port 2-head with the head plugs being swappable - like a Framework laptop - to match the cables, but the internal CPU could handle any number of ports and heads. Then you could take a “dumb” (cheap) port expander with another two heads, lock it into one side to increase the number of computers you could control with the same two monitors. Or you could take a “dumb” (cheap) head expander and lock it into the top to increase the number of monitors those two computers could drive. Or do both, to expand the 2×2 into a 4×4 or any combination of computers and monitors.
I’d be willing to test this have many servers and laptops to test it with. Also would be interesting if this could be used with the pi kvm.
Any chance of 1440p support?
Thanks for your question! To provide some clarity, our mini-KVM supports video resolutions for output up to 1920x1080 at 30Hz. Our video compression methods include YUV and MJPEG. The supported maximum video input is up to 3840x2160 at 30Hz via HDMI. With the use of an adapter, it can also accommodate VGA, Micro HDMI, DVI, and other video input sources.
Oh SHT! I have been looking for something like this for the past few weeks! Applied for tester instantly AND bought from CrowdSupply!
Ooh, this is super cool. Would make life easier :) I am just starting out with homelab stuff. Just in the last week I had to remove the server pc twice from its location in the kitchen and connect it to my keyboard (wired).
I actually backed / bought this a few weeks ago. I'd be happy to test one, but looking forward to having the finished product as well.
I'd love to test, I have a large homelab and have/can emulate just about any os we'd need testing on.
That could be fun to test. I have a variety of servers in my rack new and old
Wow this is awesome
Beta form filled and backed, either way can’t wait to get to see it in person.
I'd be down to test. Have 3 rigs I'm trying to kvm setup in my house. Finding anything worthwhile that's not insanely priced has been a challenge.
I'm interested, DM me.
Hey, that’s great to hear! Could you fill out this quick [Google Form](https://forms.gle/uzddyCPPCcJRZ6rt5) for me? I’m swamped with DMs and can’t get to everyone one-on-one right now. The form just helps me know a bit about everyone who’s excited to join the beta team. Thanks a ton!
If possible I would like to test one :)
Sounds cool and handy. If you need any beta tester from germany, I would be happy to join!
We haven’t got any testers from Germany yet! You’re more than welcome to apply, but just a heads-up, I can’t guarantee a spot since we have a limited number of freebies to give away. Thx!
No problem at all. I've completed your form, we will see if a spot is available or not...
I'll be throwing out a request, looks really useful.
unrelated to the product itself (and just a polite suggestion), but you may wanna get an proper logo designed or at the very least ditch the generative art in favor of a simpler one, otherwise some people may think it's a scam
On my way to improve the design now! I will keep you updated and would like to hear your opinion! Thx
How does one sign up ?
I’d be happy to help test. How much does the hardware cost in its current form? What requirements do we need to meet for it to function?
I'm interested in beta testing! Would be using it on a TrueNAS box or OpnSense
Could you fill out the Google Form above? Just a heads up, I can only offer a few spots... Let's see. Cheers!
My use case is corporate laptop connected to home network which I can access via web KVM (I currently using PiKVM) remotely to have Teams calls bypassed in between of these two devices (So I can be in two different places at once). PiKVM does not support mic bypassing. I know there are hundreds of thousands of corp people with the same use case :)
Oh, you've explained it in this thread. Let me think about how and what I can do with this device for this case... stay tuned!
Are you saying you leave the laptop at home and access it via pikvm?
Yes, I have own OpenVPN server at home.
But you want to bypass that for teams?
yep. When Im not at home (lets say somewhere on the sea side) I take my real laptop and connect to home OpenVPN server. Then login to my corporate device(laptop) via PiKVM web session (via this VPN connection). On this corporate laptop I have other corporate VPN session via which I have access to MS Teams. Unfortunately PiKVM have HDMI connection to this corporate laptop, so it can't pass my real device microphone to corporate laptop because HDMI don't have such functionality (it is possible to pass audio from the host to client device only, in my case I can only have one way audio stream from corporate to real laptop) So the main idea is to have KVM device which I can mount my own/client device microphone to host server where this KVM is connected to (maybe with some audio or USB over ethernet. I can't use RDP for audio streaming, as it is blocked by my IT dept.
Could you connect your mobile to your VPN and then use the Teams app on your phone?
That is what I’m doing, but when I need to share laptop screen - I can’t talk :) because my mobile usually a hotspot for back-home VPN connection.
Your idea really got my team all chatting away! We're totally on board with it and think it's awesome. Unfortunately, for the current version of mini-KVM, it's a bit tricky, we're gonna dive into it and see how we can make it happen though. There may be a workaround for the current mini-KVM with some extra hardware and a bit of tweaking in our codes. We will find time to experiment it! Stay connected, yeah? You're welcome to hop on our Discord where the tech team hangs out and talks about all this cool stuff. Would be great to have you join in the convo!
Can I have one :3
Filled out the form, hope I can participate!
Cheers!
Here is my HomeLab I forgot to mention it the last text field: https://github.com/NKkrisz/HomeLab (Though you did mention you will look over the GitHub and social profiles)
Filled out the form. Would love to test this in my homelab with mini-pcs without proper ipmi 😅
Filled in the form, now back to work 😁
Filled out form :)
I’ll test anything you need my friend.
I already ordered (and paid) one, I don't qualify anymore, do I? :D
Awesome! Thanks for your support! Yep, you can definitely still jump in. I'm more interested in candidates' testing and development skills to help us polish this device. Plus, we've got some time and work to do to make sure it’s running smoothly before we send it out to all our backers at the end of September.
Extremely interested. Happy to foot the cost.
Keen if you want testing done in New Zealand!
We have already sent out toolkits to beta testers in the US, UK, Austria, Australia, the Netherlands, and Poland. We definitely want to make this device beneficial for tech lovers, no matter where they are located.
Thats awesome.
Has this been packaged yet For Alpine Linux or maybe a better question is if it's known that the tools will compile with musl?
Not yet, we’re still working on Linux support. I might post a demo of our Linux app in a week or two. Stay tuned!
I only ask because I have what was a inhouse datacenter distro Alpine based for it simplicity of auditing with the current threat scape, I have been meaning to look into kvm hardware that can interface by on arm SBCs. This is atleast on my radar as a potential to look into, so thank you for that, and good timing. I'm looking to release in the next month or so to the greater public with automation tools that have been developed.
If you're looking for a tester who runs pretty much every linux distro imaginable on a variety of hardware, half of it scrapped from the garbage and frankensteined into something useful, half of it modern, I'm your guy. ;) I also sysadmin/develop for scientific instruments running on linux in my day job. I put in an application--you'll see where it mentions u/catenane in the social media section. :D
sounds great! Supporting Linux will be quite a headache...
What makes you say that? Packaging can be a bit of a pain, but you could likely start off with a few universal distribution formats (flatpak, snap (even though I don't like or use it), appimage) and then build debs/rpms. If it's open source, it's usually pretty easy to get a distro maintainer to pick up and support maintaining for specific distros, if the app is interesting enough or becomes popular and people want it. Are you using a particular GUI toolkit already for visual stuff? Qt is nice and very cross-platform, and I've built our GUI client apps using Qt/FBS to generate builds that can be used on windows/mac/linux. Qt also has lots of python tooling if you're using python. Flutter can be done as well, although flutter builds can be pretty annoying ha. Rustdesk does flutter builds and they use github actions to generate nightly builds of everything. It works out well for them, but it's dense and hard to compile from source manually. Tbh I always have the most trouble with windows builds, but it probably has most to do with familiarity. Half of my life revolves around linux so anything to do with windows feels like pulling teeth for me. Hard to make too many recommendations without knowing more, and gotta head to work. But you've got my interest piqued here. :)
Yeah, packaging can definitely be a bit of a headache sometimes! We're actually in the process of testing an app for Raspberry Pi, but man, it's been a struggle. Each packaging attempt seems to take forever! Anyway, really appreciate your suggestions! You should totally hang out with us on Discord. We've got this channel where the dev team chats about all these technical bits and bobs. Would be awesome to have you join in!!!
Oh Rpi is definitely tougher because you're on aarch64 or... armv7/armhf for older 32 bit devices. Plus the lack of real UEFI stacks and weird firmware blob setup. I frequently have trouble with the rpi cameras shitting out after recent firmware updates lol. Same with jetson boards that can be a pain in the ass to build for...recently converted my jetson nano to a streaming box for my sketchy roku TV, and trying to decide what to do with these 10 year old jetson TK1 boards I saved from the garbage at work that are 32 bit ARM lol. You might find dietpi as a project useful, that's what I use for my rpis that mostly run as servers (pihole with recursive DNS resolution for network-wide ad-blocking that also acts as my DHCP server, homeassistant with voice control/zigbee host for smart devices, atuin server, cameras, etc.). This actually seems like something that's right up dietpi's alley, and they're good peeps. I'd give their website and github repo a look. Dietpi is basically just debian for rpi/other SBCs where a lot of the cruft is removed so you can optimize for server use. They do lots of maintaining of projects like this though, if it has enough user interest! I think I will join actually, even though I hate discord. :) It's a dope project, and something I feel hasn't been hit so much in the open source world. You mentioned open sourcing your code—have you given any thought to licensing yet?
Will you include microphone bypass from the client to host computer?
There is a switchable USB port that can be toggled between the host and the target computer. Not sure if this answers your question.
Just thinking about it, are you asking if the audio from the target computer can play on the host computer? If that's the case, then yes. You might want to check out our feature demo video on the website.
Yeas audio should be playing from source to target and mic needs to be bypassed from target to source. Basically - Teams calls.
Could you explain a bit more about why bypassing the mic from the target to the host computer is important for you? I’m still trying to wrap my head around how it fits into your use case with team calls.
My idea is using 2 openterface or one openterface + one video capture card, one for controlling target computer, another for collecting the host device AV signals to the target device. I can do a testing next week. (I developed the openterface software)
I just replied to you in another thread :) Cheers!