Windows 10: Single keyboard - multiple machines --any such animal

Discus and support Single keyboard - multiple machines --any such animal in Windows 10 Drivers and Hardware to solve the problem; Hi there I'd really love a keyboard that had say 4 buttons on it --like Fn buttons that would switch output to any one of 4 machines -- such a... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Drivers and Hardware' started by jimbo45, May 1, 2016.

  1. jimbo45 Win User

    Single keyboard - multiple machines --any such animal


    Hi there

    I'd really love a keyboard that had say 4 buttons on it --like Fn buttons that would switch output to any one of 4 machines -- such a simple idea but why nobody hasn't yet got one out on the market I can't understand it

    I'm really FED up with messing around with two / 3 physical keyboards and I don't want a USB switch box on my desk.

    All the keyboard would need is 4 USB outs (or 4 receivers for wireless) the active connection being made by a key press on the keyboard. In fact the only difficulty would be the right receiver for the wireless transmitter but that is easily solved by say a different colour key on the keyboard and an id (same colour) on the receiver.

    I'm sure some of you testing several machines on a workbench have faced similar problems of multiple keyboards.

    Any budding entrepreneurs out there --I'm sure loads of you have felt a need for this type of keyboard. Maybe there is one - but not seen at all !!.

    Any engineers -- any idea how I could even consruct one --I'm quite handy with a Soldering Iron etc.

    Cheers
    jimbo

    :)
     
    jimbo45, May 1, 2016
    #1

  2. Do I need to download the upgrade for each machine or can I install to each machine from a single download?

    Original Title: Single or multiple downloads

    I have at least 4 PCs and laptops at home showing the upgrade symbol. I saw on another thread that I need to reserve the upgrade from each machine. Do I need to download the upgrade for each machine or can I install to each machine from a single download.
     
    RobertTrigger, May 1, 2016
    #2
  3. Gorman NZ Win User
    Microsoft Designer Keyboard issues on Windows 10

    I am facing this issue as well.

    Multiple machines all have the same problem.

    When the keyboard is connected, whenever I hit one of the function keys the keyboard locks up for a couple of minutes.

    This happens on all machines I have connected the designer keyboard to.
     
    Gorman NZ, May 1, 2016
    #3
  4. Kari Win User

    Single keyboard - multiple machines --any such animal

    Kari, May 1, 2016
    #4
  5. jimbo45 Win User
    Hi @Kari

    That's a great idea if all the machines you are using have GUI's and mouse input -- I still use CLI's on machines so I think for me the keyboard switch might work better. Note I'm also using a Mix of Linux and Windows Machines too.

    I've jury rigged an old keyboard with a 4 way USB Hub and a USB Male to Female adapter - but what I actually need is a way to only output ONE output to a specific USB slot so when I hit the keys only ONE machine gets output. Anyway the setup looks a bit "Heath Robinson" but I'm sure I'm on the right lines. How to direct I/O (actually only output is needed) to a specific USB slot is a bit beyond my understanding currently but I'm sure it's do-able -- well we are never to old to start learning !!!!! --It's quite possible to initiate a program on Windows and LINUX to activate a script or whatever when a key is struck -- the Hardware interrupt would obviously run on the machine that has the Focus to return control to the "keyboard switcher" module. How to code this though !!! ????.

    " Back to Engineering School" I think !!! I'll find some way of doing this as I can't be the only one playing around with several physical machines on a Workbench with different HOST OS'es running on them at the same time !!!!.

    Cheers
    jimbo
     
    jimbo45, May 2, 2016
    #5
  6. pcgeek11 Win User
    I take it you don't like KVM switches?
     
    pcgeek11, May 3, 2016
    #6
  7. CountMike New Member
    Are there any with USB and DVI/HDMI ? Never seen any.
     
    CountMike, May 3, 2016
    #7
  8. jimbo45 Win User

    Single keyboard - multiple machines --any such animal

    Hi there.

    It would be SO much easier to have 4 receivers (wireless) connected to USB ports on the computers and simply a switch (Key) on the keyboard to choose the right frequency-- No messy wires etc.

    I'm messing around with 2 Laptops and 2 Servers (desktop type) and I don't want loads of cables. I know one get around is to run RDP (or equivalent) on the HOST machine -- but I also would like to see what the real screens look like on the physical computers.

    Switchboxes just increase the number of cables around !!! -- simplest would be a "multi" wireless keyboard --shouldn't be too hard to make one and I'm sure there would be a decent market for this.

    Maybe I'll get one of my Chinese / Korean colleagues to see what a factory could do in Taiwan / China / Hong Kong / S.Korea.

    The spec is simple --bog standard wireless keyboard with 3 extra transmitter frequencies (4 in total but only 1 transmitter needed) and receivers (4) with 4 extra keys to switch to the appropriate transmitter frequency.

    I might have a go to see if I can unplug the transmitter modules from 3 old keyboards --they all have different frequencies, and see if I can set a key to operate the switch --.

    If I break the old hardware - doesn't matter --all part of the learning process and this stuff was destined for a one way trip to the tip anyway!!!

    I'm sure this could easily be done as a High School science project (if people these days are taught engineering any more !!!).

    Cheers
    jimbo
     
    jimbo45, May 3, 2016
    #8
  9. CountMike New Member
    Frequencies are not a problem any more, all wireless KBs and mice work on 2.4GHz WiFi and BT 2.4GHz and are digital, so it's only a protocol and probably IP.
     
    CountMike, May 3, 2016
    #9
  10. pcgeek11 Win User
    I don't use DVI or HDMI on my computers so I wouldn't know... Never looked.

    Made me curious and I looked! These are just the first two I found.

    Yes they do have USB and DVI here: Amazon.com: StarTech.com 2 Port DVI VGA Dual Monitor KVM Switch USB with Audio USB 2.0 Hub - Dual Monitor KVM Switch DVI and VGA: Electronics

    And with USB and HDMI Here: Amazon.com: IOGEAR 4-Port HDMI Multimedia KVM Switch with Audio, USB 2.0 Hub and HDMI KVM Cables GCS1794: Electronics
     
    pcgeek11, May 4, 2016
    #10
  11. CountMike New Member
    First one is VGA with manual switching but second one looks good although sound is not normally needed and adds to cable clutter.
     
    CountMike, May 4, 2016
    #11
  12. jimbo45 Win User
    Hi there

    The whole point was to avoid cable clutter -- one can easily do it with a switchbox but that's what I'm trying to avoid.

    For a switch box the best keyboard to use is one with an old PS/2 connector and then use ps/2-->usb to the usb switch. leave the mouse connector not used.

    4 USB wireless mice - no problem --it's keyboards !!! -- I'm still amazed with people using many systems concurrently that this simple piece of hardware hasn't been invented yet -- or do people like having loads of messy cables around.

    Actually I think they do -- I went to a friend's house the other night to help him set up two NAS boxes -- he wanted to run LAN cable all over the place. I suggested why not use an ETHERNET-->WIFI bridge -- nobody has bad Internet in Iceland --you either have mega fast connections or none at all !!. Decent 5GHZ wifi gives you a max speed of up to 433 Mb/s so no problem and an old router used this way has 4 LAN Ports too --- He was amazed -- no mega cable laying !!!!.


    Cheers
    jimbo
     
    jimbo45, May 4, 2016
    #12
  13. CountMike New Member

    Single keyboard - multiple machines --any such animal

    With WiFi and network protocol it shouldn't be a big deal to enact multiple input/output to anything. Look at IP cameras you can have dozens of them and control them too. Maybe there's just no much interest in doing it for KB/mice ?
     
    CountMike, May 4, 2016
    #13
  14. You are basically describing a KVM switch with what you want. Cable clutter is only a problem if you allow it to be a problem. Most good KVMs allow switch from the keyboard, so the actual device and connections to the computers can easily be kept out of site.

    No need to reinvent the wheel when the current wheel accomplishes everything you want. I believe most new(ish) KVMs will work perfectly fine with wireless keyboards and mice, too.
     
    DeaconFrost, May 4, 2016
    #14
  15. RWOne Win User
    Ideally you want a server console incorporating a KVM ...

    However most will not have the outputs you are looking for, plus most are not standalone, but rack mounted to go with the servers themselves... Plus their cost.

    Yes, most newer KVM's work with USB wireless input sets.
     
    RWOne, May 4, 2016
    #15
Thema:

Single keyboard - multiple machines --any such animal

Loading...
  1. Single keyboard - multiple machines --any such animal - Similar Threads - Single keyboard multiple

  2. remapping a single keyboard

    in Windows 10 Gaming
    remapping a single keyboard: my laptops number pad has a different layout to my usb keyboard, I'd like to remap my laptop keyboard but not my usb keyboard may be both active at oncepowertoys can't do thiswindows 11 proudly has thousands of features I don't want. can microsoft implement this feature I do...
  3. remapping a single keyboard

    in Windows 10 Software and Apps
    remapping a single keyboard: my laptops number pad has a different layout to my usb keyboard, I'd like to remap my laptop keyboard but not my usb keyboard may be both active at oncepowertoys can't do thiswindows 11 proudly has thousands of features I don't want. can microsoft implement this feature I do...
  4. Windows11 animation lag with multiple monitor.

    in Windows 10 Gaming
    Windows11 animation lag with multiple monitor.: As title, I have a computer with win11 and works well. But when I plugin multiple monitors2↑ on 1 GPU, some animationsLike max/minimizing window will be very lag.I experience some setup:A, 3090 with 2 Mon4K + 2K works wellB, 3090 with 3 Mon4K*2 + 2K very lagD, 3090 with 3...
  5. Windows11 animation lag with multiple monitor.

    in Windows 10 Software and Apps
    Windows11 animation lag with multiple monitor.: As title, I have a computer with win11 and works well. But when I plugin multiple monitors2↑ on 1 GPU, some animationsLike max/minimizing window will be very lag.I experience some setup:A, 3090 with 2 Mon4K + 2K works wellB, 3090 with 3 Mon4K*2 + 2K very lagD, 3090 with 3...
  6. Multiple machines linked to single MS account

    in Windows 10 Gaming
    Multiple machines linked to single MS account: Hello, Can someone confirm if it's possible to use one Microsoft account to purchase multiple licenses for different devices?Thanks,Sebastian https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/multiple-machines-linked-to-single-ms-account/89185398-78df-44aa-b5d6-edeb73093d90
  7. Multiple machines linked to single MS account

    in Windows 10 Software and Apps
    Multiple machines linked to single MS account: Hello, Can someone confirm if it's possible to use one Microsoft account to purchase multiple licenses for different devices?Thanks,Sebastian https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/multiple-machines-linked-to-single-ms-account/89185398-78df-44aa-b5d6-edeb73093d90
  8. Multiple machines linked to single MS account

    in Windows 10 Updates and Activation
    Multiple machines linked to single MS account: Hello, Can someone confirm if it's possible to use one Microsoft account to purchase multiple licenses for different devices?Thanks,Sebastian https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/multiple-machines-linked-to-single-ms-account/89185398-78df-44aa-b5d6-edeb73093d90
  9. Multiple Instances of Single Printer

    in Windows 10 Drivers and Hardware
    Multiple Instances of Single Printer: I recently added my printers to a new computer running Windows 10. For some reason each one is showing multiple instances of the drivers in the various settings. Trying to figure out why and how to get rid of the extra versions that are not needed. [ATTACH]...
  10. One keyboard multiple machines - any such animal

    in Windows 10 Drivers and Hardware
    One keyboard multiple machines - any such animal: Hi folks is it possible to control say up to 4 machines with a single keyboard -- I'd like something with a simple switch / key numbered say 1 to 4 - just press it and keyboard is routed to the relevant machine. Note I don't need a separate box if possible -- switch...