Author here. Happy to answer any questions or take any feedback about this post.
How would you remotely connect to something like this ? using something like ngrok ?
Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi
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Re: Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi
#12I'm all in favor of cool projects, and I have done my fair share of useless experiments. But wouldn't it just be simpler to attach a dumpster-sourced monitor and keyboard to the server in question for the 3-4 times a year you brick it? To me the idea of a locally placed 1:1 KVM "switch" (huh? it's not switching anything if it's 1:1) is crazy. It makes sense if it is remotely located, but not if it's within your own h…
Remote monitors like this are occasionally used in offices so that powerful workstations can be put in racks. I'm not completely convinced it is a great idea, even for that application, but it does get used in those instances quite a bit.
Re: Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi
#13Fantastic project. Amazing how you overcame each obstacle, and very well written to boot. Kudos. Quite funny how you brought 1000 ms latency down to 200 ms. I wonder how this compares to iDRAC and that Raritan device.
I don’t know about iDRAC but I used raritan a bit for some home projects and it’s not super fun. I couldn’t connect it on HDMI when the server was already running, it had to be connected before the boot. For both VGA and HDMI, it sort of works, there is a clunky but functional java desktop application, the screen is often off by a dozen pixels (part of the screen hidden) and the pointer too.
For new servers, I just buy a supermicro motherboard with IPMI and stop worrying. You can set up an IP based firewall within IPMI, so that only a handful of IPs can even connect, plus a very strong password, and I am not too worried about exposing it to the WAN (I know it’s not a great idea but I don’t know any alternative that doesn’t require another U in a datacentre)..
Re: Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi
#14Funnily enough I'm waiting for my hdmi to usb capture card to arrive so I can play on my PS3 while also having the option of switching back to the desktop instantly.
Re: Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi
#15I'm all in favor of cool projects, and I have done my fair share of useless experiments. But wouldn't it just be simpler to attach a dumpster-sourced monitor and keyboard to the server in question for the 3-4 times a year you brick it? To me the idea of a locally placed 1:1 KVM "switch" (huh? it's not switching anything if it's 1:1) is crazy. It makes sense if it is remotely located, but not if it's within your own h…
Makes sense if you want the flexibility to do it from anywhere over IP, even across the house.
Re: Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi
#16Author here. Happy to answer any questions or take any feedback about this post.
Would a Pi Zero W work for this, or do you need a full-size Pi 4? I would think that with the HDMI dongle doing the hardware MJPEG encoding, a Pi Zero might suffice. It'd be really neat to A) bring the cost down another $30 and B) be able to package everything into a tiny 3D printed case.
Re: Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi
#17Author here. Happy to answer any questions or take any feedback about this post.
Cool project, but what about power management? What happens if the PC being controlled crashes and does not let you reboot it using keyboard shortcut?
I'm might be damaged by testing and working with embedded development.
Re: Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi
#18I'm all in favor of cool projects, and I have done my fair share of useless experiments. But wouldn't it just be simpler to attach a dumpster-sourced monitor and keyboard to the server in question for the 3-4 times a year you brick it? To me the idea of a locally placed 1:1 KVM "switch" (huh? it's not switching anything if it's 1:1) is crazy. It makes sense if it is remotely located, but not if it's within your own h…
Every time I update windows and reboot, I never know if the server is bricked or if it is just windows taking ages to update.
Also if you use TPM / full disk encryption for a server in colocation, it only takes a firmware update for TPM to request to reenter the key on reboot.
Re: Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi
#19I'm all in favor of cool projects, and I have done my fair share of useless experiments. But wouldn't it just be simpler to attach a dumpster-sourced monitor and keyboard to the server in question for the 3-4 times a year you brick it? To me the idea of a locally placed 1:1 KVM "switch" (huh? it's not switching anything if it's 1:1) is crazy. It makes sense if it is remotely located, but not if it's within your own h…
Thanks for reading!
>But wouldn't it just be simpler to attach a dumpster-sourced monitor and keyboard to the server in question for the 3-4 times a year you brick it?
Maybe it's just personal preference, but I'd much rather plug in a Raspberry Pi than a whole monitor and keyboard. My server is tucked away in the corner without a good desk surface to place a keyboard and monitor.
With the Pi, I can just plug it and go back to my desk and do everything through the browser. It's also nice for when I have to Google things about why it's not booting, I can just do it from another browser tab rather than physically walking back and forth between computers.
Re: Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi
#20I'm all in favor of cool projects, and I have done my fair share of useless experiments. But wouldn't it just be simpler to attach a dumpster-sourced monitor and keyboard to the server in question for the 3-4 times a year you brick it? To me the idea of a locally placed 1:1 KVM "switch" (huh? it's not switching anything if it's 1:1) is crazy. It makes sense if it is remotely located, but not if it's within your own h…
not sure why you talk about "switch"? The word never appears in the article?
And at such a no-brainer price (especially if you already have a Pi), kind of worth it just to avoid the hassle of moving a screen around.