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DeskHop – Fast Desktop Switching

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Re: DeskHop – Fast Desktop Switching

#211

Post by Nullabillity »

jevogel wrote: post #167
sheepscreek wrote: post #122

I’ve been using a software solution for this for over a decade. It’s called Synergy ( https://symless.com/synergy ) and it is fast - switches instantly over wifi and also works across Windows/Mac/Linux.

I tried to use this for a while but it didn't work well when using different VPNs on different computers. So, I bought a commercial device similar to the DIY one here and it works amazingly well. It doesn't require you to log in to the computers first and you can switch by moving across screen edges or with a series of keystrokes. You can also switch the attached USB devices independently of the keyboard and mouse. T…

The computers need to be able to reach each other, yes. You should be able to do that by adding a route overriding the VPN route (just like how any VPN client has to prevent the traffic to the VPN server from going through the tunnel).

Re: DeskHop – Fast Desktop Switching

#212

Post by jaktet »

odysseus wrote: post #203

What if you want to switch ONE monitor, for example a 5K Apple Studio Display, between a Mac Mini and a MacBook? Does a reliable solution exist that includes all accessories built in/attached to the monitor? (Ethernet, monitor speakers, monitor camera, power delivery charging, etc.)

I use this and it generally works fine: https://a.co/d/5vDBGMM . I had issues with getting full framerate and resolution until I tried a few different cables. The only issues I have are that sometimes the monitor will get all glitchy on one computer. Turning it off and on sometimes helps, restarting the computer sometimes help, and other times it just doesn’t work one day and works fine the next. Overall though I’ve only had the issue where it’s glitchy and I distorts the screen and I couldn’t fix it for that one day it happened ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

It hasn’t been enough of an issue to mess with it more or try a different one

Re: DeskHop – Fast Desktop Switching

#213

Post by hrvach »

drakenot wrote: post #152
hrvach wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's an awesome idea, man. I wish I thought of that. I learned about about that screen hopper project only yesterday, and it just confirmed my theory - whatever I try to do, somebody smarter than me already made, only better, smoother running and with nicer features :) I play no games whatsoever so absolute coords would be perfectly fine, but one of the items on the to-do list is to make it configurable.

I’m trying to grok the absolute coordinate issue. Does this mean your solution would break if someone was playing a FPS/game? And is the solution to use relative coordinates but lose the auto transition feature? Meaning that you would have to manually switch?

I'm not very versed in gaming, so have very little knowledge about what games want. It should be possible to implement a relative mode too and some way to switch between the modes so when working use absolute, when playing use relative.

Re: DeskHop – Fast Desktop Switching

#214

Post by drdaeman »

ccakes wrote: post #8
mariopt wrote: post #6

I bought 4 USB hubs just to switch the keyboard and mouse, it's just so annoying how most devices are so terrible. Randomly you have to physically detach the hub several times a day. If you plug webcams and/or USB mics, it only gets even worse. I'm using Synergy software and it works well, but I still want a proper KVM that can allow for webcams, mics, audio, etc. Features like moving only a group of plugged devices…

> KVM users are underserved for sure. 100% I want to share keyboard, mouse and monitor between a PC and a MacBook. A KVM with DP+USB on one side and Thunderbolt on the other doesn’t seem to exist.. I feel like this has to be a common use case :( I know I could break out on a dock first, but I have a particularly high-res monitor which most of the docks baulk at, or only support at 30Hz

Check out https://www.store.level1techs.com/products/p/kvm-switch-usbc... paired with https://www.store.level1techs.com/products/p/dp-repeater-hdm... for one of your computers - it may do the trick for you. There are other models if you want more monitors or computers (or different set of inputs).

No affiliation with them except that I've got one their KVMs (not an USB-C version, though) myself and it's been quite reliable (only infrequent accidental hiccups, nothing unplugging the power for a second can't solve), much better than my previous pile of hacks juggling monitor inputs via DCI and using USB switches for the peripherals.

Re: DeskHop – Fast Desktop Switching

#215

Post by jahsome »

fnordpiglet wrote: post #196
sheepscreek wrote: post #122

I’ve been using a software solution for this for over a decade. It’s called Synergy ( https://symless.com/synergy ) and it is fast - switches instantly over wifi and also works across Windows/Mac/Linux.

Looks awesome, but sad they put TLS as a premium feature above the basic for pay sku. Security should be default in everything and for free. It’s not a luxury, it’s a table stakes bare minimum thing. (That said I’ll try it out and if it’s good I’ll license the premium sku for the copy and paste feature)

Listing security as a premium feature, and "business use" not having pricing instead requiring a sales call are good ways to stop me from using any app.

Even if it's not true, I feel like I'm going to be nickel+dimed or hit with mysterious and surprising fees.

As someone who creates software, I want to comply with the licensing out of principle and respect/admiration for creators. It shouldn't be so difficult to understand what it would cost me.

Opaque pricing is an immediate "no thanks" for me. I honestly don't care how good an app is; if it's not easy to buy, I'm not going to buy it.

Re: DeskHop – Fast Desktop Switching

#217

Post by xp84 »

trallnag wrote: post #210
synergy20 wrote: post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I bought Synergy and ended up not using it shortly, nowadays I use a cheap physical USB switch(about $20) that can work with 4 PCs sharing one set of keyboard and mouse, super robust for me, and quick too.

What about switching display input source?

Amazon has a lot of cheap KVMs now. I have a DisplayPort one with 3 USB ports and my favorite part, a wired button to switch between computers! I just stuck the button to the bottom of my desk top and can switch instantly. There’s also a wireless remote I’ve never tried and a keyboard hotkey (though using its special keyboard port confused my Mac so I plug my keyboard into a hub through the KVM’s ‘generic’ USB port.

I’m not affiliated with the maker in any way but if anyone’s curious I can go look up which one I have. It was just a random Chinese thing under ~$45 or so.

Re: DeskHop – Fast Desktop Switching

#219

Post by [deleted] »

nulld3v wrote: post #52

I have a similar project inspired by another similar project ( https://github.com/jfedor2/screen-hopper ). My own version of this consists of two programs. One program runs on a Linux desktop and listens to input events from the Linux input subsystem (evdev). When you press a specific key, it will start consuming all events and sending them over USB serial to a RPI Pico. Pressing the key again will toggle back into p…

[deleted]

Re: DeskHop – Fast Desktop Switching

#220

Post by joshchaney »

LoganDark wrote: post #192
layer8 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This doesn’t seem to do the mouse position-triggered switching?

I'm referring to the fact that it maintains an independent connection to each monitor in order to facilitate fast switching. Almost no other DP switches do this.

Is there some documentation about this somewhere? I actually own both level1techs DP 1.4 KVM 4-computer/1 monitor switch and that new USB KM switch, so I'm familiar with their products.. but I'm not aware that their KVM does anything special other than support high response rates (where most KVM's only do 60hz) and passthrough USB properly.
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