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diff --git a/content/posts/software-kvm-switch.rst b/content/posts/software-kvm-switch.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b4943f6 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/software-kvm-switch.rst @@ -0,0 +1,74 @@ +A Software KVM Switch +##################### +:date: 2015-01-05 02:26 +:tags: composite video,software keyboard,kvm,remote management +:status: draft + +I have been so often in the need for quick graphical access to a server without +the need of an actual mouse and display plus wiring for power and so on. + +In the enterprise world there are things called 'KVM switches' and laptops +which do exactly what i need but a) they are fucking expensive and b) they are +stationary and built into server racks so i came up with my own low-budget solution. + +With this you will be able to see video output from composite,hdmi and vga and +control a virtual USB keyboard of a headless server or embedded system. + +.. image:: /img/videograbber_on_raspi.jpg + :width: 60% + :alt: video and soft keyboard attached to raspi + :align: middle + +I am using a 32u4 turned into a software keyboard and a Composite Video grabber to +capture the output of the system to supervise. + +*A fair Warning:* Be aware that the video image is very crappy and the software keyboard code is +a WIP. + +Parts list +---------- +All you need are the following things: + +For the soft keyboard input: +1. a 32u4 microcontroller like the `arduino pro micro`_ +2. a cheap `USB-TTL adapter`_ + +For capturing video: +1. a video grabber with the STK1160 chipset (for linux support) +I asked the sellers on aliexpress and found `this videograbber`_ which uses +the chipset needed. +2. a HDMI-to-AV_ (recommended) and optionally a VGA-to-HDMI_ box to capture +output other than the one from a Raspberry Pi which has native composite output. + + +Setup +----- + +**Soft Keyboard** + +Attach the USB-TTL adapter to the 32u4 by connecting both GND , Pin 9 to the +USB-TTL TX and pin 10 to USB-TTL RX. + +Now flash the passthrough firmware for the 32u4: + +.. code-block:: bash + + git clone https://github.com/makefu/keyboard-passthrough.git + cd keyboard-passthrough + cat README.md + arduino key_passthrough/key_passthrough.ino + # flash it + +Get the passthrough software running on your computer: + +.. code-block:: bash + + pip install hg+http://bitbucket.org/pygame/pygame + python here.py + + +.. _arduino pro micro: +.. _USB-TTL adapter: +.. _this videograbber: +.. _HDMI-to-AV: +.. _VGA-to-HDMI: |