It's really awesome to see the stuff that's traditionally been only accessible to data center workers making it's way to homelabbers at a comparatively reasonable price point. Typically you would either a BMC that support remote KVM, a system that has a serial port and the required firmware to do something called console redirection, or a commercial KVM over IP solution which is a lot like this only a LOT more expensive. For my home lab, I specifically went after a Super micro board because when they integrate a BMC on the server board, they also provide the KVM over IP capability without locking it behind a license and/or add in hardware. But it means having to compromise on price and the hardware generation of the equipment to find affordable second hand boards. I would have considered different hardware choices if this was available when I was building my home server.
FYI, that is also possible with Intel VPro with AMT Enabled machines. It supports most of the mention function like pi-kvm but stuck with internal display
A KVM wouldn’t be a KVM if you couldn’t do that. But the fact that this lets you connect optical/USB images as though they were actual devices to the managed machine is the icing on the cake for me.
@@splynncryth Homelabbers don't need it at all. If they needed it so badly, they would have spent the 600 dollars for a real KVM over IP solution, and even more, invest thousands of dollars in their server system. It will pay off when customers rent their space. People who run home labs are not serious at all about their system. They don't care about their amateur infrastructure, thus ignoring the necessity of a cheap KVM over IP solution. The only real benefit of a cheap KVM over IP is perhaps, better video streaming? I know those professional ones are not very good with video streaming, but they will catch up since we are at a very early stage of this innovation. This cheap KVM device is a great idea for a security standpoint, where you want to remotely access one physical computer connected to an offline private network.
My God that thing's cool - I had no idea it was this detailed and advanced, he's done some AMAZING work with this... writing his own video protocol, that's incredible. I really really want one of these, even if it were to just show it to business clients down the track. This is going to be in much higher demand with increases in telecommuting and remote working continuing after COVID.
OK good job... Here's something that could use a little lab work / tryout... Interfacing to the newer Mac Mini's and whether you can reboot them with the (equivalent keys) hold down option (force netboot) or CMD+R (boot to restore mode). Interface is with USB (A or C type into Mac Mini)
This is an amazing project. This guy has done some truely stellar work, and not only on the hardware, but also the supporting software he did... Truely will benefit the open source community. I will for sure buy one from him : i was considering it, but i did believe that it was one pi per machine, so it would end up being costly. Here i see that you can have multiple machines on one pi kvm? this is simply AMAZING. By the way novaspirit, great chanel, you show really interesting stuff. I am quite pi savy myself, and often see basic stuff on chanels that talk about pi and sbc, yours is not that. One of my favorite pi chanels these days, with jeff geerling's. Keep up the good work :)
Wow! This project (now product) has come a long way since I last stumbled upon it. I would like to have seen a bit more detail on the connections of all of "bits".
Thank you for this one! I just bought the HDMI2USB adapter and I'm using it right now with a RPi4 and it's amazing!!! Thank you again for this review because I was looking for the expensive alternatives and I was depressed! Cheers! Thank you again! Take care!
I would be curious to see if you can switch between systems with a hot-key sequence and how fast the switch is? In a manufacturing environment we have multiple computers communicating with instruments being produced and we're continually switching between the computers at one station as each instrument goes through testing, etc. It would be nice to see how easy and fast those transitions are...
The HDMI switch can be controlled by IR using an extender and a remote control or by a micro USB port which allows you to go back and forth between sources
Ultimate respect to the creator of this project - I hope that it provides him with a future income and justifies all his hard work! I am already down for the pre-order . Just a couple of comments... 1) On the project website the statement of "It will cost about $100 - or less" seems as though it's going to be incorrect given that the basic board is noted in the video as being $130. Not complaining about the price here, just the management of expectations. 2) Contrary to the information in the video (which seems to imply that the only thing that isn't available yet is the case) it isn't yet possible to buy any of it yet (unless I've missed something). Other than that I'm really hoping that this comes off properly for the creator - it's a fantastic project and an incredible piece of work. If I had a cap I would doff it in your direction!
Can you explain a bit on how you power on the machine? I think it was like 2 secs picture showing how you connected it to IPMI ( if i didnt hear it wrongly)
Hey can you show the TailScale function? Also, does this connect to WiFi networks? This would be great to leave at my parents’ home for remote hands-on with their computers.
Would be good to see if it works with a VGA adapter, as most servers aren’t on HDMI yet. Would also be interested to see a PCAP of the connection to see ports in use, traffic stats etc. Thanks for the content and will definitely be ordering the full kit.
I'm excited! Not only do I have a couple of boxes running various shit, but also a couple of NVRs. While the NVRs have a remote app, you can't do some stuff that you can only do while at the NVR itself. It's a pain in the ass to climb up into the attic (which is actually climate controlled) to do some things.
I don't see why not. So long as you can trigger the KVM to change from the pi, which can pretty much be done in all cases from IR control to I2C or USB.
I'm trying to figure whether I could make good use of this when rebuilding my network in a new home and stuff. Like, I'd love not to have the gaming rig in the living or bedroom but somewhere it can't be seen or heard a lot since I could use Parsec, Steam Link or Rainway to do stuff via network. But doing that still wouldn't allow me to change GRUB settings from the remote system i.E. a ThinkPad. So this still looks promising.
@ I was very happy that Linus did the multiseat setup which too inspired me to do my current system with two AMD graphics cards and RyZen. But that doesn't change the fact that those fancy looking machines can be loud unless you have some expensive and potential risky water cooling going on. Using really long HDMI and USB cables is one idea, yes but it's also difficult to do at a certain length.
thanks for this nice review of Pi-KVM! I've some questions about it. Did you tested it with another KVM Switches? Is it possible to mount an ISO and do do an installation, during the installation can it switched to another system? Or will it disconnect and abort the installation? Thanks!
Does other kvm switches(like the noname aliexpress) work the same way as ezcoo with just a usb cable? Or do you need to hook up gpio pins to the buttons for em to work? And what I would love to see is use of usb relays / gpio pins in general.
Hi - two questions: 1. Can you control 2 PCs using one kvm, or does that require 1kvm for each? I noticed you are switching between 2 devices but don't understand how that worked. 2. Can you share your wallpaper, it looks great.
Here’s a thought… Auto configure zero tier for auto vpn. This would give you the ability to configure one of these and send it wherever you want and it will automatically connect via encrypted VPN using UDP.
it was awesome, congrats. I'd like to know if you think that would be OK working using a VNC connection through a Pi KVM, in terms of keyboard and mouse speed using Internet to work in day-by-day use like text editing.
I don't think, that in current state Pi-KVM is a good fit for daily texting or so due to huge screen refresh lags... I'd suggest to use VNC servers for that. Currently, I'm using TightVNC server on Windows and perfect Remmina remote desktop client on my Linux setup. Remmina allows to perfectly tune remote desktop view, in fullscreen mode, the desktop looks exactly like you're working locally.
Import note from their website: "NEVER edit /etc/kvmd/main.yaml. Use /etc/kvmd/override.yaml to redefine the system parameters. All other files that are also not recommended for editing have read-only permissions. If you edit any of these files, you will need to manually make changes to them when you upgrade your system. You can view the current configuration and all available KVMD parameters using the command kvmd -m."
Test serial console from your terminal emulator on your desktop pc using ipmitool to the server, and go into the BIOS. Thats how I interact with the BIOS on computers at work, its really awesome
Hi Novaspirit, question I have, is, when logging into the pi-kvm with the HDMI Switch (4-port EZCOO), is it possible to have another session at the same time (i.e. another person logging in and accessing lets say Port 1 while someone else uses Port 2 remotely)? The goal was to use this with 4 computers while myself and 3 other people log into the pi-kvm and work at the same time on separate machines in the same location (it could be with other logins created; not necessarily the default admin admin login). I imagine if this is possible, it would really diminish the ressources of the pi's processing and probably stretching it very thin. Thank you in advance for your feedback :). -Jason
Hello, i just look at your video about the pi KVM, and i was wondering if it can run up to 8 KVM, i notice that you are demonstrating the 4 port switch, so is it possible to get more port ?
I'd like to see you connect this KVM to an older enterprise server that uses VGA. How does this device manage powering an enterprise server on and off? This solution would be very useful if it worked on the older enterprise computers that have old iLOs using old Java and active-x which are no longer supported.
Ditto. Exactly what I'm interested in using it for. Got several Dell R210/R710/R720 servers as well as a mix of others. Wondering if a "simple" VGA to HDMI converter would work for the video part.
Did you experiment with the SOL capabilities of the device at all? That seems like it would be a limited use case for most of the equipment a homelab is likely to have but it might be useful for something like a NAS that is built for as much PCIe as possible and uses serial for it's console. There might be other use cases for kernel message logging and such too. I'm also curious if the serial console has to be connected to the PC or if it could be used to make the console port on a managed switch remotely accessible (since it's there on the hat already). Finally, I'm curious about the IPMI support. Is there info about what that looks like/will look like? It seems like it would be restricted to just some basic chassis control commands for power on/of, power cycling, and reset but I'd like to know more.
Awesome project. I've not used IP KVM before. Just to be clear in the video your using a Desktop KVM that connects to all host devices and the RaspberryPi is connected to the KVM acting as a controller interface. From there you can remotely connect via web console (PiKVM) and manage all host devices? Any specific hardware requirements for the Desktop KVM needed? I have an old 8port that uses VGA. Guessing I would need to update (not a problem) but would need at least another 8 port device.
I see that you can have multiple machines on one pi kvm that's great. I have one quetion, can you share or give some point on how piKVM handle 'HDMI switch' selection toggling between multiple device if possible?
Another software licensing question. Docker is free for personal use and there is licensing for commercial use. Open Source Plans :Docker is proud to support the Open Source community. Qualifying OSS projects can get no-cost Docker accounts to support their contributors and end users. Does Pi-KVM have a signed agreement ?
In the video, it seemed like the FPS is always less than 10. But I think you said it can get to 20. Can you confirm? It’s a great improvement over pikvm on a zero w that gets 1 FPS or less on wireless, but had hoped for ver 3 to get 30 FPS at FHD.
Pi-KVM uses framedrop if the image does not change. FPS in the interface means the actual number of frames transmitted and displayed in the browser. This saves traffic. If you try to watch the video, you will get 25 FPS.
How does it affect usage if you wanted to use the device in person? Like does it add lag if you were to set this up on your main computer and use it daily and have it as an alternative way to remote in.
Can you show how you connected up the KVM to the Pi? I was researching KVMs for the same setup you have here and I could figure out a good way to trigger the switches on the KVM.
Nice video! Ofcourse the guy who made pi-kvm had to use Arch Linux...! The pacman -Syy is the wrong command, this only updates the package databases, you should have used pacman -Syu (no need for the double y, this force updates the database files)
Can you test reading and switching regular raspi gpios? How can they be displayed in kvm mode? Can flashing LEDs on the target system be synced to the web interface?
@@NovaspiritTech hey Don, have you noticed any flakiness with keyboard/mouse connectivity when switching between inputs with that Ezcoo unit? I have seen quite a bit of reviews out there complaining about that for this model, so just wanted to see what your experience has been? Thanks!
Question: Tailscale is licensed as a product that is free for personal use and if used commercially their website details licensing prices. As Pi-KVM will be a commercial product ( a product that you can purchase ) does it include some type of license. I am concerned if production is ramped up and Pi-KVM has not reached a licensing agreement with Tailscale then people who purchased the product may not be able to use Tailscale. Thank you.
Cheers Don, not too sure ill get that gadget.. Enough for me to have RDP / VNC over 5Ghz home network router i think.. Re 'HomeLab' a series of vids on "My own Datacentre (MoD)" (my pet name!) - would be cool. For me, the ability to spin up images from a fast SSD would be cool. Maybe a cluster of Pi's to do same??
Can you power on each of the 4 computers when you are using the hdmi switch? I guess you will have to have cables from the raspberry pi to each of the 4 motherboards?
Can you test/describe the thermals... specifically how realistic would it be to run this hat without a fan? I am hoping to get one of these when the final version is available but I want to install it in a very quiet environment. I am going to try to passively cool it (even if it means I lose some performance due to CPU throttling) Does the hat stay cool enough, though?
Can you explain about connecting HDMI switch to Pi-KVM. Is it some sort of standard to control HDMI switch/KVM via CTL port or Pi-KVM just "know" this one model?
How did you get that HDMI switch Menu ? , is that specific ezcoo 4 port hdmi kvm integrated already in that kit ? also, I have a another question , why do we have to use USB-C in the Keyboard and Mouse? , can't we just use any other USB-3 port ? or maybe even USB-2 ?, I have read over that part in his forum but I don't get it still can you explain that a bit more ?
cool, so this will also be the base for remote bios and basic gui streaming, and you can also install 'nomachine' for real time remote udp video . does the pikvm sw also work for other arm boards with an arm (rock sbc's, arm 64 stb's etc) compliant Debian hdmi in to usb dongle. i noticed today cheap self contained 5port £30 POE 100Mbit/s switch's are everywhere now, is the old 100Mbit/s switch ports to slow for this ?
Being able to remotely turn on/off a server or mount an iso is the only reason I bought an ol HP server with iLO. Can you show the process of hooking this up the KVM the ATX on a desktop machine? Also, have you noticed any heating issues with running the KVM for a prolonged period of time?
heating issues is not big.... the fan will kick on when it needs to... which is rare.. and he even dicded that the next update, it's even possible to run the fan at 1/4 speed when it kicks on to cool it off.
This look like what I am after. It seems the Ezcoo KVM switch you recommended is no longer available, is there any others you (or anyone) would recommend that would give me the full functionality?
This sounds very much like what I'm looking for. I'm about to begin working (very, very) remotely from my office. I'd like to have a KVM-over-IP device that I can log into and have anyone connect a Mac or PC laptop to for me to troubleshoot or reformat. Have you (or can you) test this using this configuration?
Can you use Pi-KVM with ZeroTier... ? I dont see why we could not! So where ever you use your Pi-KVM you are always on the same network ! Would be a nice thing to try ..!!!!
I hope the guy can improve the Optical Drive emulation with ISOs, because that thing is broken, the only Windows ISO you can use with is is WIndows XP and older. Its not as par with a IPMI which every ISO you throw on it just works.
The fact that you can mess with the BIOS remotely blew my mind. I’ll be looking into this.
It's really awesome to see the stuff that's traditionally been only accessible to data center workers making it's way to homelabbers at a comparatively reasonable price point.
Typically you would either a BMC that support remote KVM, a system that has a serial port and the required firmware to do something called console redirection, or a commercial KVM over IP solution which is a lot like this only a LOT more expensive.
For my home lab, I specifically went after a Super micro board because when they integrate a BMC on the server board, they also provide the KVM over IP capability without locking it behind a license and/or add in hardware. But it means having to compromise on price and the hardware generation of the equipment to find affordable second hand boards. I would have considered different hardware choices if this was available when I was building my home server.
FYI, that is also possible with Intel VPro with AMT Enabled machines. It supports most of the mention function like pi-kvm but stuck with internal display
A KVM wouldn’t be a KVM if you couldn’t do that.
But the fact that this lets you connect optical/USB images as though they were actual devices to the managed machine is the icing on the cake for me.
Hey Jacob - you should check out Jan Mortensens TH-cam channel th-cam.com/users/JanMortensen-s2dvideos
@@splynncryth Homelabbers don't need it at all. If they needed it so badly, they would have spent the 600 dollars for a real KVM over IP solution, and even more, invest thousands of dollars in their server system. It will pay off when customers rent their space. People who run home labs are not serious at all about their system. They don't care about their amateur infrastructure, thus ignoring the necessity of a cheap KVM over IP solution. The only real benefit of a cheap KVM over IP is perhaps, better video streaming? I know those professional ones are not very good with video streaming, but they will catch up since we are at a very early stage of this innovation. This cheap KVM device is a great idea for a security standpoint, where you want to remotely access one physical computer connected to an offline private network.
My God that thing's cool - I had no idea it was this detailed and advanced, he's done some AMAZING work with this... writing his own video protocol, that's incredible. I really really want one of these, even if it were to just show it to business clients down the track. This is going to be in much higher demand with increases in telecommuting and remote working continuing after COVID.
I bought one here in canada. This is an incredible product, worth every penny even though it's 350CAD as a full setup with the metal case.
Can you do a quick video of you actually plugging the kvm into your computers? Would be curious to see exactly how that works
It just works once you have the PI running.
I would also like to see how this connects to a PC or server, especially if the PC has a VGA port
@@rudiahlers You'd need a VGA to HDMI adapter.
OK good job... Here's something that could use a little lab work / tryout... Interfacing to the newer Mac Mini's and whether you can reboot them with the (equivalent keys) hold down option (force netboot) or CMD+R (boot to restore mode). Interface is with USB (A or C type into Mac Mini)
This is an amazing project. This guy has done some truely stellar work, and not only on the hardware, but also the supporting software he did... Truely will benefit the open source community. I will for sure buy one from him : i was considering it, but i did believe that it was one pi per machine, so it would end up being costly. Here i see that you can have multiple machines on one pi kvm? this is simply AMAZING.
By the way novaspirit, great chanel, you show really interesting stuff. I am quite pi savy myself, and often see basic stuff on chanels that talk about pi and sbc, yours is not that. One of my favorite pi chanels these days, with jeff geerling's. Keep up the good work :)
thank you very much!
Wow! This project (now product) has come a long way since I last stumbled upon it. I would like to have seen a bit more detail on the connections of all of "bits".
Thank you for this one! I just bought the HDMI2USB adapter and I'm using it right now with a RPi4 and it's amazing!!! Thank you again for this review because I was looking for the expensive alternatives and I was depressed! Cheers! Thank you again! Take care!
This pi-kvm looks so cool!
BLIKVM IS A RPI Compute Module 4 IO Board for PiKVM th-cam.com/video/aehOawHklGE/w-d-xo.html
I would be curious to see if you can switch between systems with a hot-key sequence and how fast the switch is? In a manufacturing environment we have multiple computers communicating with instruments being produced and we're continually switching between the computers at one station as each instrument goes through testing, etc. It would be nice to see how easy and fast those transitions are...
this is such a good product, this will be a must for the home lab or small offices! thank you for doing a review for us Don!
BLIKVM IS A RPI Compute Module 4 IO Board for PiKVM th-cam.com/video/aehOawHklGE/w-d-xo.html
Great Video. Do you know by and chance if an eight Port HDMI Switch would also work?
Could you go into more detail on controlling the hdmi switch with the pi-kvm?
The HDMI switch can be controlled by IR using an extender and a remote control or by a micro USB port which allows you to go back and forth between sources
Ultimate respect to the creator of this project - I hope that it provides him with a future income and justifies all his hard work! I am already down for the pre-order .
Just a couple of comments...
1) On the project website the statement of "It will cost about $100 - or less" seems as though it's going to be incorrect given that the basic board is noted in the video as being $130. Not complaining about the price here, just the management of expectations.
2) Contrary to the information in the video (which seems to imply that the only thing that isn't available yet is the case) it isn't yet possible to buy any of it yet (unless I've missed something).
Other than that I'm really hoping that this comes off properly for the creator - it's a fantastic project and an incredible piece of work. If I had a cap I would doff it in your direction!
Thank you. Ive been hoping to find an affordable IP KVM for decades. I think this is it.
BLIKVM IS A RPI Compute Module 4 IO Board for PiKVM th-cam.com/video/aehOawHklGE/w-d-xo.html
Can you explain a bit on how you power on the machine? I think it was like 2 secs picture showing how you connected it to IPMI ( if i didnt hear it wrongly)
Hey can you show the TailScale function? Also, does this connect to WiFi networks? This would be great to leave at my parents’ home for remote hands-on with their computers.
i can show the tailscale on another video cause that requires a little bit of setup, and yes it can run on wifi
13:10 homelabbing stuff would be great!
Looks so sophisticated, the KVM from OEM suppliers are often so horrible. Companies like them should support his code and use it
Thank you, good explanation and back story in the beginning, was very interesting
Would be good to see if it works with a VGA adapter, as most servers aren’t on HDMI yet.
Would also be interested to see a PCAP of the connection to see ports in use, traffic stats etc. Thanks for the content and will definitely be ordering the full kit.
working on the pcap data of network transfer.. i'll post that up soon...... i found a vga adaptor to work on this for only $13 amzn.to/3oqUUw5
Thanks so much for sharing.
Any chance the “story -> coming soon” link in the description from 4 months ago can get added? =)
I'm excited! Not only do I have a couple of boxes running various shit, but also a couple of NVRs. While the NVRs have a remote app, you can't do some stuff that you can only do while at the NVR itself. It's a pain in the ass to climb up into the attic (which is actually climate controlled) to do some things.
Is it possible to use other KVM's besides the EZCoo as long as it's hotkey switchable?
I don't see why not. So long as you can trigger the KVM to change from the pi, which can pretty much be done in all cases from IR control to I2C or USB.
I'm trying to figure whether I could make good use of this when rebuilding my network in a new home and stuff.
Like, I'd love not to have the gaming rig in the living or bedroom but somewhere it can't be seen or heard a lot since I could use Parsec, Steam Link or Rainway to do stuff via network.
But doing that still wouldn't allow me to change GRUB settings from the remote system i.E. a ThinkPad.
So this still looks promising.
@ I was very happy that Linus did the multiseat setup which too inspired me to do my current system with two AMD graphics cards and RyZen.
But that doesn't change the fact that those fancy looking machines can be loud unless you have some expensive and potential risky water cooling going on.
Using really long HDMI and USB cables is one idea, yes but it's also difficult to do at a certain length.
I think it would be beneficial to see how this thing is hooked up to systems I want to control, didn't really see that in the video.
thanks for this nice review of Pi-KVM! I've some questions about it. Did you tested it with another KVM Switches? Is it possible to mount an ISO and do do an installation, during the installation can it switched to another system? Or will it disconnect and abort the installation? Thanks!
Does other kvm switches(like the noname aliexpress) work the same way as ezcoo with just a usb cable? Or do you need to hook up gpio pins to the buttons for em to work?
And what I would love to see is use of usb relays / gpio pins in general.
I already use Guacamole, but being able to remote power and reboot, then going into the BIOS won me over. I WANT ONE!
Hi - two questions:
1. Can you control 2 PCs using one kvm, or does that require 1kvm for each? I noticed you are switching between 2 devices but don't understand how that worked.
2. Can you share your wallpaper, it looks great.
Here’s a thought… Auto configure zero tier for auto vpn. This would give you the ability to configure one of these and send it wherever you want and it will automatically connect via encrypted VPN using UDP.
+1 this would be really nice. Zerotier for the win
it was awesome, congrats.
I'd like to know if you think that would be OK working using a VNC connection through a Pi KVM, in terms of keyboard and mouse speed using Internet to work in day-by-day use like text editing.
I don't think, that in current state Pi-KVM is a good fit for daily texting or so due to huge screen refresh lags... I'd suggest to use VNC servers for that.
Currently, I'm using TightVNC server on Windows and perfect Remmina remote desktop client on my Linux setup. Remmina allows to perfectly tune remote desktop view, in fullscreen mode, the desktop looks exactly like you're working locally.
NIce one, how does this compare to the tinypilot which is a similar idea?
Tinypilot uses the original software developed by Pi-KVM. In addition, Pi-KVM has no paywall, contains more features and released earlier.
Import note from their website: "NEVER edit /etc/kvmd/main.yaml. Use /etc/kvmd/override.yaml to redefine the system parameters. All other files that are also not recommended for editing have read-only permissions. If you edit any of these files, you will need to manually make changes to them when you upgrade your system. You can view the current configuration and all available KVMD parameters using the command kvmd -m."
I am interested in the hardware side...how everything was connected. that's a cool project
Test serial console from your terminal emulator on your desktop pc using ipmitool to the server, and go into the BIOS. Thats how I interact with the BIOS on computers at work, its really awesome
@Novaspirit Tech, the KVM featured is the model with the Hotkey feature?
Thanks for this! I'm on the wait list to order one now.
th-cam.com/video/aehOawHklGE/w-d-xo.html
I still love your opening music
Hi Novaspirit, question I have, is, when logging into the pi-kvm with the HDMI Switch (4-port EZCOO), is it possible to have another session at the same time (i.e. another person logging in and accessing lets say Port 1 while someone else uses Port 2 remotely)? The goal was to use this with 4 computers while myself and 3 other people log into the pi-kvm and work at the same time on separate machines in the same location (it could be with other logins created; not necessarily the default admin admin login). I imagine if this is possible, it would really diminish the ressources of the pi's processing and probably stretching it very thin. Thank you in advance for your feedback :). -Jason
Hello, i just look at your video about the pi KVM, and i was wondering if it can run up to 8 KVM, i notice that you are demonstrating the 4 port switch, so is it possible to get more port ?
Have you tested the remote serial port capabilities? That would be really nice to see.
I'd like to see you connect this KVM to an older enterprise server that uses VGA. How does this device manage powering an enterprise server on and off? This solution would be very useful if it worked on the older enterprise computers that have old iLOs using old Java and active-x which are no longer supported.
Ditto. Exactly what I'm interested in using it for. Got several Dell R210/R710/R720 servers as well as a mix of others.
Wondering if a "simple" VGA to HDMI converter would work for the video part.
Super excited to get a v3 hat for my homelab. 🤩
I haven't used any KVM in decades as they always were expensive and sucked a lot of the time, but nice to see open-source doing what it does best.
BLIKVM IS A RPI Compute Module 4 IO Board for PiKVM th-cam.com/video/aehOawHklGE/w-d-xo.html
Did you experiment with the SOL capabilities of the device at all? That seems like it would be a limited use case for most of the equipment a homelab is likely to have but it might be useful for something like a NAS that is built for as much PCIe as possible and uses serial for it's console. There might be other use cases for kernel message logging and such too.
I'm also curious if the serial console has to be connected to the PC or if it could be used to make the console port on a managed switch remotely accessible (since it's there on the hat already).
Finally, I'm curious about the IPMI support. Is there info about what that looks like/will look like? It seems like it would be restricted to just some basic chassis control commands for power on/of, power cycling, and reset but I'd like to know more.
The ezcoo 4 por hdmi kvm doesn't look like it will be back in stock any time soon, if at all, can you recommend something else?
Is there another compatible hdmi switch? The ezcoo 4 is not available now.
I already have a POE hat on my PI. Is it possible to connect with different ports?
Just got to see this review and it's interesting to see if IODD ST400 could work with this as well. thanks
This.....this changes EVERYTHING
Awesome project. I've not used IP KVM before. Just to be clear in the video your using a Desktop KVM that connects to all host devices and the RaspberryPi is connected to the KVM acting as a controller interface. From there you can remotely connect via web console (PiKVM) and manage all host devices?
Any specific hardware requirements for the Desktop KVM needed? I have an old 8port that uses VGA. Guessing I would need to update (not a problem) but would need at least another 8 port device.
BLIKVM IS A RPI Compute Module 4 IO Board for PiKVM th-cam.com/video/aehOawHklGE/w-d-xo.html
This would be great for being able to remotely configure switches, and servers which would require a VGA output and USB to connect to the servers.
This kvm is sick! I need to try it.
th-cam.com/video/aehOawHklGE/w-d-xo.html
I see that you can have multiple machines on one pi kvm that's great.
I have one quetion, can you share or give some point on how piKVM handle 'HDMI switch' selection toggling between multiple device if possible?
Another software licensing question. Docker is free for personal use and there is licensing for commercial use.
Open Source Plans :Docker is proud to support the Open Source community.
Qualifying OSS projects can get no-cost Docker accounts to support their contributors and end users.
Does Pi-KVM have a signed agreement ?
I think I missed something.... how is he controlling the hdmi switch input? I'd love to see how that was wired up.
From microusb to usba to the pi
@@NovaspiritTech oh awesome. thats really useful!
In the video, it seemed like the FPS is always less than 10. But I think you said it can get to 20. Can you confirm?
It’s a great improvement over pikvm on a zero w that gets 1 FPS or less on wireless, but had hoped for ver 3 to get 30 FPS at FHD.
Pi-KVM uses framedrop if the image does not change. FPS in the interface means the actual number of frames transmitted and displayed in the browser. This saves traffic. If you try to watch the video, you will get 25 FPS.
How does it affect usage if you wanted to use the device in person? Like does it add lag if you were to set this up on your main computer and use it daily and have it as an alternative way to remote in.
this project amazing, about feature how many pc can connect to one ipkvm-pi, and ist this support display port instead HDMI, thanks
been waiting for this, also replaces the overpriced usb iso stick
I like your corner shelf, can you ship it to Germany please? 😊
Do you know of any other kvm's, ezcoo 4 port hdmi kvm, that will work? Maybe a 8 port?
Can you show how you connected up the KVM to the Pi? I was researching KVMs for the same setup you have here and I could figure out a good way to trigger the switches on the KVM.
it uses a micro usb to usb-a, to connect from kvm switch to rpi
Oh, you didn't even have to mod it? That's awesome! I'll have to see if I can find it or a clone on eBay.
no modding needed. it's baked into the coding. just add a few scripts to override.xml and your all set.
I imagine you just set the hotkey for the physical hdmi switch in software
Nice video! Ofcourse the guy who made pi-kvm had to use Arch Linux...! The pacman -Syy is the wrong command, this only updates the package databases, you should have used pacman -Syu (no need for the double y, this force updates the database files)
Try playing Minecraft through it on a more powerful machine.
Edit: Also Port forward it through your router and try using It remotely.
@@schrodingersmechanic7622 it's httpS
Can you test reading and switching regular raspi gpios? How can they be displayed in kvm mode?
Can flashing LEDs on the target system be synced to the web interface?
I hope he builds this with a CM4... great work 👍
BLIKVM IS A RPI Compute Module 4 IO Board for PiKVM th-cam.com/video/aehOawHklGE/w-d-xo.html
I need this for my setup. Thanks a lot for this video.
Great video. Could you use a VGA to HDMI adapted with that USB/HDMI switch to connect to an older server without HDMI?
Yup, a vga to hdmi connector is about $12
@@NovaspiritTech hey Don, have you noticed any flakiness with keyboard/mouse connectivity when switching between inputs with that Ezcoo unit?
I have seen quite a bit of reviews out there complaining about that for this model, so just wanted to see what your experience has been? Thanks!
Question: Tailscale is licensed as a product that is free for personal use and if used commercially their website details licensing prices. As Pi-KVM will be a commercial product ( a product that you can purchase ) does it include some type of license. I am concerned if production is ramped up and Pi-KVM has not reached a licensing agreement with Tailscale then people who purchased the product may not be able to use Tailscale. Thank you.
Cheers Don, not too sure ill get that gadget.. Enough for me to have RDP / VNC over 5Ghz home network router i think..
Re 'HomeLab' a series of vids on "My own Datacentre (MoD)" (my pet name!) - would be cool. For me, the ability to spin up images from a fast SSD would be cool. Maybe a cluster of Pi's to do same??
Can you power on each of the 4 computers when you are using the hdmi switch? I guess you will have to have cables from the raspberry pi to each of the 4 motherboards?
I would like to use this with my Mac laptop with dual monitor, can this be done?
Hello, can you please provide a diagram or drawing on how to connect the actual pikvm to ezcoo. Thank you very much
Ill buy 3 of these day one.
Will the Pi-KVM require the Arduino HID?
Can you turn a laptop on using usb the way some docking stations can?
Can you test/describe the thermals... specifically how realistic would it be to run this hat without a fan?
I am hoping to get one of these when the final version is available but I want to install it in a very quiet environment. I am going to try to passively cool it (even if it means I lose some performance due to CPU throttling) Does the hat stay cool enough, though?
It runs relatively cool. I'll take some pictures without the case on my thermal camera and post them later on the community post
Hi, I’m just curious if this is possible using a old laptop instead of raspberry pi 4.
Can you explain about connecting HDMI switch to Pi-KVM. Is it some sort of standard to control HDMI switch/KVM via CTL port or Pi-KVM just "know" this one model?
Will it be able to run behind a dynamic IP?
How did you get that HDMI switch Menu ? , is that specific ezcoo 4 port hdmi kvm integrated already in that kit ?
also, I have a another question , why do we have to use USB-C in the Keyboard and Mouse? , can't we just use any other USB-3 port ? or maybe even USB-2 ?, I have read over that part in his forum but I don't get it still can you explain that a bit more ?
Great video Don! Thank you for sharing it with us!💖👌👍JP
great video! Thx for sharing!
cool, so this will also be the base for remote bios and basic gui streaming, and you can also install 'nomachine' for real time remote udp video .
does the pikvm sw also work for other arm boards with an arm (rock sbc's, arm 64 stb's etc) compliant Debian hdmi in to usb dongle.
i noticed today cheap self contained 5port £30 POE 100Mbit/s switch's are everywhere now, is the old 100Mbit/s switch ports to slow for this ?
This may work on other boards, but you will have to do the installation and configuration manually.
Is the max resolution still 1920x1200@60Hz? Are there any plans to improve that? I am looking for 5120x1440@ 30+ fps.
Being able to remotely turn on/off a server or mount an iso is the only reason I bought an ol HP server with iLO. Can you show the process of hooking this up the KVM the ATX on a desktop machine?
Also, have you noticed any heating issues with running the KVM for a prolonged period of time?
heating issues is not big.... the fan will kick on when it needs to... which is rare.. and he even dicded that the next update, it's even possible to run the fan at 1/4 speed when it kicks on to cool it off.
Is there another KVM switch that is known good? the one ref in this video is not available on amazon for months.
Could you share that 3D model so we can print our own cases ahead of the hardware release?
This look like what I am after. It seems the Ezcoo KVM switch you recommended is no longer available, is there any others you (or anyone) would recommend that would give me the full functionality?
Would love to know if macos is supported!
It's supported!
This sounds very much like what I'm looking for. I'm about to begin working (very, very) remotely from my office. I'd like to have a KVM-over-IP device that I can log into and have anyone connect a Mac or PC laptop to for me to troubleshoot or reformat. Have you (or can you) test this using this configuration?
@Novaspirit can I mail/loan an old java KVM to see if the Pi KVM can control it?
Would you be able to do this through the internet? Like if you’re away from home?
Yeah is there a VPN client to tunnel through NAT firewalls?
Can you use Pi-KVM with ZeroTier... ? I dont see why we could not! So where ever you use your Pi-KVM you are always on the same network !
Would be a nice thing to try ..!!!!
You have to provide your own Raspberry Pi4B right?
Does it work in a Chrome browser in an Android tablet? How would you turn on a remote laptop?
I hope the guy can improve the Optical Drive emulation with ISOs, because that thing is broken, the only Windows ISO you can use with is is WIndows XP and older. Its not as par with a IPMI which every ISO you throw on it just works.
I'm beginning to get into this PiKVM do you know if larger KVM's switches are possible? I have 12 computers.
Can you connect it to a wireguard VPN?