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Matrix Sending video from 3PCs to any 3 screens

Discussion in 'KVM' started by Willie M, Jul 31, 2018.

  1. Willie M

    Willie M New member

    I'm setting up three (3) PCs with HDMI or DisplayPort video.
    I'm also setting up 3 screens: One large screen at the top and two smaller screens underneath it.
    The large screen will serve as the main display. The two smaller screens are touch-screens.
    I'm also setting up one keyboard/mouse.

    I'd like to have the capability of sending video from anyone of the PCs to anyone of the screens.
    I'd like the keyboard/mouse to automatically control the PC which is being viewed on the large/main display, while the two other PCs being viewed on the two small screens get interfaced via their corresponding touch screens.

    Can you recommend a solution to support this requirement?

    Note: The number of PCs and screens may grow to four.
     
  2. KVMGalore Expert

    KVMGalore Expert Staff Member

    Hello Willie,

    Thank you for reaching out on our HelpCenter.

    Are these RS232 touch-screens? or USB touch-screens?

    Note: Please respond via KVMGalore HelpCenter thread, NOT via e-mail.
     
  3. Willie M

    Willie M New member

    We plan to use USB on the touch-screen.
     

    Attached Files:

  4. KVMGalore Expert

    KVMGalore Expert Staff Member

    Willie,

    Sorry for the delayed response, as we were researching (in vain) a traditional KVM switch for your application.

    In the absence of a matrix KVM switch that also supports touch-screen, your best bet is deploying a KVM over IP system (1Gb dedicated Ethernet network) that supports USB peripheral sharing (for the touch-screen).

    Deploy 3 Transmitters (one for each computer).
    Deploy 3 Receivers (one for each display).
    All Transmitters and Receivers get connected to your 1Gb Ethernet switch, so now you have a network dedicated for this matrix switching.

    Connect a keyboard/mouse to the Receiver which is connected to the large/main screen.
    Connect the USB touch-screen port of the two smaller screens to an extra USB port on their respective Receiver units.

    Each system comes with its own proprietary management system which will allow you to make the connections between each one of the 3 computers to each one of the 3 screens.

    Since the main screen is the only one you connected a keyboard/mouse to – the keyboard/mouse will control the computer connected to the main screen at any given time.

    Since the other two screens have an extra USB connection (for touch-screen) to their respective Receiver units – each touch-screen will respectively control the computer it's connected to at any given time.

    Here are systems that natively support HDMI.
    You may also use similar systems supporting DVI by using DVI-HDMI cables.

    Here are systems that natively support DisplayPort.

    Note: INFINITY system will require AdderLink INFINITY Manager (AIM) to support the matrix switching.
     
  5. Willie M

    Willie M New member

    Hello,

    The system design has changed where it may lend itself good to an KVM switch. The system will be made up of two groups. Each group will consist of three Windows computers each with two HDMI outputs, three touchscreens and one 42" screen, USB keyboard and mouse. One of the computer's HDMI output will go directly to a touchscreen displaying a Siemens HMI software. The plan is to duplicate the HMI display to the second HDMI output and connect this to the KVM switch for displaying on a 42" tv/monitor to be controlled by keyboard and mouse. Attached is a drawing from the website that I modified to show this.

    My concerns are the following:
    1. What will the duplicated computer output behave like when changing between computers?
    2. How can I utilize the RS-232 control to switch between computers?
    3. Is a separate computer needed for the RS-232 control or can this be done from each connected computer so that maybe a screen button can be added to the touchscreen in the Siemens application? I would like figure out the best way to utilize the RS-232 control and integrate into project.

    Thank you much for your help!

    Willie M.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. KVMGalore Expert

    KVMGalore Expert Staff Member

    Willie,

    The configuration depicted in your new diagram of your new setup looks like a viable solution for the new requirements and would definitely work well.

    Switching to (or away from) any given computer via the KVM switch should have no effect on the computer's duplicate video output (connected to the 22" screen).

    Still searching #2,3 for you: please stay tuned.
     
  7. Michael SmartAVI

    Michael SmartAVI Active member

    Hi Willie,

    To answer some of your concerns regarding the RS-232 (with the HDN-4P in this case), controlling a Smart-AVI device via RS-232 requires an RS-232 card installed on your computer or a USB to RS-232 adapter.

    Yes, you will need another computer. Additionally you will need to use terminal client software such as PuTTY. Once you establish control you can use the list of commands in the user manual to control the KVM.

    My recommendation would be to just use keyboard hotkeys instead of getting a dedicated station for RS-232. Just simply plug in a keyboard and utilize the premapped hotkeys to get the exact same functions of RS-232.

    Hope this helps :)
     

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