5 ms·

Got my ultimate retro KVM setup working

105 points by Tomte 3y ago

nickt 3y ago
That’s a nice setup. I’ve enjoyed using older professional / broadcast gear picked up used The Extron and Kramer switches and scalers are available for a fraction of the original price and perform very well. I’m using it with Amigas, old Macs, ZX Spectrums and old PCs once I’ve got them into the VGA / HDMI domain (and that’s a rabbit hole as the author discusses).
m463 3y ago
lol, the headline made me think pretty certain "KVM" was a VM setup for emulation, but it turned out to be the other KVM (keyboard/video/mouse?).
- Fnoord 3y ago
  See [1]. The acronym for keyboard/video/mouse was first, though you may be familiar with IPMI. Saw a vid today of someone running PiKVM with HDMI hub. Then you can run it on multiple outputs (if HDMI). Pretty cool. Right now I got the issue that I have USB-C/TB output on MBP but my hub is a Chinese one with output to HDMI and DP. Which both work, but... my monitors only have 1x HDMI, 1x DP and the DP are in use on desktop. So I'm going with a 8 USD reversible DP splitter from Ali. From what I understood it can do 4k 120 Hz so that should be DP 1.4. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KVM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KVM
snvzz 3y ago
Retrotink is nice. OSSC[0] and OSSC Pro[1] are nicer, and open source hardware. 0. https://videogameperfection.com/products/open-source-scan-converter/ https://videogameperfection.com/products/open-source-scan-co... 1. https://videogameperfection.com/products/ossc-pro/ https://videogameperfection.com/products/ossc-pro/
- ericpruitt 3y ago
  Nicer how?
  - snvzz 3y ago
    Open hardware is itself enough to warrant that label. But e.g. on OSSC I can (and do) set pixel perfect timings for the platforms I use it with (Amiga, most of the time). This is not possible with most scalers/converters, including the retrotink.
dazhbog 3y ago
Anyone can recommend an IP KVM to connect to DOS machines that have 1 VGA signal, 1 component video signal (this is a secondary video signal from an old camera on this machine), DIN keyboard connector and RS232 mouse? So far PiKVM looks like the best candidate.
PcChip 3y ago
Doesn’t converting all those old machines to an LCD screen lose the magic?
pm2222 3y ago
AliExpress has lots of retro game consoles though the game selection is limited to whatever that’s offered. The hw is nice, hook up to hdmi, wireless controller etc.

105 points by Tomte 3y ago

That’s a nice setup. I’ve enjoyed using older professional / broadcast gear picked up used The Extron and Kramer switches and scalers are available for a fraction of the original price and perform very well. I’m using it with Amigas, old Macs, ZX Spectrums and old PCs once I’ve got them into the VGA / HDMI domain (and that’s a rabbit hole as the author discusses).

m463 3y ago

lol, the headline made me think pretty certain "KVM" was a VM setup for emulation, but it turned out to be the other KVM (keyboard/video/mouse?).

Fnoord 3y ago
See [1]. The acronym for keyboard/video/mouse was first, though you may be familiar with IPMI. Saw a vid today of someone running PiKVM with HDMI hub. Then you can run it on multiple outputs (if HDMI). Pretty cool. Right now I got the issue that I have USB-C/TB output on MBP but my hub is a Chinese one with output to HDMI and DP. Which both work, but... my monitors only have 1x HDMI, 1x DP and the DP are in use on desktop. So I'm going with a 8 USD reversible DP splitter from Ali. From what I understood it can do 4k 120 Hz so that should be DP 1.4. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KVM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KVM

snvzz 3y ago

Retrotink is nice. OSSC[0] and OSSC Pro[1] are nicer, and open source hardware. 0. https://videogameperfection.com/products/open-source-scan-converter/ https://videogameperfection.com/products/open-source-scan-co... 1. https://videogameperfection.com/products/ossc-pro/ https://videogameperfection.com/products/ossc-pro/

ericpruitt 3y ago
Nicer how?
- snvzz 3y ago
  Open hardware is itself enough to warrant that label. But e.g. on OSSC I can (and do) set pixel perfect timings for the platforms I use it with (Amiga, most of the time). This is not possible with most scalers/converters, including the retrotink.

dazhbog 3y ago

Anyone can recommend an IP KVM to connect to DOS machines that have 1 VGA signal, 1 component video signal (this is a secondary video signal from an old camera on this machine), DIN keyboard connector and RS232 mouse? So far PiKVM looks like the best candidate.

PcChip 3y ago

Doesn’t converting all those old machines to an LCD screen lose the magic?

pm2222 3y ago

AliExpress has lots of retro game consoles though the game selection is limited to whatever that’s offered. The hw is nice, hook up to hdmi, wireless controller etc.