One Keyboard/Mouse with Two PCs
One Keyboard/Mouse with Two PCs
Good morning everyone, hope you're all doing well. I'm reaching out because I'm trying to figure something out recently. I'm a Twitch streamer with a dual PC setup, using two mice and two keyboards. I'm planning to demonstrate keybinds on my screen via OBS. I came across a KVM Switch and wondered if it would draw too much power from my gaming rig, which could affect performance. I'd really appreciate any advice or answers you can provide. Thanks! 😁
A KVM is its own powered device. You shouldn't observe any performance drop at all. There could be a slight delay, but in all the KVMs I've used so far, I haven't noticed any.
A KVM is its own powered device. You shouldn't observe any performance drop at all. There could be a slight delay, but in all the KVMs I've used so far, I haven't noticed any.
If you don’t require the monitor side of a KVM, a USB switcher works fine. I found this one:
https://www.aten.com/us/en/products/usb-&-thunderbolt/peripheral-switches/us224/
It includes a mouse and keybinds connected to my PC and Raspberry Pi. A single buttonclick on the wired remote sends input to the RPI, which then returns to the PC when clicked again.
KVMs are costly. You can find cheaper options if you use a VGA monitor, but that’s not ideal. Otherwise, expect prices around 150-200 $, starting at that level.
The USB switcher costs about 30 $. I don’t need the monitor part. If I do, I’ll connect an HDMI cable to the second monitor and link it to the RPI. That’s all I’m using anymore. It was only necessary during the first OS installation on the RPI. Now I use both monitors for my PC.