Use your LAPTOP as a KVM! The Pi-Cast USB KVM

Today, I take a look at the Pi-Cast KVM, a PiKVM compatible system which lets you use your laptop as the keyboard/display/mouse when working with PCs and servers.
Based on the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4, the Pi-Cast features USB3 gigabit Ethernet between the Pi-Cast and your laptop, HDMI input, USB gadget emulation, and a number of accessory hats are available to add ATX power control and a slot for an LTE modem.
Buy a Pi-Cast KVM:
www.crowdsupply.com/hackergad...
Support me on Ko-Fi if you enjoy my content and find it useful:
ko-fi.com/apalrd
Feel free to chat about my upcoming projects on Discord!
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:55 - Quick Test
02:43 - Teardown
04:10 - Feature Demo
07:36 - One More Thing
10:11 - Final Thoughts

[@declanmcardle]

That's not a mouse, that's a cat...🙂

[@apalrdsadventures]

He pushed the mouse off the table. So I am text-only now.

[@declanmcardle]

@@apalrdsadventures(n)curses!

[@Darkk6969]

I've backed that project and waiting for mine to arrive sometime in June of this year. I've backed the Pi-Cast KVM With Dual-ATX Multiport Switch and USB 3.0 & M.2 B-Key Module version which is a powerhouse for what I'd use it for. Love the idea of controlling two machines with ATX.

[@JamesTenniswood]

Skillfully avoiding mentioning the prices because wowsers, that is not cheap. I'll stick with my hdmi capture stick for £15 and a keyboard (actually works well using an ipad as the monitor too!)

[@arva1kes]

Aurga viwer is also option. With 75 usd you get the keyboard-mouse functionality as well and does not need any external power or network cables as its 5g wifi. Just hdmi and usb connection to pc.

[@almc8445]

I've been using the j5create JVA01 and OBS - It works extremely well! I just wish the non-iPad versions of iOS supported external capture too...

[@N.A._McBee]

It may make sense for well-funded individuals and for business IT use, but not for me. The concept is great, I like that they published a lot of technical details etc., that's great. But the price is a showstopper. I have a lot of old monitors, keyboards and such, and yes, you never have enough space, but also not enough money 😁 . In other words, it's easier to make space than to make money. For more than 200 dollars I can buy another computer 😆 . Or even three.

[@arva1kes]

@@N.A._McBee It's different for everybody. If you have alot of projects going on then running around with monitor and keyboard can take up your time which is again money. I'm not there either to pay over 200usd, but as there are under 100usd alternatives - on those I am.

[@N.A._McBee]

@@arva1kes I agree! As I said, just like you, there are certainly use-cases in which this thing makes great sense, regardless of the cost! And maybe that's the target of this business, which is okay. I'm just a bit disappointed that it can't solve my problems :). I'll have a look at the alternatives, hopefully I'll find some reasonable devices.

[@GameDesignerJDG]

I'm glad you're getting sponsorships, especially since this one aligns pretty closely with what your channel does, but I'm also always looking forward to seeing you scrounge up second hand electronics and set up foss web hosting utilities for problems I've never thought of. Love all the stuff you've put out so far. Can't wait to see what's next.

[@DutchFoxify]

It's not really a sponsorship, he only got the product for free, no money changed hands ( 01:42 ).

[@GameDesignerJDG]

@@DutchFoxify I totally missed that.

[@NickBouwhuis]

A USB KVM is such a good idea that I wonder why it was never done before. I definitely need this in my bag.

[@prenomnom2686]

So glad I found your channel. This is AMAZING !!!

[@zyghom]

$214 $8 US Shipping / $18 Worldwide - that is THE CHEAPEST option - I just made pikvm out of pi4 and with box and CSI boar it was less than 100. Added 4x hdmi switch for 40 from ali and I am done with 4 remote computers over pikvm for 140...

[@cybershelltech]

I hope Apalrd tries this option too

[@Dru_Fire]

Check out aurga viewer, it’s only 79$

[@lis6502]

is it bare hdmi switch or also "kvm switch" selecting one-to-four pairs of hdmi+usb? Asking as i've read mixed opinions on such kvm switches and never really had need to control more than one device, but if it's possible then i'd eagerly would try :) Oh, and would you mind sharing exact model of your device?

[@zyghom]

@@lis6502 of course it is switching both: hdmi and usb

[@lis6502]

@@zyghomokay, you've got my attention :D model?

[@OnnieKoski]

Ok, I’m way more interested in this now. Thanks!! Can you run spinwrite on this?

[@lis6502]

sigh, nihil novi. It's basically PiKVM project with custom breakout board for CM4. I am using combo Pi4+CSI2HDMI adapter for 3 +-years and i think using expensive Pi in such project is waste of money (i've bought mine while they were still reasonably priced ;p). USB2HDMI bridges are cheap as hell, only thing to work out would be forcing USB-C in laptop to as a client multifunction device or yet better, how to communicate over regular host usb to *something* acting as a client device. And yes, i am thinking about running pikvm on top of usb-c x86 laptop or even better, thin client. Because TCs are just made for such tasks, no admin will complain about screen refreshing in 4 fps while they having literally BMC connected with hdmi and usb to regular consumer grade device. So yeah, i am giving thumbs up for Daniel the cat, but otherwise material isn't anything particulary new or homelab-friendly economically-wise

[@eherlitz]

Great walkthrough, shouldn't these devices be able to remote control a EZC switch as well? I mean the ones from easycoolav (e.g. EZ-SW41HA-KVMU3L)?

[@bsl2501]

PiKVM rocks!

[@OneSpaceyBoy]

10:36 a keyboard with class!

[@NiHaoMike64]

I would like to see a version that's just software using a USB HDMI capture stick for video and a microcontroller for keyboard/mouse emulation. Cut out the encoding/decoding and web browser to reduce latency.

[@Dru_Fire]

Have you seen the AURGA viewer, Bluetooth/wifi KVM.

[@UnNumptyTube]

I struggle with a two cat parade on a daily basis. I got a split keyboard to reduce my attack surface. I've given up on getting them off the desk. Shutting the door is just chaos.

[@GconduitYTubeAccount]

It's really hard to tell with these devices whether they support sound. Anyone know which ones do?

[@hackergadgets]

when use in h264 webrtc it did support sound, but for the mjpeg streaming only video is supported.

[@Dogo.R]

Totally swore this was a "cursorless" line. But nvm midpredicted. Cursorless is still insanely useful though. People with temporarily broken hands typicaly dont go back even after hand function is restored.

[@tcricket]

Does the Pi-Cast KVM With Dual-ATX Multiport Switch still work with only a USB-C connection or do you have to use Ethernet?

[@martinmarusinec6204]

Not bad, I just miss VGA connector ...

[@sethstenzel]

So can you comment on latency at all for me? I've been developing a similar product, though like someone else mentioned in a comment based around cheaper HDMI capture and custom software. I have a few prototypes but I'm working on the software before tackling a order to PCB way. I'm targeting more like $60-$75. I do have some slight latency with the HDMI capture method, though I managed a game of SC2 with it lol.

[@mjmeans7983]

I think that using an RJ45 connector for the ATX control connector is a design flaw. Connectors should be fail-safe, especially when there may be multiple connectors with the same form factor on the same face of the host computer. (Thinking about when reaching behind a computer to find the slot that has the KVM connector instead of the slot that has a single port NIC). It seems that cross plugging an ethernet cable into it by accident could damage the motherboard or the KVM.

[@apalrdsadventures]

Other PiKVM based projects use the same pinout, so there's precedence for using it this way, and interoperability reasons for them to stick with the same pinout. I do agree that a different connector would be nicer, but I can't think of one that otherwise meets all of the needs and is easy to source. You will be able to find or make an RJ45 cable easily. I guess you could do a 6p4c (RJ11) for power button + power LED only, or a 6p6c for power + reset + power LED, but 6p6c cables are uncommon even though it's the same connector with all 6 pins populated. There's also the DEC offset RJ12 connector, which you can buy from Digikey but won't have lying around either. On the plus side, Ethernet operates at a low voltage and current, so I would be surprised if there was any damage to either end from this mistake.

[@TravisPickle]

i could use one sooner than June..dang

[@rpWeb3]

nother is not a word :p

[@JPEaglesandKatz]

$200-$300 are you frickin kidding me? You know I remember the days when you had 4 port physical KVM's all with thick cables etc... for under $150,= these prices are just making me LOL.....

[@N.A._McBee]

Great video, but the price of the thingy is way beyond of being reasonable. Buying this thing to work with a Raspi which was cheaper than this KVM switch? Maybe it's a great tool for IT workers in a business environment, but from a computer hobbyist's point of view? No way.

[@laughingvampire7555]

this is kvm for server administration, not for desktop

[@ElixirEcho]

very nice. very expensive.

[@ernstoud]

Or use RealVNC.

[@apalrdsadventures]

Usually when you need a real physical keyboard and monitor, it's too late for VNC

[@pavelvrasskii1359]

mew mew

[@sunnycloudy1337]

good in theory but bad in practice, let me explain: that compute module is way to powerful for just running a simple KVM; so unless you install proxmox or docker and run some stuff it's just gonna be a waste of resources you could have made a great video about this, apalrd... but you decided to go the easy route and just present the product like any other regular channel out there, what a wasted oportunity.

[@sevjij]

Your Laptop is not a KVM. Your KVM is a KVM or in that particular case Raspberry Pi is a KVM. Why did you name your video in such way.

[@shephusted2714]

you know why this sucks - because you could have built this yourself and sold them - the pikvm does not really add that much more functionality over vnc over ssh but it is all open source which is why you should just build your own - more rev streams

[@IgnoreMyChan]

Please be more upfront that you're going to promote a product, please. I love your videos normally but I don't like these videos and feel betrayed when I thought I was going to learn a new trick while it's actually just an advertisement.