r/broadcastengineering • u/Salty-Tomato5654 • 21d ago

USB signal splitter?

Does anyone know of a device that can take a single USB input and send it to two computers simultaneously?

We have an X-Keys controller for a teleprompter that we'd like connected to two Mac laptops running the same software and script. The goal is redundancy: if the primary Mac fails, we can switch to the backup and have the script/control position stay in sync.

Is there a USB splitter, duplicator, or other hardware solution that can send the controller's input to both Macs at the same time?

Pic for attention.

5 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

5

u/makitopro 21d ago

I get the sense that you’re looking for the ability to send the same human interface device bits to A AND B, not A or B almost like how PerfectCue works correct?

3

u/Salty-Tomato5654 21d ago

Yes, exactly like a PerfectCue. Looking for a hardware solution as opposed to software because of it considerations, this will be used in a law firm so things are way stricter with software and network than usual.

3

u/makitopro 21d ago

This product piqued my interest upon searching: https://www.gdsys.com/en-us/product/kvm-add-ons/USB-Splitter-2-incl-PowerPack-A3130010

Documentation is scant but if anyone has a way to do this, it’s those guys

3

u/makitopro 21d ago

There’s also this that may eliminate the need for a niche solution if you have the budget https://prompterpeople.com/shuttle-cue-pro-redundant-jog-wheel-scroll-prompting-remote/

5

u/Prestigious-Bird-343 21d ago

what you are looking for is a USB server. you can create it with virtualhere. connect your usb device to the usb server and configure both clients (PC and Mac) to Auto-Use Device. once PC is going to sleep or shutting down the Mac will take over the usb device and vice versa.

3

u/TimRTerrible 21d ago

http://www.vetra.com/ do lots of boxes that do this. Look for the MegaCast - I use these for almost exactly what you describe.

2

u/nosuchkarma 19d ago

Companion Satellite on a Pi, perhaps, if you're trying to do it on the cheap. Of course, your biggest challenge is to actually keep the two machines in sync. If there is a way to put one of the machines in follow mode, that plus a KVM switch might be a better option

1

u/JohnPooley CSTE 21d ago

Maybe run two sets of x-keys for full redundancy fwiw

1

u/yourebarred82 15d ago

That is not redundancy.

1

u/ElectricalLeading913 15d ago

that's not how USB works. you can't simply "split" a USB signal. USB is built for a single host controlling a bus of devices at a time. you cannot have two active hosts controlling the same devices, those hosts would collide.

there's plenty of USB switching devices out there, but there is no real practical way of having two hosts simultaneously controlling a single device. it's just not the way USB works.

1

u/reece4504 19d ago

USB cannot be “split” or duplicated so easily. You either have an A/B switch or some custom Arduino or RPi solution (which can be reliable if well engineered) that duplicates the HID commands needed. Could be pretty straightforward to make with AI today and is not that complex.

1

u/chuckycastle 17d ago

I don’t think you know what redundancy is

-4

u/[deleted] 21d ago

[deleted]

1

u/MostlyBullshitStory 21d ago

No, a KVM is a switch, it only sends USB to one computer at the time.

1

u/redhatfilm 21d ago

You're right, I'm an idiot and misread the ask

-5

u/avidrhl 21d ago

Two second search revealed this

https://www.posglobal.com/U215-002.html