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USB Syntax?

J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

(To avoid the new hardware pop-up.)

...Jim Thompson
 
M

Michael A. Terrell

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim said:
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

(To avoid the new hardware pop-up.)


A new KVM with USB capabilities comes to mind. maybe something like
this:

<http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2765034&CatId=598>

Some other USB KVM here:

<http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...h.asp?keywords=usb+kvm&image1.x=14&image1.y=9>


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida
 
J

Joel Kolstad

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim Thompson said:
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.
(To avoid the new hardware pop-up.)

If you're getting the "new hardware found" wizard pop-up after the first time
you plug the mouse in, you've got one cheap mouse -- they didn't bother
sticking an electronic serial number in each mouse, so Windows has no means of
"tracking" the mouse between insertions (and doesn't even try to do it
heuristically).

Anyway, I agree with Michael's suggestion -- a KVM switch is probably the
easiest way to "fake out" the PCs into thinking they still always have mice
connected. Ive have a couple of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817107417 ... and they
work well. Wal*Mart (at least around here) has them, so you could grab one in
Phoenix and return it easily if it doesn't work for it.

---Joel
 
C

Clint Sharp

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim Thompson said:
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

(To avoid the new hardware pop-up.)

...Jim Thompson
If you connect the mouse to each PC and then subsequently use the same
USB port does it still pop up the new hardware bubble? Not my experience
with several machines here but I'm using a fairly generic MS Optical USB
mouse so YMMV.
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
If you're getting the "new hardware found" wizard pop-up after the first time
you plug the mouse in, you've got one cheap mouse -- they didn't bother
sticking an electronic serial number in each mouse, so Windows has no means of
"tracking" the mouse between insertions (and doesn't even try to do it
heuristically).

Anyway, I agree with Michael's suggestion -- a KVM switch is probably the
easiest way to "fake out" the PCs into thinking they still always have mice
connected. Ive have a couple of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817107417 ... and they
work well. Wal*Mart (at least around here) has them, so you could grab one in
Phoenix and return it easily if it doesn't work for it.

---Joel

I have the IOGear GCS124U, a 4-port device.

It works well with an old Logitech wireless mouse, but throws up on a
new one :-(

IOGear "support" is not helpful, says it's an "emulation" issue.

...Jim Thompson
 
J

Joel Kolstad

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim Thompson said:
It works well with an old Logitech wireless mouse, but throws up on a
new one :-(

What model is it? Not that I think this will help, really, I'm just curious.
:)
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
What model is it? Not that I think this will help, really, I'm just curious.
:)

Old mouse is Logitech LX-7, I think, no markings, and going on the
basis of pictures on the website.

New mouse V220

Both are USB wireless.

KVM is IOGear GCS124U

IOGear tells me that a GCS104U will work, since it does not utilize
"emulation", but it also doesn't have hot-key switching, got to press
the button.

I think IOGear is clueless about direct wire preventing hot-key
control. I built a KV switch back in early DOS days for my son, who
was managing a paging system at the time. I just captured keystrokes
down a 74HC shift register chain, and did a broad-side match, and
tossed those foreign to the PC before they got to it ;-)

...Jim Thompson
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim said:
Old mouse is Logitech LX-7, I think, no markings, and going on the
basis of pictures on the website.

New mouse V220

Both are USB wireless.

KVM is IOGear GCS124U

IOGear tells me that a GCS104U will work, since it does not utilize
"emulation", but it also doesn't have hot-key switching, got to press
the button.

I think IOGear is clueless about direct wire preventing hot-key
control. I built a KV switch back in early DOS days for my son, who
was managing a paging system at the time. I just captured keystrokes
down a 74HC shift register chain, and did a broad-side match, and
tossed those foreign to the PC before they got to it ;-)

I bought an LX-something (no markings either) at Costco a few months
ago, seen it again later and they may still have some. In case you just
want to replace it. Works like a champ BTW.
 
B

Ben Jackson

Jan 1, 1970
0
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

USB is all mastered by the host. The host (or both, in this case)
constantly interrogate the mouse to give it a chance to send back
movement info. You could try just switching in the right sense resistors
to claim the device is present, but when it stops responding things will
probably go badly.

Have you considered something like this:

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
I bought an LX-something (no markings either) at Costco a few months
ago, seen it again later and they may still have some. In case you just
want to replace it. Works like a champ BTW.

I'm just about resigned to it, though I sure like these small
"palmable" mice ;-)

...Jim Thompson
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
USB is all mastered by the host. The host (or both, in this case)
constantly interrogate the mouse to give it a chance to send back
movement info. You could try just switching in the right sense resistors
to claim the device is present, but when it stops responding things will
probably go badly.

Have you considered something like this:

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/

Interesting, might be worth hacking a KVM to switch based on running
off the screen edge with the mouse.

...Jim Thompson
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim said:
I'm just about resigned to it, though I sure like these small
"palmable" mice ;-)

This LX-whatever I've got here is IMHO quite "palmable". Depends on your
paw size but I guess they won't be smaller than mine ;-)

The cursor is a bit more nervous than on regular mice (but all my others
are non-optical and wired). AFAIR it was under $20 at Costco. But a bear
to get out of a humongous molded-together plastic package. Those
packages must be an environmental nightmare.
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim said:
I'm just about resigned to it, though I sure like these small
"palmable" mice ;-)

Checked in the doc files. The mouse from Costco is an LX-5.
 
J

J.A. Legris

Jan 1, 1970
0
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

(To avoid the new hardware pop-up.)

...Jim Thompson

Use separate mice and build yourself a multistorey mousehouse with
different coloured mousepads on each level.
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Use separate mice and build yourself a multistorey mousehouse with
different coloured mousepads on each level.

Sno-o-o-ort!

I'm up to my ears in work right now, or I'd dissect how it all works,
and fix it... I still have all the USB documentation from when I
designed the physical interface for Intel years ago.

...Jim Thompson
 
M

Michael A. Terrell

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim said:
Sno-o-o-ort!

I'm up to my ears in work right now, or I'd dissect how it all works,
and fix it... I still have all the USB documentation from when I
designed the physical interface for Intel years ago.


If you have two mice or more, they start to breed. I started with
two, and have well over 100 at the moment. :(

There are serial, (The grandparents) PS/2, (The parents) USB (The
rugrats) and even a few mutant wireless rodents hiding around here.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida
 
R

Rich Grise

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'm up to my ears in work right now, or I'd dissect how it all works,
and fix it... I still have all the USB documentation from when I
designed the physical interface for Intel years ago.

Well, now we know who to blame for that nightmare of an excuse for an
interface.

Thanks,
Rich
 
K

krw

Jan 1, 1970
0
To-Email- said:
Sno-o-o-ort!

I'm up to my ears in work right now, or I'd dissect how it all works,
and fix it... I still have all the USB documentation from when I
designed the physical interface for Intel years ago.

It seems the server I'm using declared your original post to be spam.
;-)

How about a KVM switch?
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
It seems the server I'm using declared your original post to be spam.
;-)

How about a KVM switch?

I just ordered a new one. My old IOGear GCS124U can't cope with
modern USB mice.

...Jim Thompson
 
T

Tim Hubberstey

Jan 1, 1970
0
Interesting, might be worth hacking a KVM to switch based on running
off the screen edge with the mouse.

The next step is to dispense with the KVM switch altogether and run one
of the variants of VNC. I use TightVNC but don't remember why I chose it
(Now where DID I put those old brain cells?).

<http://www.tightvnc.com/intro.html>

You use one machine as the "master" and connect your mouse, keyboard and
display to it and on the "slave" machines you run a VNC server. On the
master you run a "viewer" session for each slave you want to control and
then switch between them like any other Windows app. Be sure to use the
DFMirage mirror driver on the slaves.

This is a very viable solution as long as your network is fast and there
aren't too many screen updates happening on the slaves. Since you
already have a KVM, you can leave it in place and only switch it when
the bandwidth hit would be too high.
 
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