New Vetra Products for Multiboxing!

[Xzin]

This is pretty neat.... Vetra has some new combination KM/Multicaster units out now. I wish they were 10 port not 8 but still....

http://www.vetra.com/808B_text.html

Not sure why they offer the KVM versions but still......... this is nice for those who are interested in multiboxing. One box and you are done. Ok well... 5 more :) But still :)

Just to be clear - I don't have any relationship with Vetra or X-Keys or the like. I like their products and I endorse them because they are well made products that I find personally useful. I bought all of mine out of my own pocket.

[Bradster]

I concur they make great stuff!

I am a bit confused on the wording however, or at least convey the new features.

Taking from the site:
A useful example of inversion multicasting for multiboxing would be having the currently selected channel blocked from receiving multicasts. If selecting keyboard-only multicasting, for example, the keyboard is locked out, but the mouse is not. The user can use the mouse control the selected PC channel and simultaneously use the keyboard to control the other multicast PC channels. In effect, you can control your lead character with the mouse, and your backup army with the keyboard, all at the same time!

Using 5 PC's as an example does this mean that A,B,C,D Is on but E is not? That;s the way I read it. If only E Castings (to reply to tells) and A,B,C,D at time would not, then yes that would be handy. However it just remove one out of loop for no broadcasts I'm not really sure how that would be useful. Perhaps I'm interpreting this incorrectly?

[Bradster]

Figures they'd come out with this.

Just needs built in Y-Mouse-type capabilities and it would be perfect.

If that were the case, just think about all the wires you could remove out of your setup. I know for at least mine It's a bit crazy

[Basilikos]

Funny story - I gave them the idea for the broadcasting lockout about two months back when I ordered my keyboard broadcaster. I'm glad to see they got the mouse incorporated, but I'd like to know how well it works. Also, I was just shooting the breeze with the fellow taking my order. I'm glad they produced the product since I'm not in a position to do so. I'm a little ticked, though. Not about them taking my idea - I gave it to them and it's good for the community to have the tool handy. I'm a little upset that they came out with this product about six weeks or so after I ordered my 4-port keyboard broadcaster AND gave them the idea for these products.

Don't get me wrong - they made the right decision in creating them. Heck, I'm interested in buying one. But I'm going to have to work out where I get the money from since, despite doing well for myself, I can't just throw down the $359 or whatever for the new unit especially IMMEDIATELY after spending $199 on the broadcaster I have now.

But yeah, I'm going to have to break down and get one I think. The broadcasting lockout is too useful for a "Holy Trinity" group, and the mouse broadcasting (assuming it works) is the answer to a lot of people's prayers, what with the issue of AoE spells and whatnot.

[Vyndree]

There are several useful settings for Multicast mode. Scroll Lock+"B" selects multicasting mode. All PC channels receive keyboard and mouse multicasted output. Scroll Lock+"K" selects keyboard only multicasting. All PC channels receive keyboard multicasted output. The mouse is connected only to one PC channel, the one currently selected. Scroll Lock+"M" selects mouse only multicasting. All PC channels receive mouse multicasted output. The keyboard is connected only to one PC channel, the one currently selected. Any valid Scroll Lock command will override all previous commands.

This right there is the interesting part.

However, I wonder when you're using the "KVM" part of the switch -- what happens to your other monitors? For example, if i hit "SCROLL LOCK + 1" to switch to my pc #1, do all of my other screens go blank? Cuz that would be teh suck. The other monitors should always be displaying something, otherwise there's no point in having them if they're only going to be on while I'm multiplexing...

In essence: I never want it to be the case that all of my monitors are "off" except for one.

EDIT: Owait... I read this wrong I think... Are they expecting you to ONLY have one monitor for all of your computers? Sucky!

I suppose though all I'd have to do is just not plug any of my monitors into their KVM/multiplexer at all, but hey... If I'm going to pay $400-600 for a device I want to be able to use all the fancy stuff!

I also kinda wish the button wasn't "scroll lock"... that's awfully far away for me to have to press from my left hand being in the standard "WASD" position and my right hand being on my mouse.

Also: Only VGA connectors? No DVI? Sad panda.


Otherwise, it's a very tempting device... if I didn't already invest in the seperate devices already. >.<

[Basilikos]

A useful example of inversion multicasting for multiboxing would be having the currently selected channel blocked from receiving multicasts. If selecting keyboard-only multicasting, for example, the keyboard is locked out, but the mouse is not. The user can use the mouse control the selected PC channel and simultaneously use the keyboard to control the other multicast PC channels. In effect, you can control your lead character with the mouse, and your backup army with the keyboard, all at the same time![/font][/size]

Using 5 PC's as an example does this mean that A,B,C,D Is on but E is not? That;s the way I read it. If only E Castings (to reply to tells) and A,B,C,D at time would not, then yes that would be handy. However it just remove one out of loop for no broadcasts I'm not really sure how that would be useful. Perhaps I'm interpreting this incorrectly?

I'm almost certain that they miss-understood the scenario that I setup for them when I was describing it, so they're struggling to justify the feature. Basically, I was describing the issue of sometimes wanting to be able to take a machine out of the loop of broadcasts. Primarily, this would be good for "Holy Trinity" groups when Macros in-game just aren't enough. Technically, though, they're right about their claims of dual control. I also explained that I frequently play my primary character as a different class or spec than the other four, so it makes sense for me to keep multiple sets of controls.

Like I said, this device was theoretically intended to provide the level of control in a "Holy Trinity" setup that macros could not. Yes, it would require extra control sets, but I thought that was a little obvious. I like where they've gone with it, though. Putting the KVM in there and making the broadcast lockout aware of what machine the KVM is on is actually quite good since it would allow for more control for those that refuse to use more than one keyboard (no criticism intended).

[Basilikos]

However, I wonder when you're using the "KVM" part of the switch -- what happens to your other monitors? For example, if i hit "SCROLL LOCK + 1" to switch to my pc #1, do all of my other screens go blank? Cuz that would be teh suck. The other monitors should always be displaying something, otherwise there's no point in having them if they're only going to be on while I'm multiplexing...

In essence: I never want it to be the case that all of my monitors are "off" except for one.

Recall that they reason they make a lot of these products KVMs instead of KMs is that they don't want to lock themselves into a single solution set - they want the product to be applicable to as many fields as possible (good business, etc).

I suppose though all I'd have to do is just not plug any of my monitors into their KVM/multiplexer at all, but hey...

Yes. In fact, I use a 4-port keyboard broadcaster right now, but I also use a 4-port KVM to the same machines. Like I said, I like to control my main character aside from the other four. Not having the monitors hooked up to the monitor switch is a-okay.

[Basilikos]

Figures they'd come out with this.

Just needs built in Y-Mouse-type capabilities and it would be perfect.

If that were the case, just think about all the wires you could remove out of your setup. I know for at least mine It's a bit crazy

I'm actually preparing to rack-mount all my PCs to help with the "clutter". It is indeed a freakin mess.

I almost did that myself, but I then un-hooked everything and took the time to route the cables around where they needed to go and tied everything as I went. It made a world of difference w/o a rack mount solution, but I have a LARGE desk that easily handles this and my control setup.

[Basilikos]

EDIT: Owait... I read this wrong I think... Are they expecting you to ONLY have one monitor for all of your computers? Sucky!

Again, they're just putting a KVM switch in it so that it is compliant with other applications. That, and the broadcasting lockout feature depends on the KVM switch in certain cases, it seems.

If I'm going to pay $400-600 for a device I want to be able to use all the fancy stuff!

Perhaps I'm not understanding how they chose to implement my idea, but it seems like the KVM switch helps control the broadcasting lockout to some extent. Not using the video switch for anything doesn't seem like a drawback in this context. Also note that the cost on including the video in something that was effectively a KM switch before, along with everything else in this unit, really doesn't add up to much being "wasted."

I also kinda wish the button wasn't "scroll lock"... that's awfully far away for me to have to press from my left hand being in the standard "WASD" position and my right hand being on my mouse.

Granted, but as an X-Keys user, you could easily bind the settings you wanted to the X-Keys that is plugged into the keyboard port on this unit, assuming that you haven't already filled it up with other bindings. That's exactly what I'm going to do when I get mine, it just might not be for a while.

Otherwise, it's a very tempting device... if I didn't already invest in the seperate devices already. >.<

This is my only gripe with the product, especially since I just bought the separate devices six weeks ago, let along after giving them the idea for this one over the phone. Again, I'm not upset about them releasing the product, I'm upset about the timing. I am really happy this was put into production. I just wish that I hadn't ordered a two-hundred dollar product from them only to consider replacing it for a better one six weeks later.

[Xzin]

You guys know you can order the KM option - no video ports at all, right?