New Vetra Products for Multiboxing!

[Noxxy]

I think the point is - I do have 6 monitors already - but if I want to switch to another toon as the main I'd have to look up / down / left right / whereever to view the monitors associated with that toon - why not have 7 monitors with the one monitor in front of me just displaying a copy of whatever box I want to run?

[Xzin]

Just seems faster to glance a small arc distance rather than physically switch over. Mostly due to hardware limitations.

[Toned]

Six weeks ago, Vetra engineers were telling me that they weren't sure if they could make the product that they just released. And only NOW do I see what Vyndree was asking for with the KVM switch. Yeah, that would be nice, but I think it would take a LOT more effort (although, it's the single feature that this product doesn't have now). What they're going to have to do, though, is start making DVI switches first. No hardware multiboxer here is using a VGA video card that is worth anything. Maybe some people use them, but heck no. Not me.

It's called good business. Why would they say no, don't buy this product today. Because in 6 months 27 days 23 hours, and 57 seconds we will be releasing something better. The whole point is you buy the stuff that is out now, and when they release the cutting edge crap you come back and buy more. Honestly, if the engineer was like ya, we are working on something like that it's coming out in 6 weeks. Would you have bought your stuff? No, right? At which point his ass should be fired for losing a sale.

[Vetra]

This is Paul from Vetra Systems. First, I would like to thank you all for your support and interest in our products. Wow, you have covered a lot of ground here in a very short time. I just wanted to address some of your comments and clarify some of the features of the new switchcaster (combined KVM switch / broadcaster). Please note, we have only recently started posting here, so please be patient if I miss some subtlety of gaming. We will be checking the forums from time to time, but suggest you contact us via email or phone if you need direct assistance.

The new switchcaster will work both as a KVM switch and a multicaster for both keyboard and mouse. Keyboard and mouse can broadcast together or independently. We added inversion broadcasting, allowing the selection of one channel, broadcasting to all but the selected channel, and the ability to easily toggle between the two. If you want to broadcast to all without inversion, you still can. Channel switching happens even faster than in our standard KVM switches so that any delays should be imperceptible. As an option, the unit is available with expansion, so that you can string together up to 8 units to control up to 64 PCs.

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

Actually, the y-mouse functionality is already built-in to the switchcaster, at least for many setups. Often the y-mouse is used to combine the KVM output with the broadcaster output. The switchcaster performs both functions, so the y-mouse is no longer needed. No more maze of wires.


VIDEO FEATURES:

There have been several questions and comments about the video switching. First, let me be clear. The switchcaster has several versions, and is available with keyboard and mouse (KM) only, no video, so if you don't need or want it, you don't have to pay for it. Basilicos pretty much hit the nail on the head. We offer the video, as an option, for those who still want to use this as a traditional KVM switch, now or later on, as well as for non-gaming customers.

As Xzin mentioned, when you switch video, a monitor takes a second, or even several seconds to sync up. This is a limitation of the monitor, not our switch (which switches the video in just a few milliseconds), so there's really nothing we can do about it. As I understand it, this limitation makes video switching of any kind unworkable in just about every gaming scenario, and that most (all?) of you use a separate monitor for each PC.

Thus, we are not planning on offering any gaming-specific video options at this time. We welcome any suggestions, but remember, the monitor itself just cannot switch fast enough.

...Icing on the cake:[/b] Round robin. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD give hardware multiboxers (especially button mashers like me) a reliable "round robin"...

I think the switchcaster may help you do this. The feature, scroll-lock- N, selects the next available channel so that you can "instantly" switch from character to character, in order, in rapid succession. It's also available using the "next" button on the front panel.


Regarding several comments about inversion broadcasting, holy trinity groups, transfer of leadership, etc. If I understand correctly, I think we have given you just what you need. With inversion broadcasting you can directly address any character individually, then switch to broadcast to all the other characters, except for the one previously selected. You can toggle back and forth with a single command. You can change the lead character.


Regarding the use of scroll lock for hot-keys, the scroll lock button is used by most, if not all KVM manufacturers because it is virtually never used for anything else. I think you'll find that our scroll-lock switching sequence (scroll-lock 1, 2, etc.) is actually simpler and fewer keystrokes than every other KVM switch on the market. We might look into this further to see if we can find an alternative.


Regarding upgrades, please understand, we are fundamentally a technology-oriented hardware company. Computer hardware manufacturers are in a difficult situation where products change rapidly, but pretty much no one lets you just trade in your old stuff. Intel comes out with scores of new processors practically every month, but they don't let you just trade in your old processor every few months and just pay the difference, right? Obviously, we're a much smaller company, but you get the idea. We want to be responsive and develop new features, but not shoot ourselves in the foot in the process. We have tried to keep you all abreast of our upcoming products. I personally have even mentioned the new switchcaster for some time before its release to those looking to buy standard broadcasters to hopefully avoid any "buyers' remorse". That being said, We are considering some kind of upgrade policy, depending on what product was purchased, and when. I hope we can come up with something that will allow us to offer you some relief without breaking the bank (either yours or ours).


One product can't do everything, but we've tried to make a flexible, versatile product that can adapt to many possible setups and reduce the number of boxes you need. We always welcome any suggestions, comments, and questions. Please feel free to contact us.

[Basilikos]

It's called good business.

Yes and no. Yes, they made the sale. It was also tacky (in theory - I'm not ready to actually accuse them of anything).

Why would they say no, don't buy this product today.

Assuming they were working on the product right then, they should have (since MANY businesses do this) told me to hang on. I've had it happen to me before.

Because in 6 months 27 days 23 hours, and 57 seconds we will be releasing something better.

It was six weeks, not six months. Six months I could see since the product would not have been anywhere near ready for release, which would mean that they couldn't give me any timetable. And that still assumes they were working on it at the time I called.

The whole point is you buy the stuff that is out now, and when they release the cutting edge crap you come back and buy more.

Companies that manufacture top-of-the-line electronics equipment, especially PC components, will frequently allow customers to trade-up for the difference of an upgrade to a product that comes out shortly after a purchase of a lesser product. EVGA is an example.

Honestly, if the engineer was like ya, we are working on something like that it's coming out in 6 weeks. Would you have bought your stuff? No, right?

You're right, I would not have bought the item I purchased. And, as I've pointed out, there are a LOT of companies that do this. Several chain furniture retailers have done this for me because it's actually a good salesman's M.O. to tell the customers these things.

At which point his ass should be fired for losing a sale.

Wrong. And please note we're still talking in the realm of the theoretical here - I have no idea what was going on behind Vetra's doors at the time (to a reasonable degree, anyway). The products they are offering right now are far superior to what I purchased and cost several times as much. In theory, they would have made more money off of me if they had told me to wait (again, assuming quite a bit there). Now, it will likely be a long time before I purchase one of the newer products.

[Ishar]

I felt really dumb when I read vetra's post....didn't even think about that...but he's absolutely right about the y-keys, for my setup anyway.

I might be buying one of these....since I contacted the x-keys company about a mouse-only multi caster and said I would pay 400 or so dollars for one, but they never got back to me. (I currently have an 8 port KM and 8 port multicaster from vetra, which I love).

I might be wrong, but it seems like the VIP-808-KM-B-X would nicely take the place of my VIP-848-BC and VIP-808-KM-X at like half the price lol. So very nice for somone looking to switch to hardware. Conversely, sorta expensive for hardware people that are looking to extend their current setup to 10. But as i said above, I once said I'd pay 400 bucks to broadcast a mouse...LOL. Any sort of trade in deal would be extremely welcome, but at the same time, realistically, kinda unexpected.

Maybe I'm missing something about inversion...but I don't really see it being that useful unless you coupled it with a separate KM... That is, simply disabling broadcasting to one PC is useful, but you still need a way to control that particular keyboard. This could be done with a KM for 'main' control, and a 2nd keyboard for broadcast control, fi you want to have two input devices. Unless I'm missing some feature of the vetra device, you'd still need a separate KM to take real advantage of this feature. (I don't see why you couldnt have two input channels in the vetra device and swap them, I just don't see that feature currently). Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

With regards to Vyndree's Pie in the Sky Round Robin Dreamage, I don't think the next pc feature really helps that...since (to be effective) it needs to be key based, not keyboard based. You are correct if you wanted to round robin everything, the 'next active' switch would work, but generally (i Think) most people want to round robin certain keys, while still (practically simultaneously) broadcasting Eg, this situation doesnt seem too unlikely:
Hit 4, have shaman 2 earth shock.
Hit 2, have all shamans LB
Hit 4, have shaman 3 earth shock.
HIt 2, have all shamans LB.

There'd be no way (that i see) to do that with the 'next active', since you'd go back to shaman 2, not shaman 3. And that would be a lot of hotkey hitting.

If your looking for a suggestion, well, the only way I see it happening is a piece of hardware that is configurable, and allows you to set any key as a 'round robin' key, where it internally squelches that key for the non selected output channels while in broadcast mode... There would almost have to be a software component to allow sanity while configuring it. Its pretty much wishful thinking.

It occurs to me that someone could write software that does this on each of the machines, while still relying on the hardware for the broadcast itself. Also, a cast sequence for wow that didn't halt on spell failure would accomplish the same thing. The former is probably more of a possibility. In the simplest case, it doesn't even have to communicate with other instances, just only pass every 3rd 4th 10th or whateverth key to wow.

Oh, and lastly, a disclaimer, I'm so NOT a hardware guy, was just seeking to clarify a bit and generally talking out my but.

Edit:
I don't really like the scroll lock hot keys either...but thats why I have a x-keys stick. Configurable hot keys would be nice, but probably a lot of work for little return. Tho that does lead me to something that'd be really cool...and kinda similar to what I was thinking above, but anyway, a multi caster that allowed programming for each output channel would be really cool. (By programming, I mean more along the lines of simple macros/changing what keys do/etc. ) Thats really really pie in the sky tho. Hmm. I don't see any reason why you have to have a special keypad to have programmable keys...why not just some box that takes keyboard input, modifies it, and then passes it on to the computer? Might be a potential product for general gaming applications...I dunno. Im sure theres a reason that everyone makes programmable keypads/keyboards/etc and not just The Magic Programmable Box that works with any ps2 keyboard...LOL. K, im gonna lay off the chocolate and go to bed. yeah. wheeeee.

Ish