So... hardware multiboxing?

[skeezy]

I think bpkdasbsaum is onto something here when looking at MultiSeat Desktop Virtualization...

I need to double-check all of the below when I have more time but this could save folk lots of money so I figured best to get this out here ASAP even if I don't have time to double-check everything...

Those looking at buying 4+ more PCs to do multiboxing may be well served to look into this more. Your current system may already have more than enough resources to do this in most areas and thus could result in both a cheaper outlay of cash and a better experience going forward. This approach may well also save energy/space/complexity/etc...

For example my current system has plenty of RAM and CPU and I am pretty sure my discrete video card natively supports upto 4 monitors and that is before any display port hubs/extensions & not counting the built in graphics on my CPU/motherboard which may be fine to support 1 WoW client "follower" at low settings/resolutions. I am thinking to support 5 MultiSeat Virtual desktops running WoW from my current PC I should at most need to add 1 video card and maybe a USB extender for KM for the desktops.

Target 5box setup (credit most of this concept from bpkdasbsaum):

• Run 5x Windows Desktops on 1 PC via MultiSeat Virtualization (not regular VMs);
• Each Window Desktop runs one wow client;
• Primary Windows Desktop does Video to Primary monitor;
• 4 other Virtual Desktops do Video to a 2nd Monitor in a quad layout (multiple ways to do this);
• Primary Desktop has dedicated main keyboard+Mouse;
• Use "synergy-like" software to allow your main keyboard+mouse to "float" between all 5 desktops (one at a time);
• Small keypad to send game commands to all 5 desktops (1 keypad to control all 5 game clients) via KM synchronizer; Could also have a 2nd mouse here for ground AoE targeting...

I am thinking that many people could do the above resulting in a pretty nice setup leveraging what they have and only spending something like:

• $0: Leverage your current main multiboxing PC as much as possible;
• $0-$99?: MultiSeat desktop virtualization software (not necessarily Aster as there are likely multiple vendors and possibly some decent free Open Source options);
• $0-$?: If current MotherBoard/IntegratedGraphics + Discrete Video Card can't support 5 monitors then you likely will need to add something like a Display Port Hub or a 2nd Video Card. Even a really nice Video card may be better and cheaper than buying 4+ more video cards &/or 4+ PCs...
• $0-$9-$26: I currently have at least 6 unused USB ports on my PC which may be enough... If you don't have enough USB ports you may need to buy an external USB hub/switch OR a PCI card that adds more USB ports...
• $0-$29: Open Source "Synergy-like" Barrier software that allows your main mouse/keyboard travel to all 5 desktops... That or buy the Synergy software; Note that the MultiSeat Virtualization software (Aster?) may have built in tools/capabilities for this.
• $35-$?: KM Syncronizer: Likely needed for either approach. Included cables likely work easier if you are just connecting them all to the same PC...
• $55-$77: 2nd Keypad for KM Syncronizer: Likely something like this 23key-Keypad or this 48key-Keypad would be ideal depending on how many keys you need for all 5 clients to do all the roles (Classic WoW is pretty basic). You should be able to feed this to all 5 Desktops for gaming from one single keypad and just bind different keybinds per wow client*...
• $78: 4x1 Quad Multi-viewer to use just 1 monitor to see 4 outputs;
• 0$-$79-$?: If you don't already have 2 monitors you likely will need a 2nd Monitor for 4 clients via the above multiview; Obviously you can get bigger/better monitors to your taste at more expense... Some existing monitors can handle multiple inputs or Picture in Picture or Picture by Picture so this all may be do-able in 1 existing monitor...

Rough Total: ~$168 to ~$400 depending on what you already have and can leverage. Does not include cost of a 2nd Video card nor cables if you need them.

That is all I have time for now to spec out but I wanted to put this down ASAP for folk considering buying 4+ small PCs for multiboxing... Even if your existing computers can't handle the extra overhead of multiseat desktop virtualization you may be able to keep your current PC for your main WoW client and just buy a 2nd slightly better PC for less than buying 4 weaker PCs...

*For those not clear what I envision by using 1 keypad for all 5 virtual desktops, the following is a simplified example:

If your goal was to have 3 keys in a row to allow 3 different mages to each shoot FrostBolts, you could configure them as follows and use 1 keyboard to control all 3 and not MultCast even when using a synchronizer:

-Mage 1: Keybind 1 to FrostBolt and unbind keys 2 & 3;
-Mage 2: Keybind 2 to FrostBolt and unbind keys 1 & 3;
-Mage 3: Keybind 3 to FrostBolt and unbind keys 1 & 2;

Similarly, Healing keys would only be bound on the Healer (and the other 4 clients would ignore the key-presses as they don't have that key bound...

Same thing for Tanking keys (if you are not running a 4DPS+Healer team)...

So theoretically you could use a program like Aster, and set it to float your keyboard between the desktops and keep it within the new 1-1-1 rule? Like a ISboxer round robin set up but without going through Innerspace.

[nodoze]

HEADS UP THAT MULTIPLE FOLK ARE HAVING ISSUES GETTING THE KOOLERTRON KEYPADS WORKING THROUGH THE KM SYNCHRONIZER...

IF YOU GET YOUR KOOLERTRON WORKING WITH THIS KM SWITCH OR ANOTHER ONE PLEASE REPLY TO THIS THREAD...

IF YOU GET A DIFFERENT KEYBOARD/KEYPAD WITH HARDWARE STORED MACROS WORKING THROUGH THE KM SYNCRONIZER PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT MODEL(S) YOU FIND ARE WORKING...

... I need to double-check all of the below when I have more time but this could save folk lots of money so I figured best to get this out here ASAP even if I don't have time to double-check everything...
...
Target 5box setup (credit most of this concept from bpkdasbsaum):

• Run 5x Windows Desktops on 1 PC via MultiSeat Virtualization (not regular VMs);
• Each Window Desktop runs one wow client;
• Primary Windows Desktop does Video to Primary monitor;
• 4 other Virtual Desktops do Video to a 2nd Monitor in a quad layout (multiple ways to do this);
• Primary Desktop has dedicated main keyboard+Mouse;
• Use "synergy-like" software to allow your main keyboard+mouse to "float" between all 5 desktops (one at a time);
• Small keypad to send game commands to all 5 desktops (1 keypad to control all 5 game clients) via KM synchronizer; Could also have a 2nd mouse here for ground AoE targeting...

I am thinking that many people could do the above resulting in a pretty nice setup leveraging what they have and only spending something like:

• ...
• $35-$?: KM Syncronizer: Likely needed for either approach. Included cables likely work easier if you are just connecting them all to the same PC...
• $55-$77: 2nd Keypad for KM Syncronizer: Likely something like this 23key-Keypad or this 48key-Keypad would be ideal depending on how many keys you need for all 5 clients to do all the roles (Classic WoW is pretty basic). You should be able to feed this to all 5 Desktops for gaming from one single keypad and just bind different keybinds per wow client*
• ...

...

I will also try to update the post above to reflect this (and update it further if things change)... If we find another keyboard/keypad that stores the macros in the hardware I will try to update this to reflect that as well.

So far the only device confirmed working with programmable buttons though the ShuOne KM sync switch are:
- Razer Naga Trinity mouse works great with all key mappings;

Tested against an Aimos 4 port switch (not confirmed for ShuOne yet):
- Razer Orbweaver;

More details on testing in this thread...

EDIT: Tracking of Testing is now being done here so it is in one place in one easily accessible post:

https://www.dual-boxing.com/threads/...mp-KM-switches

[jak3676]

you could. But if you're going for a round robin type setup, I don't think you need any sort of virtualization at all (no need for aster). You can macro some "alt-esc" keybinds into your normal rotation.

[skeezy]

you could. But if you're going for a round robin type setup, I don't think you need any sort of virtualization at all (no need for aster). You can macro some "alt-esc" keybinds into your normal rotation.

Good Call, Seems to be working well so far, just need a to tweak a few of my macros and change a few keybinds and i should be running again
Ill have to get my stream set up set up again lol.

[nodoze]

you could. But if you're going for a round robin type setup, I don't think you need any sort of virtualization at all (no need for aster). You can macro some "alt-esc" keybinds into your normal rotation.

Good Call, Seems to be working well so far, just need a to tweak a few of my macros and change a few keybinds and i should be running again
Ill have to get my stream set up set up again lol.

My main problem with the Alt-Esc approach is that it is relative to the last window you were on and only goes to the next window. That works pretty well for the DPS but doesn't really help for the Tank/Healer as much.

You may actually have a better result from incorporating both approaches... For example for Tank+Healer+3DPS:

You could do Tank & Healer on your primary desktop where you drive from the Tank and mainly use the mouse to heal from the healer like 'Tuts does here'

Then via hardware (KM synchronizer) send round robin keybinds with alt-esc to the 3DPS which could be together on a single PC/VM/Virtual-Desktop.

At most it would be a 2 PC setup but could easily be a single PC setup (via PC+VM or regular desktop+virtual desktop).

[skeezy]

My main problem with the Alt-Esc approach is that it is relative to the last window you were on and only goes to the next window. That works pretty well for the DPS but doesn't really help for the Tank/Healer as much.

You may actually have a better result from incorporating both approaches... For example for Tank+Healer+3DPS:

You could do Tank & Healer on your primary desktop where you drive from the Tank and mainly use the mouse to heal from the healer like 'Tuts does here'

Then via hardware (KM synchronizer) send round robin keybinds with alt-esc to the 3DPS which could be together on a single PC/VM/Virtual-Desktop.

At most it would be a 2 PC setup but could easily be a single PC setup (via PC+VM or regular desktop+virtual desktop).

Yes, movement with the alt-esc is awkward at best and wasnt very fun running dungeons like that, and you can't use the mouse make window active feature as your mouse cycles to the window that is being activated with alt-esc
I normally Drive from my healer and switch to Tank as needed, Very Rarely did I drive from a DPS toon.
I am leaning towards a 2 PC set up- I have a KM Synchronizer on its way. Though I probably don't need one should just go the Virtual Route, Hence my original question about Aster.
My 2nd PC is a laptop, so i can attach a mouse directly to it if i need one, was gonna connect my keypad to the KM and have it broadcast the dps macro. Would just need to rebind the movement keys so the toons on the 2nd pc dont run away.

[Andreauk]

Do you really want to risk your account? I saw this posted earlier:

https://postimg.cc/NLgnSxNN

[bpkdasbaum]

Do you really want to risk your account? I saw this posted earlier:

https://postimg.cc/NLgnSxNN

Woudn't trust too much into a customer support reply. They are known to please you as the customer to get rid of your hard questions so you don't contact again, they give simplified answers and they are not involved in the actual bans from what I understand. Those are done by different teams/developers/hacks team.

Blue posts are a better source, but even those tend to be dodgy or got things wrong in the past.

We know that only software is a bannable offense but multiboxing is still allowed. In your screenshot you (or someone else) ask about multiple mice being tied together while controlling multiple PCs and the customer rep says "no" it's not allowed. That's a bullshit reply to get rid of you, since he can't really answer that kind of question anyway.

If this were the case, anyone who share PCs/home/internet connect and play together like brother and sister or husband and wife would get banned following this logic, which is certainly not the case.

Also think about detection methods. How would warden distinguish between 2 hardware keyboard inputs be it you controlling both mice or you and your brother? Blizzard keeps firing staff and closed one of their call centers recently. Pretty sure everything is going to be automated, noone is going to follow you around for hours.

TLDR: You will never get a straight answer about this from a customer rep, because they don't know shit.

[Andreauk]

I think if they get a report about you as a boxer and see your characters casting at the same time they would just ban anyway - it's only a matter of time before they do ban it fully.

[bpkdasbaum]

I think if they get a report about you as a boxer and see your characters casting at the same time they would just ban anyway - it's only a matter of time before they do ban it fully.

They wouldn't be able to verify if you are using software or not. Also unlikely that this kind of man power is applied to hundreds or potentially thousands of boxers/botter reports on all realms. It would be easier to automate this rather than have a human do it manually.