GO boxes & KVM/audio/MIDI switchovers

[Rich Walsh]

I used to spec systems with a CueOne KVMx & CMX8 and a Friend-Chip DMX 16 – but CueOne no longer exists and I’m not switching ADAT Optical any more. I’ve looked at the products Autograph & Orbital (Nemesis) make, but wonder if I’ve missed a cheaper alternative?

I’m aware of the various USB GO boxes, but not any other solutions for switching…

Thanks.

Rich

[RJ Givens]

Not sure what desks you use, but here is my set up with an SD10T.

Have 2 Mac mini connected to the console via madi with digigrid MGB ( racks run on Optocore)

Have the main inputs set to the main computer and the alt inputs set to the back up computer.

Have a macro that switches from main to alt on the qlab inputs.

Have an IO Gear KVM A/B switch that I can hit to switch machines on my screen.

I fired midi from my snapshots in the desk.

Desk > power supply > quad thru> Midi Sport usb midi adapter on each machine - this fires both machines in tandom from the console.

I also have a midi disable, qlab mute, panic all, advance forward advance backward, play selected and load selected macros.

[Rich Walsh]

IOGEAR’s a useful lead. I guess you could butcher the buttons to connect a remote switch – this is what Gary used to do with his KVMx switches (essentially rebox a standard PC product – these I think).

The switching system has to be desk agnostic, and present as a single audio device to the desk. Switching should be done by a single button that switches audio, KVM & MIDI. The system needs to support sending MIDI to both Macs (a MIDI THRU for MIDI input), but more importantly, MIDI output only from the “active” Mac. This is the reason given for why the purpose-built systems from the hire companies are so expensive compared to a basic KVM selector. Although to be honest even a parallel printer selector would be overkill: all you need is 3 double-pole switches… The Autograph & Nemesis boxes include MIDI interfaces, relay-to-MIDI and GPIO, but they’re still a bit on the pricey side I think.

I have no problem paying for the Autograph Dante or MADI selectors though. I don’t know of another Dante one; there are lots of MADI ones…

Rich

[Sam Kusnetz]

Speaking only for myself, and not for Figure 53 at all…

Regarding KVM:

I have found some IOGear KVMs to be perfectly acceptable, and others to be absolute trash. I have not found a consistent way to tell which is which, although I can say that none of the ones in metal housings have ever completely failed on me. Some of the plastic ones have, some have not.

I find Gefen’s KVMs to all be reliable EXCEPT for their cheapest model, which has disappointed me time and again.

The Blackbox KVM matrixing gear is all horrible expensive, but fantastic and 100% reliable.

Regarding MIDI switching:

My favorites for this are the MIDI Solutions Programmable Input Selector or Programmable Output Selector (depending on which direction you’re going) which switch either input or output based on a contact closure or a program change message of your choosing.

I’m also very interested in iConnectivity’s interfaces which can hook to two Macs and switchover from listening to Mac A to listening to Mac B under various circumstances. I don’t have a lot of firsthand knowledge, but they seem like good folks and their interfaces are definitely well built.

Regarding all-in-one switches:

I’ve never seen anything even similar to the Autograph boxes. Here in the US, Masque and PRG (the two largest rental suppliers for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and national tours) both have their own in-house solutions. Masque sometimes sells theirs but you have to call and ask nicely.

Best

Sam

—

Sam Kusnetz | Figure 53

s...@figure53.com

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[RJ Givens]

You could bypass the switch and wire it to a midi solutions relay box and have the console fire midi to switch it when you hit the back up computer macro.

As far as telling which one it’s on, I have diffent desktop background colors. Blue is main, Red is back up.