Mac mini setup — KVM update

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APPLE By Will Fastie Reconfiguring the Mac mini so it would be a part of my KVM arrangement went without a hitch. I more or less expected that because
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fisher75, DLivesInTexas, rc primak

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Thanks also for including the information on how videos and stills were captured from the setup and preboot screen displays. Question: Do these capture devices work as well with DRM-protected (HDCP) HDMI signals? I’ve had difficulty finding streaming or capture boxes which are compatible with HDCP protected signals (like the ones put out by most PCs).

-- rc primak

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rc primak wrote:

HDCP

I have no idea, and HDCP is something new to me. I’ve now used this on three PCs and the Mac mini. It just worked. I checked the (skimpy) manual for the device, which makes no mention of HDCP.

I have not used it from the HDMI port on the graphics card in my newest PC, but I just checked the specs of that board and see no mention of HDCP.

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Upon reviewing my notes, it appears this issue with HDCP is in the monitor inputs for HDMI signals, not in the PCs themselves. HP says HDCP is present in nearly all monitors sold in the US which have 1040p and above resolutions.

Any incoming HDMI signals which lack HDCP won’t be displayed on most high resolution monitors. I have encountered this issue with nearly all PC outputs, and all outputs from HDMI splitters except for one splitter.

If you record directly to a USB device, you won’t encounter HDCP issues. (USB doesn’t necessarily have HDCP.)  Other display inputs, like Displayport, VGA and DVI don’t necessarily have HDCP, so this is not an issue. But if you try to display captured video directly to a monitor’s HDMI inputs, there’s a fair chance it won’t display.

Video capture cards sold in the US can’t capture video with HDCP encoding. (That’s a legal requirement in the US.) This includes the HDMI output signals from PCs running most modern OSes.

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic for this thread.

-- rc primak

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satrow, Will Fastie

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rc primak wrote:

But if you try to display captured video directly to a monitor’s HDMI inputs, there’s a fair chance it won’t display.

I’m not sure I follow this.

The capture box I’m using passes the HDMI output along. Whatever the PC is outputting is displayed on the monitor. The capture box, sitting between the PC and display, is simply grabbing data form that stream as it flows through and writing an MP4 file to the USB stick. The box is not a live-streaming device, just a capture device.

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Not to get too far off-topic…  Do you have an Amazon link for the KVM you’re using?

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so, how much have you spent setting up the mac mini?

my guess is close to $300

thanks

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marcel joury wrote:

how much have you spent setting up the mac mini?

I’ll discuss that in a future article. I probably spent more than was necessary, but I was using a belt-and-suspenders approach because I was writing on a short deadline. I wanted to make sure I had options at hand. For example, I bought a USB-C to audio jack cable, but then I bought the USB-C to audio splitter, which is the better solution. I bought the little USB hub, but now it’s clear I don’t need it. And although I mentioned the nicely matched extension chassis, I won’t buy it unless and until I need more storage.

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Casey S wrote:

Do you have an Amazon link for the KVM

The KVM is the TRENDnet TK-441DP. The product page is still up, but it has been discontinued. The TK-440DP is still available and is at Amazon. The difference is that my KVM switches one display only, while the 440 switches two.

My switch handles four PCs. TRENDnet has several two-port models.

In addition to the switch, you would need cables for each attached PC. TRENDnet makes available the TK-CP06 cable kit, available from Amazon for $25 per PC. I buy cables elsewhere, but I used TRENDnet’s cable kits for my old VGA-based switch and their quality was good.

I used my old switch for at least 15 years before I bought new displays. The switch was powered on 24/7 and never failed. Very well built and very reliable. I hope the same applies to my current switch. I’m nearing three years in.

I have a suspicion that TRENDnet’s four-port switches will eventually be discontinued. It is probably selling many more two-port models. However, there are many other KVMs at Amazon, but of course I cannot speak for them.

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Glucose, Casey S

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You said, “I already own a splitter that converts this jack to separate TRS (TRRS?) speaker and microphone jacks.” I’m just wondering if you are correct. The picture on the back of the M4 Mac mini dock appears to be a headset only jack. To use the splitter that you mentioned, you would have to have a TRRS jack in order to provide support for both a speaker (headset) and a microphone.

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