Show HN: TinyPilot – Build a KVM over IP using a Raspberry Pi

I'm all in favor of cool projects, and I have done my fair share of useless experiments. But wouldn't it just be simpler to attach a dumpster-sourced monitor and keyboard to the server in question for the 3-4 times a year you brick it? To me the idea of a locally placed 1:1 KVM "switch" (huh? it's not switching anything if it's 1:1) is crazy. It makes sense if it is remotely located, but not if it's within your own home.

Of course it would be simpler, but it's also addressed multiple times in the blog post why he decided to do it anyway.

I'm glad he did because it looks like a fantastic project.

Remote monitors like this are occasionally used in offices so that powerful workstations can be put in racks. I'm not completely convinced it is a great idea, even for that application, but it does get used in those instances quite a bit.

Makes sense if you want the flexibility to do it from anywhere over IP, even across the house.

Every time I update windows and reboot, I never know if the server is bricked or if it is just windows taking ages to update.

Also if you use TPM / full disk encryption for a server in colocation, it only takes a firmware update for TPM to request to reenter the key on reboot.

Thanks for reading!

>But wouldn't it just be simpler to attach a dumpster-sourced monitor and keyboard to the server in question for the 3-4 times a year you brick it?

Maybe it's just personal preference, but I'd much rather plug in a Raspberry Pi than a whole monitor and keyboard. My server is tucked away in the corner without a good desk surface to place a keyboard and monitor.

With the Pi, I can just plug it and go back to my desk and do everything through the browser. It's also nice for when I have to Google things about why it's not booting, I can just do it from another browser tab rather than physically walking back and forth between computers.

not sure why you talk about "switch"? The word never appears in the article?

And at such a no-brainer price (especially if you already have a Pi), kind of worth it just to avoid the hassle of moving a screen around.

I think the confusion is that the original comment was worded as if I called TinyPilot a switch, but I think you're actually saying you think it's strange that Raritan calls their device a switch, despite the fact that it's only 1-port.