Two PCs one Mouse?

Box · 01-07-09, 03:06 PM

A rather odd question but who knows.

Has anyone heard of software that would allow you to use the same mouse on two PCs at the same time?

In the same way that Mymobiler allows you to use the mouse on you Ax while connected to your PC.
I don't mean mirrored, just the one cursor that can move from one networked PC to the other.
I often have several PCs running with multiple monitors and I'm sick of having to swap from one mouse to the other all the time.

I know you can have a switch but I'm wondering if there is something that would just let you slide from one monitor to the other.

**radimus** · 01-07-09, 03:18 PM

remote desktop \ vnc \ similar

Box · 01-07-09, 03:19 PM

Hmm, I googled my thread title and came up with some answers.

I'll post once I have checked them out.

But I'd still like to hear anyone elses experiences with this.

Box · 01-07-09, 03:21 PM

Yeah Rad I use Remote desktop all the time, but thought there might be something that doesn't feel quite so "remote".

Gigi · 01-07-09, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by radimus

remote desktop \ vnc \ similar

Logmein is very good too!

Box · 01-07-09, 03:32 PM

Yes Gigi, I use Logmein all the time, but that brings the screen to you, I want to go to the screen, if you get my meaning.

I'm just looking at an application called Input Director, looks interesting.

Gigi · 01-07-09, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Box

Yes Gigi, I use Logmein all the time, but that brings the screen to you, I want to go to the screen, if you get my meaning.

I'm just looking at an application called Input Director, looks interesting.

Ah, I see what you mean now. That Input Director is very interesting. I can see some useful applications for this. Often I am at my desk using both my desktop and laptop. It'd be great to not have to switch keyboards. If you do try it out, let us know how it is! :)

**breley** · 01-07-09, 05:38 PM

Would something like MaxiVista be what you're looking for?

Box · 01-07-09, 05:53 PM

Indeed it is Breley, however my Scottish blood makes me shy away from the money versions. (Thankfully it has been proven there are no Scots in my Ancestry)

I'm looking closely at the one I mentioned above, it's free and looks good so far. So far being me reading about it but not actually installing anything yet.
Been enjoying a little too much pulverized grape to grapple with it seriously.

Rest assured Gigi, I will give several a try and post my findings here.

Anyone got any more, I happy to try several and give a bit of a comparison.

Box · 01-07-09, 07:46 PM

Well I have to say, so far Input Director is a winner.

It does just what I need, mouse and keyboard swap happily from a Vista computer to an XP without hardly a blip. Slight delay as you transition, but not significant.

Installation was simple, download to both machines.
Tell one it is master and the other slave and away you go.

For a total freebie I'm impressed, I'll use it for a couple of days and let you know if I see any problems.

Edit: I take back the bit about the slight delay, I had my setup running a projector which wasn't switched on and the delay was just the time it took to get across that screen.

aximbigfan · 01-07-09, 09:46 PM

Synergy. Will do exactly what you want. And free

Chris

Box · 01-07-09, 09:53 PM

I looked at Synergy as one of my first choices, but it doesn't appear to have been updated for about two years, in fact now that I look, nearly three years on the web page I got to.

Input director was last updated a couple of months ago and is also free.

I think I have become the spam man in my own thread.

Box · 01-09-09, 06:09 AM

I've been using Input Director for a couple of days now and love it.

I haven't found any problems with it at all, it just works.
Once installed and configure you basically forget it is there.
You can set one computer to be the master and several to be slaves and they can start up that way or be set to do it manually.
I have rebooted numerous times and every time they have simply reconnected without a hitch.

Copy and paste works across systems and programs, i.e. you can copy an image from Corel Draw on one PC and paste that image into a different drawing program or word or an email etc on the other PC.

Mouse and Keyboard work perfectly, no lag or stutter.
The mouse and keyboard of the slave work as well.

Multiple monitors, no problem.
File transfer, no problem.
It has plenty of security features built in.

It works with Mymobiler, so it is actually possible to copy and paste from one PPC connected to one PC to another PPC connected to the other PC.
Eg. My Axim X51v connected to slave PC and my HTC7500 connected to Master PC.

I tried it out with all the monitors I have here, 5 external, 2 laptops and 1 projector, plus the two PPCs, works effortlessly.

One example of where it is useful for me.
I can use Remote Desktop to connect to my office in Oslo on one PC and my office in Miami on the other PC, then simple copy and paste information between the two, and the same time I can be watching TV on the projector and scanning Mobilitysite on another screen.

I'm sure there are other programs just as good and perhaps better, but for me I'm happy to stick with this one.

For anyone who works with multiple PCs on a regular basis, I'd suggest you give it a try.
The PCs need to be networked, it's not an internet based system.

**breley** · 01-09-09, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Box

Indeed it is Breley, however my Scottish blood makes me shy away from the money versions. (Thankfully it has been proven there are no Scots in my Ancestry)

Bear in mind that Input Director is free only for personal use. Commercial users are asked to contact the developer for license fees.

But you didn't hear that from me.:hide:

EDIT: For those curious, Stardock has a paid program called Multiplicity that some of our programmers love.

I wonder Input Director could work across a VPN since a network IP address/range and subnet can be specified for slave devices? If so a user could in theory use this across the internet...