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Cheap rack monitors or KVM IP (feddit.de)

submitted 1 year ago by n0x0n@feddit.de to c/homelab@lemmy.ml

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Hi everyone! I have a couple of old desktops as servers in my rack. Sometimes , very rarely, I need to use the machines console.

Slide-out rack monitors are incredibly expensive here in Germany, so these are not an option. Next I thought about USB monitors - don these work out of the box with Linux or do the need special drivers? Or would I be better off using KVM over IP? Do you know of other not-so-expensive solutions?

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[–] MrMcGasion@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So, my solution to this is probably a bit more jank than you'd like, but I use one of those portable USB-C monitors that also has an HDMI input (mine is mini HDMI, but I just leave the adapter plugged into it) then I have HDMI cables run from the back of my systems, that I can plug into the portable monitor when I need local access.

When not in use, I can easily just store the portable monitor nearby, and it doesn't take up much space.

I'm running full desktops on my machines though, and also have those dummy HDMI plugs that emulate a monitor so the systems load the desktop properly, so I can use vnc or other remote desktop to access the systems when I'm not home. I plug the dummy HDMI plugs into same HDMI cables I use for my display, using couplers, so I don't run into any weird "dual monitor" weirdness from using both a real display and a dummy plug at the same time.

As far as input, I have a couple of super cheap wireless keyboards with trackpads built in. They don't provide the best typing experience, but they do the job for what I need.

[–] n0x0n@feddit.de 1 points 1 year ago

Good idea IMHO, and I never heard about these HDMI dummies. Might try this.