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Send a key-press to another PC [my crazy plan]
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Currently we use a PowerPoint loaded onto the vMix pc which is controlled by the presenter using a 4 button Kensington wireless controller. This works well as we have setup shortcuts to each of the buttons making it really easy for them to use.
When a presenter wants to use their own laptop (mainly because they have in-slide animations that vMix can't handle) we have to give them a second controller to advance their slides. This can get a bit messy/confusing and therefore isn't ideal.
What I would like to do in this situation is re-map the key that we currently use to advance slides to somehow send it to their laptop. I am assuming that vMix is ok with calling urls either as scripts (preferable) or as web pages loaded in unused inputs (sounds slow).
The options I have considered so far include:
1. Somehow send the correct signal to the 2nd Kensington dongle
2. Use a USB to USB set-up to send the key press
3. Use an Arduino Uno wifi posing as a USB keyboard
Of these, option 3 seems the most likely even if it is a bit nerdy.
Before I go any further I would be keen to know if anyone else has attempted anything like this and if so if they might be as kind as to share their thoughts.
I am particularly interested to know if it is possible to call a URL from a shortcut to activate the script that hopefully will send the keypress to the laptop.
Alex
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(When a presenter wants to use their own laptop (mainly because they have in-slide animations that vMix can't handle) we have to give them a second controller to advance their slides. This can get a bit messy/confusing and therefore isn't ideal.) Why not just install Desktop Capture on their PC, and connect via network...that is what I do, and I have no issues at all....they have full control of their PC, and i see the slide change, and I just punch it up...well then again, it is how you do your production...In my case, I set up the power-point PC on a wireless network system, and a camera on the presenter, sometimes I use 2 cameras, one for audience, and I do the desktop capture through NDI, and I do my switching with vMix....works great with no need to worry about the power point...let the presenter do all the power point work...
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Hi!
I really don't undertand why you don't simply use Desktop Capture to input presentations made on your presenter's laptop... You simply have to install the utility, connect this computer to your network and load the NDI source and you still can use the Kensington if you want.
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Joined: 1/15/2017(UTC)
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Location: Exeter, UK
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Thanks for your replies.
The screen capture part is no problem, we simply use an HDMI cable and capture this way. Screen capture via NDI would actually make it more complex as I don't want to be setting up software on multiple laptops and making sure it is configured properly. We could also have many different presenters with a mixture of PCs, Macs etc.
What I really want to simplify is the 'next slide' part on their laptop. I want them to use the same Kensington controller they are already using for other vMix commands (start recording, stop recording, slide full screen) to change a slide on their own laptop. This controller is connected to the vMix PC. As I mentioned I don't want to use 2 controllers as this makes for co-ordination issues.
Sorry if I was not totally clear. I have man-flu so maybe not completely with it :(
Alex
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Your idea prompted the recall of some thoughts from long ago when I was working on an ad hoc means of integration between disparate systems. It's fiddly and can be complicated, but it is possible. Not sure about practicality.
There are low-level Windows functions that allow a remote process, with suitable permissions, to push software updates to a workstation. The can also cause remote execution of code. In my past case I was using a vbscript on a server to cause another vbscript on the workstation to run. The second script was given arbitrary permission to run an installer.
Passing keystrokes to a running app is similar.
That was Windows 7 Pro. Powershell came along since then, so much may have changed.
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