I'm now thinkering about our next setup, it should be able to handle anything we throw at it, since our productions are getting bigger with the day. Also we have been collaborating with some veterans as cutters, who were impressed by our vmix machines, but requested some things we could not (yet) deliver. If we invest in a new setup, I think it should be something that is suited for almost any production, big or small and be able to handle anything a small OB truck can handle too.

That's why I would like to build one with several computers in one rack: one as main mixer, the other for replays and another for graphics.

This way we can spread the workload between multiple people during a larger production. Also to have some redundancy options (tv channels often ask to have everything double), where for example the replay pc could act as a backup mixer in case the main mixer pc fails, or the graphics pc could take over replays in case of failure etc..

Especially when we can get our hands on NDI converters, it doesn't require a huge amount of work anymore to split all sources across different pc's. Just a few network cables and a fast network router.

One issue with a setup like this for example, is that when you play replays on a seperate machine, the stinger in and out of the main mixer will not start the replay, or cut out on time. It would require very precise timing via countdowns over the intercom or sending a desktop capture with 0 delay from one machine to another to do this, and still there would be mistakes because of bad timing I guess.

Also it could make even more complicated setups possible: 4 pc's of which 2 are replay pc's. Where once the first one is finished, it triggers playback of the next replay pc, then stingers out on the main mixer. This would allow to have 2 LSM teams working on one production, like you see in big sports productions.

Also it would allow for 2M/E mixers to be built: one vmix machine for the livestream, the other one handling the screens in the venue or just another mix, both controlled by 1 guy.

I know there's all sorts of tools available on the internet to share mouse and keyboard commands, or KVM switches for other solutions. But instead of hacking stuff and making it all complicated and unreliable, I think a built in vmix solution would be better.

I think I know the documentation by heart, I've read it multiple times. There is one single mention about keypress, and it's not really documented.

So ok, there might me ways to do it over the API via keypress, but it would require quite some programming and debugging to make it work.

When on a tight deadline and with multiple jobs per week, with changing setups depending on the job, it might be easier to have vmix pc's recognise each other over the network, and allow in the shortcuts menu the other pc's and their hardware to be simply recognised, so in a few minutes all shortcuts can be set up which are perfect for the particular job. I think, workflow whise it would make sense and save time.

I've never taken a look at vmix utc, since I'm not a fan of all kinds of add on tools which are kindly and freely, but provided 'in the state they are' and whithout support and so which can have their bugs too. But will check out what the possibilities are.

Add a script:

Dim client = WebRequest.Create("http://VMIXREMOTEIP:8088/api/?Function=COMMAND")
Dim response = client.GetResponse()

Exchange VMIXREMOTEIP with the ip address of the target vMix machine
Exchange the COMMAND with the API command you would like to send.

You can build it all the way you want from there using remote commands from the main system and triggers to send back commands from the others.
You can set up the entire API as scripts to send commands to the other systems and after that just select what you need when making shortcuts or using triggers, making this work with your xkeys setup.