Neat utility for users of multiple computers

DJ_Izumi · Post by **DJ_Izumi** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:40 pm

I'm trying this out so I thought I'd share with you. I have two computers (A Desktop and a laptop) and the closest I've come to using them together for editing is allowing the laptop to help the desktop in After Effects Multi-machine rendering. I was thinking of using both computers at once using some sort of KVM switch (But only using it to switch the keyboard and mouse so I can ues the laptop with a CRT or LCD screen and use both at the same time. However someone pointed me to an even better and easier solution so I thought I'd share it and my results.

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/

Synergy is a program that will share the keyboard and mouse inputs on one computer to another across your network and it even works on countless platforms from Windows XP to Unix to OS X and will work together with them. (Or so it says, I'm only using XP)

So I tried it out and the results are impressive. It was easy to set up the desktop as a 'server', all I had to do was give it the name of each monitor and how to make them jump of the mouse from screen to screen. Within 3 mins I had my desptop on the right side of my desk and my laptop on the left side (Using an external CRT display and it's LCD panel down and closed.) I can move my mouse to the right side of one monitor and it jumps to the left side of the other monitor, it's exactly like using dual displays on a single computer only it's two computers, not one. It's remarkable smooth, the mouse has no noticeable lag. I can work on both computers as one project without any complications. This program is so simple and effective, I'm kinda wondering when the horrible catch kicks in and my computers explode.

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:55 pm

I just built a new system and still have my laptop right next to me here at school. I'm thinking o giving this a shot.

One quick question though. You're saying it works well cross platform? Not that it's a big difference, but i'm running 64 bit XP and regular XP pro (which are significantly more different OSes than you'd expect them to be I'm told). No issues with that? I know a lot of software I used to run gives me issues on x64 (disc management software, BeSweet, and several small apps here and there).

DJ_Izumi · Post by **DJ_Izumi** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:41 pm

Hmm, Windows XP 64bit, I can't tell you if it does or doesn't work. But considdering it runs on everything from 95 to XP, so I think it does run XP64. If not, I imagine they would state otherwise. I say install it and give it a shot, it won't take you long. I had my set up going in less than 5mins, so you can just try it out and see if it works in XP64 or not.

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 9:03 am

I'll give it a shot then. AFAIK 64 bit XP is actually just the XP skin applied to the 64bit version of Windows Server 2003.

DJ_Izumi · Post by **DJ_Izumi** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:02 pm

The only 'problem' I have now, is since I work with a pair of headphones they can be only connected to one machine at a time. This software doesn't transport audio from one machine to the other, but I really wouldn't expect it too. I think I'll just have to cheat and run a stereo line from the speaker/headphone out on my laptop to the line in on my desktop's sound card so the audio will pass threw.