Amulet Hotkey K4u+ - Cascading and Sharing Computers

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Amulet Hotkey K4u
+
Manual
7. 6 Control extra computers by cascading multiple
K4u
+
switches
Cascading two or more K4u
+
switches allows you to increase the
number of computers that you can control with a single
keyboard and mouse.
For example, you can connect a secondary K4u
+
to a master
K4u
+
with a USB cable, allowing you to control up to seven
computers from a single keyboard and mouse. In fact, you can
connect up to four secondary K4u
+
switches to a master K4u
+
(five switches in total), allowing a user to control up to 16
computers. See section 6. 4 for details about setting up a
cascade and example diagrams.
Note: When you cascade K4u
+
switches, you must use hot
keys or a keyboard with dedicated channel keys (such as the
Amulet Hotkey AHK3000E) to change channels. You cannot
use Mouse Point or mouse buttons to change channels.
7.6.1 Change channels by using hot keys
To change channels on cascading K4u
+
switches, you must
specify different hot-key combinations on the master and
secondary K4u
+
units.
For example, if the master K4u
+
uses Alt +Space, set the
secondary K4u
+
to use Caps Lock + Alt. To change channels using
these hot keys:
■ For channels 2, 3 or 4 on the master K4u
+
, press Alt+Space
plus 2, 3 or 4 as required. (Hold down all three keys
together.)
■ For channels 1, 2, 3 or 4 on the secondary K4u
+
, press
Alt+Space plus 1. Then press Caps Lock + Alt plus 1, 2, 3 or 4.
For example, to connect to channel 2 on the secondary K4u
+
,
press Alt+Space+1 followed by Caps Lock+Alt+2.
7.6.2 Changing channels when Active Sensing is enabled
If active sensing is enabled (see section 7.1.6) when two K4u
+
switches are deployed in a cascade, the channel changing
sequence is potentially confusing. Be aware of the ordinal
position of each channel in the sequence:
Switch Channel Ordinal position
Master K4u
+
1 n/a
Master K4u
+
2 2nd
Master K4u
+
3 3rd
Master K4u
+
4 4th
Secondary K4u
+
1 1st
Secondary K4u
+
2 5th
Secondary K4u
+
3 6th
Secondary K4u
+
4 7th
7. 7 Share a computer between two K4u
+
switches
Connecting two K4u
+
switches allows two users to control a
single shared computer. You can share any supported computer
type (USB, legacy Sun or PS/2). See section 6. 5 for setup details
and example diagram.
Access to the shared computer is restricted on first-come, first-
served basis. Only one user can control the shared computer at
any time.
■ To take control of the shared computer, a user simply
switches channels as normal and then presses a key or uses
the mouse. The computer remains assigned to that user until
they relinquish control.
■ Control is relinquished automatically when a user stops
using a shared computer and no further mouse or keyboard
activity is detected. Specifically, control is relinquished when
the sharing timeout expires. This timeout is set by DIP
switches B3 and B4. See section 3.
7.7.1 Exclusive mode
Normally when you stop using the shared computer, it
automatically becomes available to either user after the mouse
and keyboard ‘inactivity timeout’ expires (between 0 and 10
seconds). However, you can keep control of the shared
computer after this timeout expires by invoking exclusive mode.
To invoke exclusive mode, press the hot-keys plus ‘*’ on the
numeric keypad. To cancel exclusive mode, press the hot keys
plus ‘*’ again.
Note: Exclusive mode is cancelled automatically if the
keyboard is removed or fails, or if the cable connecting the
two K4u
+
units is removed.
7.7.2 Sharing indicator LEDs
Optional indicator LEDs are available to order. A pair of LEDs
indicates to both users the status of the shared channel.
The LEDs are attached to a 2.5m or 5m cable that plugs into the
rear Feature Connector port on the master K4u
+
that is attached
to the shared computer.
The LEDs display amber, green or red:
Amber The shared computer is available. It is not currently
being used.
Green You have control of the shared computer.
Red Your colleague has control of the shared computer. It is
not available to you.
Note: You cannot use sharing LEDs and focus LEDs together.
Because both LEDs plug into the Feature Connector port,
the K4u
+
can only support one set of LEDs at a time. For port
details, see item 6 in section 2. 2.