What is DeskHop?

Did you ever notice how, in the crazy world of tech, there's always that one quirky little project trying to solve a problem so niche that its only competitors might be a left-handed screwdriver and a self-hiding alarm clock?

I use two different computers in my daily workflow and share a single keyboard/mouse pair between them. Trying several USB switching boxes found on Amazon made me realize they all suffer from similar issues - it takes a while to switch, the process is quite clumsy when trying to find the button and frankly, it just doesn't get any better with time.

All I wanted was a way to use a keyboard shortcut to quickly switch outputs, paired with the ability to do the same by magically moving the mouse pointer between monitors. This project enables you to do both, even if your computers run different operating systems!

Key Features:

  • Completely free and open source
  • No noticeable delay when switching
  • Simply drag the mouse pointer between computers
  • No software installed
  • Affordable and obtainable components (<15â‚Ŧ)
  • 3D printable snap-fit case
  • Full Galvanic isolation between your outputs
  • Works with Linux, macOS and Windows

How it works:

The device acts as an intermediary between your keyboard/mouse and the computer, establishing and maintaining connections with both computers at once. Then it chooses where to forward your mouse and keystrokes to, depending on your selection. Keyboard follows the mouse and vice versa, so just dragging the mouse to the other desktop will switch both.

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