multiple monitors, keyboards on mac & pc : A Solution

[peterfitz]

I am constructing my new homestudio at the moment and have decided to place all those noisy fans and the like into a 'machine room' that is located a few feet from my mixing console. I will also have a separate 'composition-midi' workstation and a voice booth. I need to run cables to all of those locations from my mac because , being a one-man-band, I need to control the mac from multiple locations.

Having scoured the archives on the Digi-User-Conference and the DAW-MAC list I have found a source for this that I don't believe is common knowledge.
http://www.nti1.com they provide cable and device splitting/switching solutions for PC, Mac and Sun.

the following products for the Mac look like the solution for me :

VOPEX-4KM-MAC - this device duplicates the mac monitor and adb keyboard output to 4 other locations

MKEXT-xx (where xx is the length) - this is a Mac ADB (keyboard) extension cable

VEXT-xx (where xx is the length) - this is a VGA cable (used with the MEXT-ADP device)

MEXT-ADP (where xx is the length) - this is a two part device with a 9volt power supply. It takes input at one end from your Mac monitor output (cable provided) and converts the signal to VGA. Using a VGA cable (ordered separately , see above) this signal is taken up to 250 feet to the second part of this device which converts the signal back to Mac video.

MEXT-xx (where xx is the length) - this is a Mac video extension cable with maximum length of 15 feet, guaranteed not to ghost. Male to Female connectors.

SUKINT-xx-MM (where xx is the length) is a male to male mini din 8 pin cable that is used by Sun machines but also by the printer/modem ports on my powermac, this allows me to put the Opcode MIDI interface about 25 feet away from the Mac.

They also do other products, adaptors and splitters that will be of great use to people running ProTools on either Mac or PC.

Thought I would share this information with you all, I have not yet received these nor have no idea how well they work (I have no reason to believe they'll be anything but excellent).
If anyone out there has used these products, do let me know.

They have international distribution so I have been able to order from England (I'm in Ireland) and the prices are definitely very competitive and certainly better value than the Gefen products I've seen .

-Peter Fitzpatrick
Dublin, Ireland http://www.shabbyroad.com

[MeltMediaMusic]

Hi Peter,
I second your recomendations for the NTI cables. I have used them for conecting both Mac and PC's located outside my studio into my room. I also have used the Gefen box, but was very disapointed in monitor picture quality using it on my PC. Other friends report no problems with the Mac, however I believe the picture quality as good or better with the NTI cables. Much, much cheeper solution also. Life is so much better with all that noise out of the room isn't it?

Take Care,
Kenny Meriedeth
Melted Media Music