Advice on chosing screen sharing/casting solution and wide angle webcam

[phinix]

I'm building hardware for office room and looking for a solution to connect 3 PCs to one big TV and share/cast desktops on it.
Ideally it would be wireless, as its a small room and I dont want loads of cables around.
I need all 3 PCs to be able to quickly switch and share their desktops on TV in the front.
So far I've looked into these:

• Chrome web browser – Chromecast
  
• Windows 10 casting (Miracast)
  
• Microsoft 4K Wireless Display Adapter
  
• Chromecast device

What do you guys think would be best solution?

Also, looking for wide angle webcam for video conference, I cannot find anything above 90 degree angle.

[Leslieann]

Take a look here for a lot of what I wrote about casting.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=114046.0

If a customer asked me for this I'd be telling them to get multiple wired KVMs. Only way to do it reliably. Wireless video is terrible for reliability and signal and now you want to mix multiple devices, protocols and resolutions, you're asking for tons of issues.


For more than 90 degree you need security cameras and spycams not webcams. Webcams are designed for a very a specific use and are built really only with that in mind (a person sitting 2 feet away).

[phinix]

Take a look here for a lot of what I wrote about casting.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=114046.0

If a customer asked me for this I'd be telling them to get multiple wired KVMs. Only way to do it reliably. Wireless video is terrible for reliability and signal and now you want to mix multiple devices, protocols and resolutions, you're asking for tons of issues.


For more than 90 degree you need security cameras and spycams not webcams. Webcams are designed for a very a specific use and are built really only with that in mind (a person sitting 2 feet away).

Thanks, I've read that post:)
Yeah, I was thinking to pull HDMI cables from each PC to that TV and simply switch with source with remote - that would be perfect to simply cast each PC on it.

I tried Windows 10 cast last night at home, wifi, about 4m from TV - it was ok for playing movie, but of course there was about 1s delay for desktop plus it was constantly flicking every 1sec for some reason.

I was trying to search for some call centers solution, but cannot find anything.

In regards to camera - only Logitech MeetUp had some kind of angle solution, but at huge price tag.
I started to look at some Nest indoor camera already, as that has wide angle etc. Sometimes I think it would be easier to get dslr camera with fisheye lens
Maybe GoPro8?

We have small 3x5m room and trying to fit in 3 stations there with tv and camera.
Do you think HDMI from each PC to TV would be best? Dont need for KVMs, just casting desktops.

[yui]

have you thought of gopro and clones for your camera? they pretty much all are wide angle and some are rather cheap, and i am pretty sure some can be wired as webcam and used as one, although with wide angle.
for the wireless part, i can't help you at all as i rather dislike it and use cables as much as i can, although maybe a kvm over Ethernet and then wifi could be your solution too, i know those exist for datacenters, so maybe you can find an old one for cheap-ish

[phinix]

have you thought of gopro and clones for your camera? they pretty much all are wide angle and some are rather cheap, and i am pretty sure some can be wired as webcam and used as one, although with wide angle.
for the wireless part, i can't help you at all as i rather dislike it and use cables as much as i can, although maybe a kvm over Ethernet and then wifi could be your solution too, i know those exist for datacenters, so maybe you can find an old one for cheap-ish

Yeah, I've been looking into GoPro8 as webcam - this might be good.

[yui]

i found what i was talking about earlier, the name of the technology is KVM over IP, i dunno if it could help or even come close to what you need, but it should allow you to connect a few computers to the kvm box and it should broadcast thought the network, and should not care about what medium receives it, for a tinkerer it can be built out of Rpis https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/kvm-over-ip-raspberry-pi
honestly i have no use for it but i kinda now want to play with it.

[phinix]

i found what i was talking about earlier, the name of the technology is KVM over IP, i dunno if it could help or even come close to what you need, but it should allow you to connect a few computers to the kvm box and it should broadcast thought the network, and should not care about what medium receives it, for a tinkerer it can be built out of Rpis https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/kvm-over-ip-raspberry-pi
honestly i have no use for it but i kinda now want to play with it.

I'll look into it, thanks.

[Darthbaggins]

What about running video/kvm over network and hiding the receiver behind the TV? (looks like Yui - already mentioned it)  I know there are PCIe solutions (Teradici cards) for desktops and servers and I know KVM's should be able to have that ability (I know the units I use at work I can control over the network if needed).

[Leslieann]

Do you think HDMI from each PC to TV would be best? Dont need for KVMs, just casting desktops.

You should be fine with just a source switch/selector.

[phinix]

Do you think HDMI from each PC to TV would be best? Dont need for KVMs, just casting desktops.

You should be fine with just a source switch/selector.

Yeah, simple source switching on remote.
I know that KVM would be also good wired solution, but pulling hdmi cables from each PC would be same and a bit cheaper, just cost of cables.