- @david
Hi,
I lose connection to the GUI every time the host goes to sleep or if I trigger a reboot.
Here is my setup:
- TESmart 8 Port HDMI KVM Switch 4K
- 6 linux hosts
- Windows
- Mac
LOGS:
https://logs.tinypilotkvm.com/zC8sNaMs
I observe the same behavior across all the devices. My linux hosts are headless, thus, only running cli, when I reboot the host the tinypilot stops responding and the only way to get it back to work is by rebooting a couple of times via SSH or by doing a hard reset and manually unplugging and reconnecting the cable, sometimes the last option is the only solution.
In the case of Windows and Mac, it also happens when they go to sleep. Same behavior.
I collected these logs upon rebooting one of my Linux servers and losing the GUI connection to the tinypilot.
I didn't have this issue with a version or two before. I am currently in 2.6.3, and I don't remember having to do this prior to 2.6.1; I can't remember if it happened on 2.6.2 because it has been happening for a couple of months now. Now, I don't say it is an issue on this version, it could be something on my end; who knows? I am just trying to connect the dots.
David @david2024-03-27 12:28:00.593ZHi @mareox, I'm sorry you're running into this lost connection issue.
Thanks for sharing those logs and the details of your full setup!
I think there are two distinct issues here, just with similar symptoms. I think the first is the sleep mode behavior.
Unfortunately, TinyPilot isn't able to wake target machines from sleep mode due to this known issue. The underlying problem lies in TinyPilot's operating system, so it's not a simple fix. Unfortunately, that means that this issue is currently the expected behavior when your target machine enters sleep mode.
The simplest workaround for this is to change your target machine's sleep behavior - on Windows this would be under Start > Settings > System > Power & sleep. And on Mac under Settings > Lock Screen > Turn display off (Never).
Could you try altering those sleep settings on your Windows / Mac machines and see if that helps? Alternatively, you can set up a mouse jiggler to help prevent those target machines from entering sleep mode.
As for this connection issue occurring when rebooting a target machine, that may be a different issue. Do you experience the same behavior without the KVM switch? i.e., TinyPilot directly connected to a Linux host?
- MMario @mareox
Here are the logs upon rebooting it and still not responding
https://logs.tinypilotkvm.com/MVsIczJBI have tried plugging the tinypilot directly into each host, and I can replicate the issue. I figured there could be something wrong with the sleep mode, so I changed all my devices to stay on all the time.
Let me break it down in steps the most common issue.- The KVM switch was left in PC1 (headless Linux server)
- The host was powered off at night
- 12 hours later, I turned on the server
- The tinypilot GUI is not responsive
- Switch to a different host in the kvm switch to see if I can get image from
- Reboot the tinypilot again
- Tinypilot is still not responsive
- Reboot tinypilot until the image comes back (that can be three or more reboots from the CLI or manual unplugs)
- MIn reply tomareox⬆:Mario @mareox
By the way, sometimes that happens too, even if the device doesn't go off. Instead of the distorted image in the GUI, it simply doesn't respond, and the picture of the last image is frozen, whether that is the Windows, Mac, or Linux server.
The point is that it freezes after a long period of time. It doesn't happen during the day, and sometimes, it happens every two or three days. But it is frequent, happening at least three times a week and the only way to recover is with multiple reboots. I created a cronjob to reboot Tiny pilot every day at 5 am before I start my day it doesn't help me because, as I mentioned, I need to reboot multiple times for some reason or even unplug it when reboots don't work.
I hope the logs shows some hint this time.Thanks for the help
David @david2024-03-28 12:19:26.907ZThanks for all those additional details, @mareox!
And thank you for the screenshot - I've never seen this specific behavior before.
Can we troubleshoot with your TinyPilot directly connected to one of the Linux host machines? That will help rule out the KVM switch as a variable here.
I can see in the new log that your TinyPilot appears to have a display connection, but it's not recognizing the signal. Normally, this would present itself as a "No Signal" error, but it's possible your Linux host is trying to output at an uncommon resolution. Do you happen to know the resolution and frame rate your Linux hosts usually output at?
- MMario @mareox
I do not. It's just a headless Linux server, in this case, a Proxmox server. I tried to search online to figure out how to get the resolution output information, but all I could find was how to set the configuration.
I will try connecting the tinypilot directly to the host and see how it goes.- David @david2024-03-29 12:47:52.745Z
I quickly spun up a Proxmox VM, and it looks like the default may be 640x480. Is the screen TinyPilot normally displays with these targets quite small? i.e., a similar size to the previous screenshot?
all I could find was how to set the configuration
If it's possible to change the resolution (to something greater than 640x480), that may help here in terms of compatibility.
- MIn reply tomareox⬆:Mario @mareox
Thank you very much for looking into this. I just did some testing with the tinypilot and KVM direct connections. In both cases, both devices worked smoothly. Something is going on between the KVM and Tinypilot while working together.
I will try a different switch in the future.- David @david2024-04-02 11:11:00.568Z
Thanks for the update, @mareox!
You're welcome!
Interesting - it sounds like the KVM switch may not be negotiating a suitable EDID with your TinyPilot. Do you notice whether disconnecting and reconnecting your TinyPilot's HDMI cable restores a connection with the KVM switch more reliably than rebooting?
- MIn reply tomareox⬆:Mario @mareox
I did try that, and I also turned off and on the KVM switch.
Can I tweak something on the tinypilot to make it more stable?- David @david2024-04-03 11:29:28.165Z
Can I tweak something on the tinypilot to make it more stable?
Unfortunately, I don't think there's anything we can do on the TinyPilot side since this behavior seems to be related to how the KVM switch handles input and output of the display signal.
TinyPilot acts as a display, so my only suspicion is that the KVM switch may be outputting an unsupported display setting. Your previous logs showed your TinyPilot was receiving 1920x1080p at 30Hz before (which TinyPilot supports). If the KVM outputs an unsupported display setting, that may explain the behavior.
What happens if you connect the devices in this order (after disconnecting them):
- Target machine to KVM switch
- KVM switch to TinyPilot
Does that help restore the video?
- MIn reply tomareox⬆:Mario @mareox
Setting up both the Mac and Windows hosts with the refresh rate at 30 seems to have stabilized the KVM switch behavior overall.
I have been running for three or four days without having a tinypilot to get hanged.
In the past, I believe I had 50 MHz set on Windows set automatically, and since it was more stable than Mac, I used to play around with the Mac settings only. Now that both match, things are smooth.
Also, I ordered the 60 MHz version of the TESmart 8 Port HDMI KVM Switch 4K. But it was more unstable than the 30 MHz version that I have. I stopped messing around with it since Tinypilot doesn't support 60 MHz anyway on 1920x1080 resolutions.Conclusion: If you own a TESmart 8 Port HDMI KVM Switch 4K, set your Windows and Mac hosts to a 30 MHz refresh rate for the best experience.
- David @david2024-04-18 10:36:24.031Z
Thanks for the update, @mareox!
It's great to hear your setup is now more stable after switching the display settings of your target machines to match.
Please feel free to reach out again in the future!