[microsound] OT- HW: one keypad controlling 2 computers over usb?

[devslashnull <dev@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

greetings all,

I have what appears to me to be a somewhat unique problem to solve 
involving wiring a USB cable to allow one keyboard (qwerty type as 
opposed to MIDI/musical) to send messages (keystrokes) to 2 computers 
at the same time.

I would want to be able to send the same keystrokes from one USB keypad 
to two different computers at the same time over USB. I know there are 
splitter cables out there, but they seem geared towards some other use. 
With some adapters and gender changers however, I could probably get 
the physical connections to work. My concern however is that, in my 
limited understanding of USB in general, I think there is some amount 
of power delivered to a connected device from the host machine over the 
USB cable. If I connect 2 devices at the same time using a standard 
splitter cable with adapters etc, will I be delivering  too much 
voltage and risk damage to the device/hosts? Is there a way around this 
by disabling the lead which carries the power from the computer on one 
of the segments of the splitter cable? It seems like something like 
that would work... but I am seeking input from those who hopefully know 
a lot more about this than I.

My thinking was that I could wire a cable using 2 cables (part numbers 
UF1-2402 from http://www.newnex.com/products/usb/index.htm) and one 
cable (part number UR2-1001G from 
http://www.newnex.com/products/usb/index.htm) in a "Y-cable" assembly, 
where one of the cables (UF1-2402) would have the leads for +5V and GND 
"lifted" ( not connected) from one of the host (computer side) 
connections and the other cable (UF1-2402) would have the +5V and GND 
connections intact to supply power to the connected keyboard on the 
other end of the assembly. The female connector on the end of the third 
cable assembly (UR2-1001G) would accept the male connector from the 
keypad device. The data connections from the other end of that asssmbly 
(the UR2-1001G) would connect to BOTH sets of data lead wires on both 
UF1-2402's (wired in parallel) BUT connect ONLY to the +5V and GND 
connectors of the second (hot) pair of  leads from one of the 
UF1-2402's but NOT the other one...

Does my explanation of  the problem seem clear? Does my proposed 
solution seem posssible?

I have gotten some responses on other lists telling me this is 
impossible, citing timing and sync issues over USB, and refering to 
some kind of Master-Slave relationship (NO, not from the BDSM list ).

Anyone ever do/try this? Alternative approaches to what I am trying to 
accomplish?


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