[WorldDev]

Thanks for your thoughts. I agree that using software would be easier, but I wanted to do it in hardware in this specific case.

I am unfamiliar with Raspberry pi, but if my understanding is correct, it's running a real os. So I would need to send it a command to actually shut down every time I want to remove the usb device. More generally, having a general purpose OS on the little device seems overkill for that use case, no?

[throwaway81523]

I'm confused, why do you want hardware and what do you want the hardware to do? And, why not use a USB keyboard?

You could use an rpi pico. It has a usb port and there is a software hack to bit bang a second usb port, iirc.

[brudgers]

I am wondering if connecting over USB is an XY problem.

[WorldDev]

To try and clarify a bit: I am essentially trying to have a KM (KVM without the V) over USB.

To go one step higher, I am trying to control a mac mini from the keyboard of a macBook.

[brudgers]

Why not use the macs’ built in “sharing” functionality?

[simondanerd]

It usually runs a Debian based image. And you would probably just have to reboot the script, or write a wrapper around the keyboard functions.

But yes, it's overkill for an overkill solution. Buying another keyboard may be easier.