Is there a way to use 2 keyboards recognize individually on a PC?

[Tairetsu]

It's a bit of a complicated question, so let me elaborate, is there a way to have a PC (if possible Windows, tho I know that if there is in fact a way it most likely would be on Linux) to have Windows recognize the strokes of 2 keyboards separately?

 

Say, for example, if you wanna play one of the few split-screen games there are on this platform, and you wanna have both people using keyboard and mouse instead of one person using them and the other using a controller, or, if you are playing a game with a lot of hotkeys, and you wanna use the same key to do 2 things at the same time, but in different keyboards. 

 

I realize it's a pretty niche thing, actually I myself don't really have a HUUUUGE need for it, but you know, it's one of those things of "it's not very practical but it would be cool to have the option regardless". Question also applies to mices, basically, is there a way to have 2 separate keyboard and mouse running individually on the same PC? without relying on a virtual machine like what Linus did on 2 gamers 1 CPU? 

[SK_Caterpilar_SK]

one sistem two keyboard two games two monitors???

(meaning one sistem one OS)

[Its_Twitchyy]

I have no idea. Google might know though.

[DXMember]

i'm not sure I understand the question

 

if you plug two keyboards - you can type on both of them at the same time

not sure about split screen games - what do you mean? usually if it's a racing game one player gets assigned WASD the other gets assigned arrow keys or numpad so it will still work

 

or you could get one of the steelseries keyboards or razers keyboards they allow to macro every key and you could custom map that one keyboard and leave the other at default

[Syntaxvgm]

The only was I can think of without some form of virtualization  or multi-session software solutions is making a custom solution to make the input  game controller input with 110+ inputs, and a program that would accept that. 

[thekeemo]

The one way I know how to do it is by emulating a controller

[whud99]

It's a bit of a complicated question, so let me elaborate, is there a way to have a PC (if possible Windows, tho I know that if there is in fact a way it most likely would be on Linux) to have Windows recognize the strokes of 2 keyboards separately?

 

Say, for example, if you wanna play one of the few split-screen games there are on this platform, and you wanna have both people using keyboard and mouse instead of one person using them and the other using a controller, or, if you are playing a game with a lot of hotkeys, and you wanna use the same key to do 2 things at the same time, but in different keyboards. 

 

I realize it's a pretty niche thing, actually I myself don't really have a HUUUUGE need for it, but you know, it's one of those things of "it's not very practical but it would be cool to have the option regardless". Question also applies to mices, basically, is there a way to have 2 separate keyboard and mouse running individually on the same PC? without relying on a virtual machine like what Linus did on 2 gamers 1 CPU? 

you would need an emulator I think 

[Tairetsu]

i'm not sure I understand the question

 

if you plug two keyboards - you can type on both of them at the same time

not sure about split screen games - what do you mean? usually if it's a racing game one player gets assigned WASD the other gets assigned arrow keys or numpad so it will still work

 

or you could get one of the steelseries keyboards or razers keyboards they allow to macro every key and you could custom map that one keyboard and leave the other at default

 

Yes, you can type using 2 keyboards on Windows, but I mean something like...2 people being able to use the WASD keys at the same time without interfere with each other, or basically having a whole extra set of keys abviable to use as hotkeys if you are playing alone. 

[whud99]

Check out this video, you might be able to atcheave your goal with auto hotkey

[DXMember]

Yes, you can type using 2 keyboards on Windows, but I mean something like...2 people being able to use the WASD keys at the same time without interfere with each other, or basically having a whole extra set of keys abviable to use as hotkeys if you are playing alone. 

first of all how would the game you're running know which player is pressing the WASD - you would still have to rebind those keys, so I suggest you get like the cheapest razer or steelseries keyboard there you can rebind all your keys to be with a modifier like Ctrl+W, Shift+A, Alt+S etc. or you could completely remap the keys

[Hvdflorida]

I do recall hearing about some developers doing something in Linux to this effect. Purportedly for use in an educational setting. 

 

Essentially having multiple focuses, tied to specific peripherals. I haven't heard about it in years so it never took off I guess.

[Wolf_Lbh]

Even if you could have it recognize them as two different inputs if what you are focused can only be 1 thing they would both still type to the same location. You would need two monitors/maybe a ghetto split screen setup and vmware like on the 2 gamers 1 tower video to have different focus.

[Tairetsu]

first of all how would the game you're running know which player is pressing the WASD - you would still have to rebind those keys, so I suggest you get like the cheapest razer or steelseries keyboard there you can rebind all your keys to be with a modifier like Ctrl+W, Shift+A, Alt+S etc. or you could completely remap the keys

 

Well that's what i'm asking, I know Serious Sam 3 let's you play splitscreen with 2 keyboards at once, but it's a very rare thing and I don't know how they actually do it.

 

I do recall hearing about some developers doing something in Linux to this effect. Purportedly for use in an educational setting. 

 

Essentially having multiple focuses, tied to specific peripherals. I haven't heard about it in years so it never took off I guess.

 

Would be great if you could point me in the right direction, since it's kind of a hard thing to google. 

 

Check out this video, you might be able to atcheave your goal with auto hotkey

 

That kind of sounds like it might be a step in the right direction, I need to look up the program he mentioned tho, and, well, I guess it's basically like making the entire second keyboard macro at that point. 

[Hvdflorida]

Well that's what i'm asking, I know Serious Sam 3 let's you play splitscreen with 2 keyboards at once, but it's a very rare thing and I don't know how they actually do it.

 

 

Would be great if you could point me in the right direction, since it's kind of a hard thing to google. 

 

 

That kind of sounds like it might be a step in the right direction, I need to look up the program he mentioned tho, and, well, I guess it's basically like making the entire second keyboard macro at that point. 

Well I saw it on Slashdot.org, but it was so many years ago that it'd be really hard to find by now. Multiple focuses would be great, I use both a left and right handed mouse and was looking for stuff like that like 15 years ago, but its SO niche that I gave up, and linux isn't my thing so meh. 

 

But here's what I've found on google...

http://labnol.blogspot.com/2006/12/attach-multiple-mice-to-one-computer.html

http://www.labnol.org/software/tutorials/two-users-share-one-computer-work-different/1966/

 

The multipoint one might be the one I was refering to.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35821