Control Any Computer at the Hardware Level with ESP-KVM

IP KVMs usually come with a proprietary hardware and software stack that you have to trust with literally everything you do while using them. A new project called ESP-KVM shows that there is a viable alternative to this status quo. By combining Espressif's ESP32-P4 microcontroller with a Toshiba HDMI bridge chip, the open source project turns a handful of inexpensive off-the-shelf components into a browser-accessible IP KVM capable of controlling a computer.

Unlike traditional remote desktop software, which depends on an operating system and network services already running, ESP-KVM operates at the hardware level. The device captures the target system's HDMI output through a TC358743 HDMI-to-CSI bridge and presents itself to the computer as a standard USB keyboard and mouse. Because the target machine believes it is talking to ordinary peripherals, it works even when there is no operating system installed or when the existing installation has become unusable. The entire management interface is served securely through a web browser over HTTPS, with the firmware occupying only about one megabyte of storage.

The firmware includes many of the features normally associated with commercial KVM-over-IP appliances. It automatically follows display resolution changes, allowing a machine to transition from a low-resolution firmware interface to a full-HD desktop without requiring manual adjustment. Video can be streamed using either MJPEG or H.264 hardware encoding, giving users the choice between higher frame rates or lower bandwidth usage depending on their network connection. An absolute USB pointer also eliminates the cursor drift commonly experienced with relative mouse emulation, ensuring clicks land exactly where intended.

ESP-KVM can present disk images stored on a microSD card — or smaller images stored directly in onboard flash — as bootable USB drives. That makes it possible to remotely launch rescue environments, diagnostic utilities, or operating system installers without ever touching the target machine. Firmware updates are capable of automatic rollback thanks to dual application slots, allowing the device to recover from failed updates without getting bricked.

The project also integrates with Home Assistant through automatic MQTT discovery, exposing live statistics such as frame rate, HDMI status, resolution, device temperature, viewer count, and optional power controls. Wake-on-LAN, replayable keyboard macros, static IP configuration, DHCP, and optional ATX power and reset control round out the feature set.

ESP-KVM is built from readily available hardware, including a Waveshare ESP32-P4-ETH development board, a Geekworm C790 HDMI capture board based on the TC358743 bridge, and an optional PC817 optocoupler module for power button control. The required hardware costs roughly $45, placing it in the same price range as many entry-level commercial IP KVM products.

The project is still under active development. HDMI audio has not yet been implemented, and while the firmware supports HTTPS authentication and TLS, the developer warns that the software has not undergone a formal security review. As such, ESP-KVM is intended for trusted local networks or deployments behind a VPN rather than direct exposure to the public internet. For more details, be sure to check out the official project page.