BLIKVM open-source KVM over IP works with Raspberry Pi CM4, Raspberry Pi HAT, PCIe card, and soon Allwinner H616

BLIKVM is an open-source KVM over IP software that helps you manage servers or workstations remotely regardless of the health of the target system, and currently working with Raspberry Pi CM4 hardware, a Raspberry Pi HAT, or a PCIe board, and a new model based on MangoPi’s Allwinner H616 CPU module is coming soon.

We’ve previously written about the Raspberry Pi-based PiKVM DIY project, followed by the PiKVM v3 Raspberry Pi HAT from the same project, and now I can see there’s a CM4-based PiKVM V4 that was on Kickstarter last month and raised over $800,000… You’d think this kind of system would be rather a niche market, but there’s even demand to have a similar open-source project called BLIKVM offering many of the same features since it’s based on PiKVM, except for the option to use a PCIE card fitted with a CM4 module.

Highlights of the BLIKVM project:

• Support for Raspberry Pi 4B SBC, Raspberry Pi CM4, and PCIe card.
• Video capture through HDMI, DVI, or VGA interfaces
• Keyboard and mouse forwarding
• Controls the server power using ATX functions
• Fullscreen mode
• Access via Web UI
• Support multi-language switching
• Health monitoring of the Raspberry Pi Pi
• Serial console port
• Misc – I2C display connector, PWM FAN controller, Real-Time Clock (RTC)
• Power Supply
  • 5V via USB-C port or header
  • PoE supported

 

You’ll find the software and scripts for BLIKVM on GitHub, while the detailed documentation is hosted on Blicube. They also have a table comparing various hardware running PIKVM, BLIKVM, or TinyPilot software.

FEATURE NAME	BliKVM CM4	BliKVM Pi4 HAT	BliKVM PCIe	BliKVM PCIe(PA)	PiKVM V3 HAT	PiKVM V3 HAT (PA)	TinyPilot Voyager 2
Cost (without tax + shipping)	67$	67$	111$	206$	160$	250$	400$
Serial Console	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
ATX controls	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
FAN PWM controls	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
OLED	128x64	128x32	128x64	128x64	128x32	128x32	No
POE	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No, but you can use poe splitter	No, but you can use poe splitter	No (optional $59)
Real Time Clock (pcf8563)	ds1307	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
USB Power/Data Splitter	Yes(built-in)	Yes (external)	Yes(built-in)	Yes(built-in)	Yes(built-in)	Yes(built-in)	Yes(built-in)
TC358743 CSI Video capture	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Case	Yes (steel - black)	Yes (steel - blue and black)	No	No	No	Yes (steel - black)	Yes (3d print black)
Dedicated software devs	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dedicated support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pi4 or CM4 2GB Included	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
32GB SD Card	No	Yes (OS included)	Yes (OS included)	Yes (OS included)	No	Yes (OS included)	Yes (OS included)
HDMI backpower mitigation	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
HDMI Passthru EDID dongle	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No

You can check our GeerLing Engineering video review of the BLIKVM CM4 model to better understand its capabilities and what can be done with it.

Blicube sells all three versions of the hardware on Aliexpress with the BliKVM CM4 going for $68.32 (or $146.30 with all accessories including a CM4), the PiKVM v3 BliKVM HAT kits for $96.40, and the BliKVM PCIe for $118.50.

As mentioned in the introduction, there’s also a more compact, and possibly cheaper, model in the works that features Mango Pi’s tiny mCore-H616 Allwinner H616 CPU module.

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