Gl.iNet Reveal a Multi-Client KVM Management Device – the Comet X

GL.iNet has added the Comet X to its expanding Comet KVM range, with this model taking a more rack-focused approach than the earlier single-system units. Rather than being built around remote access to 1 machine, the Comet X is aimed at users who need to manage several nearby systems from a single KVM point, such as servers, workstations, test machines, or homelab hardware. It keeps the same general idea of browser and app-based remote control, but applies it to a 4-device setup with PoE support, local control options, and a chassis intended to fit more naturally into rack environments. At the time of writing, GL.iNet has shown the Comet X on its official pages, but has not confirmed a final price or general availability date

Hardware Specifications of the Comet X

The Comet X is built around a 4-system KVM layout, with 4 HDMI inputs for video capture and 4 USB-C device ports for connecting the controlled host machines. It also includes 1 HDMI output, allowing a local monitor to be connected directly to the unit rather than relying only on remote access through a browser or app. This is an important distinction from many smaller remote KVM devices, as the Comet X is not only intended to sit between a user and a remote machine, but also to act as a local switching and troubleshooting point when working directly at the rack.

For peripheral support, the unit includes 7 USB 2.0 Type-A host ports, rated at 5 V/0.5 A per port, which can be used for external peripherals and local interaction. Networking is handled through a 1GbE RJ45 port with 802.3af/at PoE support, while a USB-C power input is also available as an optional 5 V/3 A PD-compatible power source. This gives the device some flexibility in how it is deployed, although the presence of PoE is clearly one of the more rack-oriented parts of the design, as it reduces the need for a separate power adapter in suitable network environments.

Internally, the Comet X uses a quad-core ARM Cortex processor, 1 GB of DDR3L memory, and 64 GB of eMMC storage. The storage is intended for firmware, system use, and image storage, including ISO files for OS deployment or recovery tasks. The unit runs Linux 6.1 and supports up to 4K@30FPS video handling. It also includes a 3.69-inch TFT touchscreen on the front, which is used to show device status information such as IP details, online or offline state, and active sessions. Physically, the unit measures 170 x 90 x 40 mm, weighs 560 g, and includes brackets for both 10-inch and 19-inch rack mounting.

Software Features of the Comet X KVM

The Comet X uses GL.iNet’s GLKVM software platform, which is shared across the company’s current Comet KVM range. This allows connected systems to be accessed through a web browser or through GL.iNet’s own applications for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The core purpose is to provide direct keyboard, video, and mouse access to the attached machines, including scenarios where the target system has no working operating system, no remote desktop service, or needs BIOS-level access. For server maintenance, OS installation, remote troubleshooting, and recovery work, this is the main difference between a hardware KVM and normal remote access software.

The GLKVM software also includes a number of management features that are relevant to a multi-system KVM setup. These include video quality adjustment up to 4K@30FPS, remote file transfer, audio output, virtual keyboard support, Wake-on-LAN, 2-factor authentication, and support for accessories such as ATX boards and Fingerbot devices. The Comet X also supports remote access methods including GL.iNet’s own access service, as well as Tailscale, ZeroTier, and NetBird, depending on how the user wants to expose or restrict access. This makes it possible to keep the device limited to a local network, integrate it into an overlay VPN, or use a more direct remote access method where appropriate.

Where the Comet X is more unusual is in combining remote KVM access, local KVM operation, PoE power, rack mounting, and control of up to 4 systems in 1 device. The current small remote KVM market is mostly built around 1 host system per unit, while traditional multi-port KVM switches are often focused on local switching rather than browser or app-based remote management. The Comet X sits between those categories. It is not just a remote dongle for 1 computer, and it is not simply a local HDMI and USB switch. Its main role is to provide centralized access to several nearby systems while still allowing remote control, local fallback access, touchscreen status information, and ISO-based recovery from the same unit.

GL.iNet Comet X vs Other Comet KVMs

The main difference between the Comet X and the rest of GL.iNet’s Comet KVM range is the number of systems it is designed to manage. Models such as the standard Comet, Comet PoE, Comet Pro, Comet 5G, and Comet Q are built around access to a single connected machine, with the exact feature set changing depending on the model. Some focus on compact remote access, some add PoE, some add stronger standalone hardware, and the Comet 5G adds cellular connectivity for fallback access. The Comet X changes the role of the device by moving from a 1-system KVM into a centralized 4-system unit.

That makes the Comet X less of a direct replacement for the other Comet models and more of a separate branch in the same product family. A single-system Comet device may still make more sense for users who only need access to 1 PC, NAS, mini PC, or remote workstation, especially where size, cost, or cellular failover matters more than managing several systems in 1 place. The Comet X is better aligned with rack or bench environments where multiple machines are physically grouped together and need to be accessed from 1 management point. Its trade-off is that some features found elsewhere in the Comet line, such as built-in 5G failover, are not currently listed for this model.

Price and Release Date of the GL.iNet Comet X

GL.iNet has not yet confirmed the final price or launch date for the Comet X. The official product listing currently presents the device as an upcoming quad-port remote KVM, and GL.iNet’s wider product pages also label the Comet X as upcoming rather than available to purchase. GL.iNet has also publicly referenced beta tester recruitment for the Comet X, which suggests the device is still in a pre-release stage rather than a finished retail launch. Until GL.iNet confirms availability, pricing, regional distribution, and whether there will be any early-bird or campaign pricing, the Comet X should be treated as announced but not yet released.

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Jellyfin sans GPU, c'est la croix et la bannière dès que quelqu'un lance un film en 4K. Mais c'était sans compter sur ffmpeg-over-ip qui est capable de transformer un serveur équipé d'un GPU en endpoint de transcoding distant, accessible via un simple binaire qui se fait passer pour ffmpeg. Y'a pas de passthrough GPU, ni besoin de vous lancer dans la config de point de montage réseau exotique.

Le principe c'est que le client reçoit les commandes ffmpeg de Jellyfin (ou Emby), les sérialise et les envoie ensuite via TCP (port 5050) vers un serveur qui lui dispose d'un bon GPU. Et côté Jellyfin, rien ne change puisque le binaire répond exactement comme ffmpeg le ferait (et je vous rassure, y'a un peu d'authentification pour éviter de vous faire squatter votre serveur de transcoding à l'insu de votre plein gré).

Alors imaginons un peu dans quelle situation ça peut être utile... Par exemple, vous pourriez avoir un NUC ou mini-PC tout neuf qui fait tourner Jellyfin dans Docker, et à côté une vieille tour avec une GTX qui traîne dans un coin pour le transcodage. L'avantage c'est que plusieurs clients peuvent ainsi partager le même serveur GPU en parallèle, donc ffmpeg-over-ip peut valoir le coup si vous avez du matériel qui dort dans un coin.

L'outil est signé Anees Iqbal (steelbrain) et voici comment l'installer (pensez à vérifier le contenu du .sh avant) :

curl -fsSL https://ffmpeg-over-ip.com/install-client.sh | sh

ln -s ffmpeg-over-ip-client ffprobe

45Homelab and UnRAID NAS Software Combined

Unraid and 45HomeLab have entered into a partnership focused on delivering prebuilt systems designed around Unraid, with 45HomeLab drawing on the wider hardware background connected to 45Drives and Protocase. Based on the public announcement and the clarification provided by Unraid, the collaboration is being framed as a home lab and prosumer focused offering rather than an enterprise initiative, with the emphasis placed on validated hardware, upgradeable designs, local data ownership, and a simpler route for users who want a ready made Unraid system without having to source and test each part on their own.

Who Are 45Drives?

45Drives is a North American storage hardware company best known for building large capacity data storage and compute systems, with much of its reputation coming from deployments aimed at organizations rather than casual consumer buyers. The company is closely associated with Protocase, which provides the manufacturing base behind its hardware, and over time it has become known for emphasizing practical, serviceable system design instead of tightly closed appliance style products. Its broader identity has generally been tied to storage infrastructure for research environments, institutional buyers, enterprise deployments, and government related use cases, particularly where buyers value high drive density, open platform thinking, and hardware that can be maintained over a long service life rather than treated as disposable.

That background matters here because 45HomeLab does not appear in isolation, but instead comes from the same wider engineering and manufacturing ecosystem that established the 45Drives name. In practical terms, that gives context to why the partnership materials place such a strong focus on chassis construction, replaceable components, repairability, and long term upgrade paths. At the same time, the distinction between 45Drives and 45HomeLab remains important. 45Drives is the more established name connected with professional and organizational hardware, while 45HomeLab is the consumer oriented brand being used for this partnership with Unraid. That separation helps explain why the collaboration is being presented as a home lab and prosumer solution, rather than as a move by Unraid into enterprise infrastructure.

Who are UnRAID?

Unraid is a server operating system developed by Lime Technology, with its origins going back to 2005. It initially gained attention for a storage model that allowed users to combine drives of different sizes more flexibly than many traditional RAID based systems, while also reducing the need to keep every disk active at all times. Over the years, the platform has developed beyond file storage into a broader self hosting environment that supports containers, virtual machines, application hosting, and centralized management from a single interface. That combination has made it particularly relevant to home lab users, media server owners, and small operators who want a single machine to handle several different roles without the complexity often associated with enterprise storage platforms.

Its position in the market is shaped less by raw hardware manufacturing and more by software flexibility and community adoption. Unraid is generally associated with users who want direct control over their own data and services, but who also want a system that is more accessible than building and maintaining everything from scratch. In practice, that has placed it in a middle ground between consumer NAS products on one side and fully custom Linux based server setups on the other. Within this partnership, Unraid brings the software environment, workload focus, and user base, while 45HomeLab brings the physical system design and hardware validation. That division of roles is central to understanding why the partnership is being presented as a practical product collaboration rather than simply a branding exercise.

Why is this a good idea?

The main case for this partnership is that it addresses a common weak point in the self hosting market: software and hardware are often chosen separately, leaving the buyer to work through compatibility, firmware behavior, thermal limits, expansion planning, and general stability on their own. For experienced users, that process can be manageable, but it still takes time and usually involves trial and error. For less experienced buyers, it can be a barrier that keeps them from adopting a self hosted setup at all. A partnership between a software platform like Unraid and a hardware focused company like 45HomeLab makes sense because it reduces that gap. Instead of the customer having to guess which platform combinations will work well together, the expectation is that the testing and validation have already been done before the system reaches the buyer.

It also makes sense because the strengths of the 2 sides are complementary rather than overlapping. Unraid already has an established base of users who want flexible storage and application hosting in a single system, while 45HomeLab comes from a hardware background that places importance on build quality, serviceability, and long term component replacement. When those priorities are combined, the result is easier to position as a durable self hosting solution rather than as a short lifecycle appliance. That is especially relevant in a market where many buyers want something simpler than a fully custom build, but still want to avoid proprietary consumer NAS limitations. In that context, a jointly validated system with standard parts, upgrade paths, and bundled software licensing can be seen as a logical middle ground.

What Do We Know About How this Partnership will be presented as a solution?

Based on the announcement, the partnership is being presented as a ready made answer for people who want the flexibility of a self hosted server without having to design the hardware platform themselves. The emphasis is on systems that arrive prebuilt, tested, and validated for the kinds of workloads Unraid users commonly run, rather than on users assembling parts independently and then solving compatibility issues afterward. In practical terms, that means the offer is not being framed as just hardware on one side and software on the other, but as a combined product where both have been selected with the same use cases in mind. The message is that buyers should be able to start with a system that works as delivered, while still retaining the freedom to expand or modify it later.

The use cases being highlighted are broad enough to make the solution look adaptable rather than narrow. The announcement refers to media storage, file serving, containers, virtual machines, home automation, game servers, security camera management, and local AI workloads. That is important because it suggests the systems are meant to be positioned as consolidated household or small office servers rather than single purpose NAS appliances. At the same time, the hardware side is being described in a way that supports that message, with attention given to replaceable parts, upgradeability, standard tools, and chassis design. The intended impression is that the buyer is getting something easier to adopt than a custom build, but not something locked down in the way many consumer appliances are.

There is also a commercial and positioning element to how the partnership is being presented. The clarification from Unraid makes clear that this should be understood as a partnership with 45HomeLab, not 45Drives, which helps keep the focus on home lab and prosumer users instead of enterprise infrastructure. Another notable detail is that the systems are expected to ship with Lifetime Unraid licenses, which strengthens the idea that this is a complete solution rather than a partially assembled starting point. Taken together, the public messaging suggests that the partnership will be presented as a middle option in the market: more polished and pre validated than building a server from scratch, but more open, serviceable, and ownership focused than a typical closed consumer NAS product.

Taken at face value, the partnership between Unraid and 45HomeLab appears to be aimed at a specific gap in the market: users who want the flexibility and control of self hosting, but do not want the added work of sourcing, validating, and maintaining a hardware platform entirely on their own. The combination of Unraid’s software environment with 45HomeLab’s hardware design approach gives the partnership a clear logic, particularly when it is framed around upgradeability, standard components, and long term ownership rather than closed appliance style convenience. The distinction between 45HomeLab and 45Drives is also important to how the arrangement is being presented, because it keeps the focus on home lab and prosumer buyers. Overall, the partnership is best understood as a practical attempt to package self hosting in a more accessible form without removing the flexibility that makes it appealing in the first place.

Learn More in the UnRAID Press Release HERE:

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If you like this service, please consider supporting us. We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you.Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which isused to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H.You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks!To find out more about how to support this advice service check HEREIf you need to fix or configure a NAS, check Fiver Have you thought about helping others with your knowledge? Find Instructions Here  

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We use affiliate links on the blog allowing NAScompares information and advice service to be free of charge to you. Anything you purchase on the day you click on our links will generate a small commission which is used to run the website. Here is a link for Amazon and B&H. You can also get me a Ko-fi or old school Paypal. Thanks! To find out more about how to support this advice service check HERE    

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Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US