Simultaneously Connect USB audio interface to two computers?

[michael diemer]

I use two computers, one for music and one for browsing. I have an external usb audio interface, which I swap back and forth as needed. However, with some Linux distros, it won't work unless I have it plugged in at startup. I go back and forth a lot, so I prefer using suspend mode.

Is there a way to have it plugged-in to both, so whichever is in use it will be good? Like a USB Y cable, for example? Would that work? I see that they do have such cables. I would need one with 2 male ends and one female. But I'm not sure it would work in this case.

 

[R_1]

the only way I can think that that would work, is in a VM.
a Virtual Machine is the only way I know that two OS's can share the same audio hardware simultaneously.
A VM will have software directing traffic so IRQ's and resources are not conflicting.
a cable will not have that traffic warden and it will crash. it being the sound card.

since each USB cable from each machine would provide power to the device you would have to find a way to [strike]half [/strike] halve the power or double the voltage will kill the USB card.

 

[Rogue Leader]

You need a switch

https://smile.amazon.com/IOGEAR-Peripheral-Sharing-Switch-GUS402/dp/B00BD8I2OY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478548684&sr=8-5&keywords=usb+switch+box

 

[R_1]

You need a switch

https://smile.amazon.com/IOGEAR-Peripheral-Sharing-Switch-GUS402/dp/B00BD8I2OY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478548684&sr=8-5&keywords=usb+switch+box

but wouldn't using the switch disconnect from the linux and require a reboot which is the root of the problem?

 

[Rogue Leader]

You need a switch

https://smile.amazon.com/IOGEAR-Peripheral-Sharing-Switch-GUS402/dp/B00BD8I2OY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478548684&sr=8-5&keywords=usb+switch+box

but wouldn't using the switch disconnect from the linux and require a reboot which is the root of the problem?

Ah yes good point.

I agree with your post, there really is no way to do this from both machines, you can't plug 1 into 2.

 

[R_1]

You need a switch

https://smile.amazon.com/IOGEAR-Peripheral-Sharing-Switch-GUS402/dp/B00BD8I2OY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478548684&sr=8-5&keywords=usb+switch+box

but wouldn't using the switch disconnect from the linux and require a reboot which is the root of the problem?

Ah yes good point.

I agree with your post, there really is no way to do this from both machines, you can't plug 1 into 2.

a switch was my first thought too

 

[michael diemer]

Thank you for your answers, all of you. I was wondering about switches, but then, yes, switching away from Linux would break the connection, thus necessitating a reboot. Oh well. Hopefully Zorin 12 will solve this (although the beta did not). It's Zorin that is my main concern. I would like it to be my everyday Linux bistro. Maybe I can live with it.

Another possible hardware fix might be to work on the interface end. Maybe a switch box for the cables. Only issue there is, the cables are expensive.