LeafKVM open-source hardware IP KVM offers WiFi 5, PoE, USB-C serial console, and 2.4-inch touchscreen display (Crowdfunding)

LeafKVM is a wireless and PoE open-source hardware IP KVM based on Rockchip RV1126B SoC with 512MB RAM and a microSD card slot for storage. Like other IP KVMs, it enables remote access to computers and servers, even at the BIOS level or when the machine is unresponsive, by emulating keyboard, mouse, and video through HDMI/VGA and USB ports.

Other features include a 2.4-inch touchscreen display for configuration and guest video mirroring, a USB-C port for serial debug, a USB Type-A port for expansion (e.g., power control), and an ultra-low latency of less than 100ms.

LeafKVM specifications:

• SoC – Rockchip RV1126B
  • CPU – Quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 up to 1.6 GHz
  • GPU – 2D Graphics Engine
  • VPU
    • Video Decoder – H.265/H.264 up to 3840×2160 @ 30fps
    • Video Encoder  – H.265, H.264, JPEG up to 12Mbps @ 30fps
    • JPEG Decoder
  • AI accelerator – Rockchip NPU engine up to 3 TOPS (INT8); likely not used in the KVM
• System Memory – 512 MB DDR3L
• Storage – MicroSD card slot
• Display – Built-in 2.4-inch touchscreen display
• Video capture
  • HDMI input port up to 4Kp30 compatible with HDMI and DVI
  • Optional VGA adapter
  • Lontium LT6911C CSI video bridge
  • 4Kp30 or 1080p90 H.264 or H.265 video encoding and Opus audio encoding
  • Low latency of less than 100 ms
• Networking
  • 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet RJ45 port with PoE support (IEEE 802.3af)
  • WiFi 5 and Bluetooth via RealTek RTL8821CS module
• USB
  • USB Type-C “Aux” port for serial debug + power
  • USB Type-C “Control” port for keyboard + mouse + mass storage emulation (HTTP mount only) + power
  • USB Type-A port for expansion
• Misc
  • ESD protection + EMI filtering on all ports
  • Rugged CNC‑milled aluminum for passive cooling
• Power Supply
  • 5V/1A via USB-C port
  • 37-57V PoE (802.3af) via Ethernet port
  • Power consumption @ 5V
    • Idle – ~250 mA with Wi‑Fi or Ethernet connected
    • Active video input – Up to ~400 mA
• Dimensions – 90 × 65 × 25 mm
• Weight – 195 grams

The LeafKVM runs a Buildroot-based Linux distribution with a Rust control backend and a lightweight web frontend. It also supports OTA firmware upgrades. It does not require any special software since you can access it through a web browser, and for remote access, Tailscale VPN is supported. Alternatively, you can also use the RustDesk open-source app on a PC or a mobile phone. If you have really good eyes, you could also make use of the 2.4-inch interface for control. Check the bottom left screenshot, or watch the video at the end of the post. The documentation has more details to get started.

The market for low-cost IP KVM has exploded in recent years, with products such as JetKVM, PiKVM, Sipeed NanoKVM series, and GL.iNet Comet Pro. I often receive emails about alternatives from smaller companies, but for security reasons, it’s safer to go with the more popular or open-source projects, since it’s easy to get things wrong, inadvertently giving access to customers’ hardware over the Internet to bad actors. The LeafKVM was compared to some of the most popular projects that also come with a built-in display.

The main benefit of the LeafKVM IP KVM is that the software will be fully open-source, and the hardware will also be somewhat open since the schematics (PDF?) will also be released. It’s also the only solution to provide Debug UART access through USB-Cm and its display is a little larger than competitors. One potential downside not shown in the table above is the lack of support for power control, and the USB-A port is mainly used for external storage and cellular dongles, rather than power accessories like a Fingerbot or an ATX power control board. It would just require a software update, so it might be implemented over time. An oddity is that US users won’t be able to mount ISO files from mass storage due to patent issues, and the LeafKVM only supports HTTP ISO mount in the United States…

The LeafKVM has just been launched on Crowd Supply with a $10,000 funding target. A $119 pledge is asked for the LeafKVM with a 1 GB microSD card, an HDMI video cable, and a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, while the optional HDMI to VGA adapter adds $19. Shipping is free to the US and $12 to the rest of the world. Deliveries are scheduled to start by mid January 2027.

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