Queston about KVMs

bluemeanies

bluemeanies

bluemeanies

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16 Aug 2007
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2
Hello, I currently have 5 PCs that I am looking to put through the same keyboard/mouse/video. I would like to stick with DVI for the video signals as I have a TFT and wish to make best use of it.

Now, I've failed miserably to find anything larger than a 4-port DVI KVM on the web, excluding really expensive shielded units for over a grand. And I've had replies from Aten and IOGEAR stating their 4-port DVI KVMs can't be cascaded together to give me more than 4 PCs. My 5 PCs may expand to be 7 or so, so I would like a scalable solution.

How does a KVM know its output is going to another KVM's input rather than to the actual device ? (ok, so the video is an output and the kbd is an input, but you get my drift). Has anyone managed to cascade DVI KVMs together without explicit support from the manufacturer that it can be done ? Or does anyone know of an 8-port DVI KVM for sensible money, or 4-port ones that can explicitly be cascaded? My kbd and mouse are currently PS/2 but I could change to USB items easily; audio sharing is not particularly an issue. Any thoughts welcome, thankyou.

Tod.
 
I expect that the switches can be cascaded - it's just that you will have to switch twice (once on each switch) to change source sometimes. KVMs that are natively cascadable have a facility where they act as a single box when cascaded.

It's not something I've tried though.
 
should work

it should work, but the second KVM will not have the softswitch functionality, as every time you enter the hotkey sequence, it's going to be intercepted by the one attached to the keyboard.

You could try two different makes, and see if that works, if they have two different softswitch activation sequences. I have two KVM's, one uses SCROLL_LOCK and the other uses PRINT_SCREEN. They are two different makes.

Mine are both analogue only though.
 
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