Spec me a KVM switch

Craig321

Craig321

Craig321

Soldato
Joined
2 May 2004
Posts
19,950
Hi,

I wouldn't mind getting myself a nice KVM switch as I have a few computers which I'd like to run, but there's no space for another mouse/keyboard/screen.

Could do with 4 switches on it (the ability to connect it up to 4 computers).

USB mouse/keyboard, normal VGA for screen.

I'd also prefer one with all cables included.

Any recommendations?

[Edit]
Rather long shot, but I don't suppose there are any that include ethernet connections? So basically a switch/hub built in? Not a major requirement, but would be good.

[Edit]
My budget is just nothing overly expensive. I'm not sure of the average price of KVM switches so I'm open at the moment.

Thanks,
Craig.
 
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Not sure which models, if any OC sell.
I recently obtained an edimax 4 port USB model. It switches keyboard, mouse, monitoe, line out and mic in. I don't use the audio, as both my machines have their own audio connections via a mixing desk.
Does the trick.
It uses custom VGA plugs to carry VGA and USB out of the box, which then split into one vga plug and one USB plug carrying keyboard and mouse.

Problems........
Some slight "streakers" running accross the screen on the windows machine (and the new built that was suckling at port-3), they go away as soon as the GPU gets warmed up (weird eh?). Since the Linux box is unaffected, it must be the el-cheapo OCUK 8600GT in it doing it.
Also, swithcing seems to only work sanely from the front panel, the keyboard shortcuts are flakey and the buncled switching software is a waste of drive space.

Also, each time you switch away from a windows machine, it boops 3 times to let you know 3 usb devices have gone (keyboard, mouse, and the hub that combines them). And when you connect to one, it joyfully booops to report it's finding of 3 devices. Gets tedious.


Still, does what it says on the tin and was only about £40.



One thing, I have not seen one with ethernet, probably because it would defeat part of the point of the switch.....ie, my windows is downloading 75GB of security flaws, sorry I mean fixes, from MS....so I can switch away to Linux and do other stuff there....if a switched network connection followed the keyboard, you couldn't do that.
 
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I've had a few, and one of the main issues I had on the cheap ones is sometimes the PC's won't boot if they are not selected, hangs on bios and sometimes with the USB ones can't get into the bios, "However" these are older PC's,

Also the cheaper ones cable management is awful, these are all sub £45,

I'd look in mm or 2nd hand and try and find a used rackmount kvm with leads, should be pretty cheap,

If it helps mines a Belkin omi soho I got from mm, and works a treat, I only run 1024/768

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=149605

Don't forget the cables :)
 
I have an Aten 1734AC.
With the optional PSU, this one works with illuminated keyboards.
cost ~£100 with PSU
 
AndyC said:
I've had a few, and one of the main issues I had on the cheap ones is sometimes the PC's won't boot if they are not selected, hangs on bios and sometimes with the USB ones can't get into the bios, "However" these are older PC's,

Also the cheaper ones cable management is awful, these are all sub £45,

I'd look in mm or 2nd hand and try and find a used rackmount kvm with leads, should be pretty cheap,

If it helps mines a Belkin omi soho I got from mm, and works a treat, I only run 1024/768

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=149605

Don't forget the cables :)
Click to expand...

My Dad had a similar two port model a while ago I think, but it didn't do what he wanted it to do for some reason. They seem to be quite a good choice for KVM switch, I've seen quite a few recommendations for them.

thegoonden said:
Problems........
Some slight "streakers" running accross the screen on the windows machine (and the new built that was suckling at port-3), they go away as soon as the GPU gets warmed up (weird eh?). Since the Linux box is unaffected, it must be the el-cheapo OCUK 8600GT in it doing it.

One thing, I have not seen one with ethernet, probably because it would defeat part of the point of the switch.....ie, my windows is downloading 75GB of security flaws, sorry I mean fixes, from MS....so I can switch away to Linux and do other stuff there....if a switched network connection followed the keyboard, you couldn't do that.
Click to expand...

I was thinking more of a built in ethernet hub rather than switching the ethernet connection as well (so one main RJ45 in and then the 4 cables from the computers) - but a dedicated cheap switch/hub would probably be best.

I don't like the sound of the switch making the output streaky for the few minutes, that kind of stuff just annoys me :(. It was only £40 after all :p

Do the Belkin SOHO KVM switches come with cables?

[Edit]
Found the "Belkin F1DS104T Omniview Soho Series 4-Port KVM Switch, PS/2 & USB" for £70, but still wondering if it comes with cables.
 
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Hi there, I bought mine second hand, but "don't" think they do come with the cables as standard, is a nice unit, slightly larger than it looks but keeps all the cables out of the way, Works a treat,
 
Just been looking at a review of the one I mentioned above, it said something about not being able to control all the computers through a USB mouse/keyboard... or something along those lines?

Can I plug my USB mouse & keyboard into the switch and control all 4 computers from there through the same screen?

Thanks,
Craig.
 
hmmm not sure, I've not had much luck with USB kvm's, I use mine for test machines and which the keyboard and mice are usb the kvm is ps2 - I just just use 2 usb to ps2 converters, not sure how much smoothness is lost,
 
Yes, with USB, they can be a bit stroppy. The PS2 ones emulate persistant devices, so when you switch to machine B, machine A still believes it has a keyboard and mouse attached. With USB, machine A detects the loss of the devices, and then detects their reconnection when you switch back. Also, sometimes the machine doesn't reconnect the mouse. Both the windows machines and the linux machine have fallen foul of this. The KVM's we use in work are of a totally different design, by a different manufacturer, but they are also USB and exhibit the same behaviour.

It's nothing insurmountable. Worst case, you just pull the USB connector from the afflicted PC, wait 10 seconds and pop it back on.


Some come with leads (mine did), particularly if they use "weird ones" and some are bare box only.
 
I have never managed to find a perfect kvm, either some particular key combinations get blocked, mouse keyboard missing when machine boots or a noticeable degradation in display quality.
Belkins were the worst ones imo
 
I've been using an Avocent Swicthview DVI for about 6 months now, and have had no real problems with it. I'm only running 2 PC's through it, but it can take 4. It does Monitor, USB keyboard and Mouse, basic sound (can't do my surround) and Mic.

No real problems with it, although it has been a bit glitchy in the past!?! I just un-plugged everything, plugged it back in, and it hasn't given me any problems since. Oh... The screen flickers on boot-up, but other than that... Nothing. ;)

No idea how much it is new, i got it second hand. ;)
 
I've been put off a KVM switch a bit now purely because of the fact that if you buy anything cheapish then you will get problems.

Maybe I should save and get a top of the range 4 port KVM switch :)
 
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