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Anyone got a KVM switch set up.... any recommendations?

Snoops wrote:Anyone got a KVM switch set up.... any recommendations?

Snoops you gotta stop talking in TLAs
What's a KVM

I have a 4-way one, but not worth recommending as it is so ancient - bit like me.

Can you give us an idea what you need - how many machines, what kind of keyboard/mouse (PS2 or USB) and what kind of video (VGA, DVI or HDMI)?

I ran into problems in mine when I got a new machine with a USB keyboard as all the rest were PS2 - so if I need to login to that one I have to use its keyboard directly. Most of the time I just remote into them from my laptop, so I don't use the switch very often.

Edit: Just for Titan - KVM = Keyboard Video and Mouse. It's a box of tricks for using multiple computers from one keyboard/mouse and monitor.

Cheers R.

Robert T wrote:I have a 4-way one, but not worth recommending as it is so ancient - bit like me.

Can you give us an idea what you need - how many machines, what kind of keyboard/mouse (PS2 or USB) and what kind of video (VGA, DVI or HDMI)?

Edit: Just for Titan - KVM = Keyboard Video and Mouse. It's a box of tricks for using multiple computers from one keyboard/mouse and monitor.

Cheers R.

2PC's, want to use my wireless mouse and keyboard so PS2.
My monitor has both VGA and DVI connections and 1 PC is on board graphics so that's VGA and the other has separate graphics card with DVI or VGA.
I would prefer one with sound capabilities too if that's possible.

Titan wrote:

Snoops wrote:Anyone got a KVM switch set up.... any recommendations?

Snoops you gotta stop talking in TLAs
What's a KVM

It basically allows you to control multiple desktop computers or laptops with a single mouse, keyboard and monitor. If you have 2 PC's at home, it saves the clutter of multiple monitors etc.

Well it sounds a pretty straightforward setup, barring the wireless mouse. You should be able to use a cheapo 2-way VGA, PS2 and audio switch to do most of it - I say VGA as it is the lowest common denominator.

There may be a problem with the wireless mouse, as if you get one with USB as well, the machines will most likely keep seeing the mouse as a new device when you switch between them. I'm not sure how ones with USB "fake" the presence of whatever is plugged in - with PS2 it is rather easier.

What OS do you machines run? And are they networked? It matters with XP as only the Pro version does remote desktop. Using the more powerful machine and remote desktopping into the slower one is actually a really good way of working. You then only need leave a keyboard plugged into the slower one. It should power up on its own and there is a way to shut it down over remote desktop. If you do this, then the wireless mouse is only ever plugged into one machine and you can use DVI for the display. Oh, and you get sound too.

Cheers R.

And if you don't have remote desktop, you can use RealVNC. KVM is dead unless you need gaming level graphics speeds.

KVM, for those who don't virtualise. Go for SAN solutions 1 PC/server running virtualisation. Virtual machines let you use your old OS and old software, network sharing, cross platform virtual sharing with resource functionality for all.

On the other hand, KVM and PS2 is easy to use, setup etc, but it's hard to find a KVM USB solution that is cheap enough for home use. Have you tried using your laptop as a KVM running a USB/serial emulator?
http://www.techdna.co.uk/products/IOgea ... p-KVM.html

I got one from Misco, much cheaper, or try Dabs/Ebuyer.

Hi indizee - reason I have a KVM is that I have a mix of kit attached to it - currently two windows PCs, a Linux server and a Sun box - I'm afraid I can't virtualise that very easily. If I get myself a beefy new PC, I might go virtual on that, but to do the sort of stuff I do, I would need to be a very beefy PC.

Back to Snoops' problem - 2 way KVM's are quite cheap - but USB and PS2 combined seems to be a bit rarer (and dearer) - something like this might do the trick for about £40.

I still think remote desktop (or VNC) is the way to go, especially against a machine that will be ultimately retired for good some day. Decent virtualisation software is not cheap (unless you want to run Linux in it!) and it is not that easy to get an image of a physical machine into it.

Cheers R.

Looking at Scan.co.uk I'm thinking I can get sorted for about £40 too.

There is a 2 port Edimax but it doesn't support a sound system whereas the 4 port one does.

My wireless keyboard/mouse have a PS 2 sender/receiver unit so there's no problem with USB connections.