What to look for in a KVM switch?

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Doc

Anything to look for/avoid/be aware of in a KVM switch? The ones I'm seeing
in retail stores Circuit City, Best Buy, Cheap Guys are $60 - $70ish, I see
numerous much less expensive units on eBay.

Thanks.
 
Don't know if they still exists but never ever buy a cheap analogue kvm
switch if you want to switch ps/2 connectors.

regards,
Marcel
 
Anything to look for/avoid/be aware of in a KVM switch? The ones I'm seeing
in retail stores Circuit City, Best Buy, Cheap Guys are $60 - $70ish, I see
numerous much less expensive units on eBay.
Click to expand...


Be sure to get one that has a button to switch as well as a keyboard
combination. Mine doesn't and ituses scroll lock. This key has two
functions with my microsoft keyboard and life gets realy ugly when
using it with my kvm switch.
 
I personally like a kvm which has individual buttons for each computer along
with a reset.. The reset button is nice because some times the mouse will
stop responding for whatever reason. If you do not have a reset button the
only option you have is to reset your computer. If you have a reset button
you can press reset to reinitialize the mouse and keyboard. I also have a
cheap kvm which uses keystroke sequences to cycle between computers. This
can be cumbersome plus the unit fried after a few months.
 
Doc said:
Anything to look for/avoid/be aware of in a KVM switch? The ones I'm seeing
in retail stores Circuit City, Best Buy, Cheap Guys are $60 - $70ish, I see
numerous much less expensive units on eBay.
Click to expand...

The most common shortfall of KVMs, as I have seen it, is poor video
quality. Unfortunately, I have no factors for prediction, as I have
seen this problem in cheap, as well as more expensive, units.
 
Doc said:
Anything to look for/avoid/be aware of in a KVM switch?
Click to expand...

Best to get one that can switch from the keyboard.

If you dont, best to get one that has individual buttons to
select the PC you want to switch to. If its got a single step
button, and you have a 4 port KVM with say 2 or 3 PCs
on it, for more future in theory, its a nuisance to have to
move thru the unused positions.

I prefer USB KVMs myself, but they have their downsides,
particularly quite a bit of stuff that wont boot with the keyboard
and mouse switched away and be able to switch back etc.
XP is fine, but quite a few linuxes etc arent.

You also need to consider what video format
is used. You can get VGA and DVI KVMs.
 
Anything to look for/avoid/be aware of in a KVM switch? The ones I'm seeing
in retail stores Circuit City, Best Buy, Cheap Guys are $60 - $70ish, I see
numerous much less expensive units on eBay.
Click to expand...

One difference is cables -- some KVMs come with the required cables,
some do not.

Terry
 
Anything to look for/avoid/be aware of in a KVM switch? The ones I'm seeing
in retail stores Circuit City, Best Buy, Cheap Guys are $60 - $70ish, I see
numerous much less expensive units on eBay.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I've got a linksys branded KVM switch and I've noticed it's pretty
rough on CRT monitors. When the switch is made, the monitor
apparently gets no signals for a moment. The screen collapses and
then blows back up again. Rough on the horizontal and vertical
deflection amps I'd imagine. I had a monitor go prematurely and I'm
wondering if the KVM switch was a factor or just cheap CRT design.

I'd feel better with a KVM switch that somehow buffered that switch.
 
I've got a linksys branded KVM switch and I've noticed it's pretty
rough on CRT monitors. When the switch is made, the monitor
apparently gets no signals for a moment. The screen collapses and
then blows back up again. Rough on the horizontal and vertical
deflection amps I'd imagine.
Click to expand...

Why? They're just doing what they are supposed to be doing.
I had a monitor go prematurely and I'm
wondering if the KVM switch was a factor or just cheap CRT design.
Click to expand...

I think it's highly unlikely to have been the switching of the KVM.
I'd feel better with a KVM switch that somehow buffered that switch.
Click to expand...

I've never seen one that does this. In fact, I think it's technically
impossible unless you get inside the CRT. After all, the various
computers aren't necessarily at the same resolution, refresh rate,
etc.

Terry
 
Doc said:
Anything to look for/avoid/be aware of in a KVM switch? The ones I'm seeing
in retail stores Circuit City, Best Buy, Cheap Guys are $60 - $70ish, I see
numerous much less expensive units on eBay.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Ask yourself what you need and want: ps/2 or usb? audio?




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