Advantages: Advantages: Cheap, all in one solution Disadvantages: No manual overide or audio support
stops autoscanning and lets you use the currently selected PC.
The Belkin claims support for scrolling mice but I did find sometimes one PC would start up without recognising this facility if it wasn't the currently selected one when booting up and in extreme cases, wouldn't recognise the keyboard and mouse at all. Previous KVM's I've used send the PC fake 'There's a keyboard and mouse here' messages when not selected and it seems this unit does not, which is a pity.
Conclusion
The Belkin 2 portKVM is a well built unit that works nicely and provides a great way to save desk space and the cost of a second monitor, keyboard and mouse. The long leads are useful and despite the niggles with scrolling mice and the lack of manual switch. I'd say this unit is worth considering at this price if you can live with those shortcomings ...
Advantages: Cheap, all in one solution, audio support Disadvantages: No manual overide
It's surprising how many people have more than one PC at home although even more surprising is that many of them each have their own screen, keyboard and mouse.
In many cases this makes perfect sense but sometimes, you know you'll only ever use one or the other - perhaps one is your general PC and the other your music workstation. In these situations you can save a lot of space and money by investing in a KVMswitch. KVM stands for Keyboard, Video and Mouse and allows you to use one keyboard, mouse and screen shared between two PCs.
This particular unit from Belkin is unusual in that it also includes audio support and also comes with all the leads permanently attached instead of being supplied as a separate cabling set.
Wiring it Up
Installation is simply a matter of taking each of the two main cables and plugging the sets ...
Advantages: Build quality, flexibility Disadvantages: Too few USB ports, a bit pricy
In a world where server virtualisation and remote login is becoming increasingly common, it's all too easy to forget the humble KVM (Keyboard/Video/Mouse) which allows a single keyboard, monitor and mouse to control two or more PCs. For home users with a number of PCs or small to medium sized businesses, there's still a need to control multiple machines from one place without cluttering the place up with all the related paraphernalia. Furthermore, KVMs remove some of the security risks that can arise when enabling remote access.
Here at home I have various PCs I use for testing, editing and so on so I was pleased to get my hands on a new 4portKVM from Aten. The Masterview CS1774 is rather more than the basic units you might find at PC World though - it has a number of interesting and useful features over and above the basic ability ...
Product Information for "Avocent SwitchView PC - KVM switch - 4 ports" »
Kvm
Keyboard / Mouse Interface
PS/2
KVM Local Users Qty
1 local user
Max Resolution
2048 x 1536 @ 85 Hz, 2048 x 1536
Max Video Bandwidth
400 MHz
Manufacturer's product description
Switchview PC 4-port KVM Switch * Allows you to control up to four attached computers from a single keyboard, monitor and mouse * Supports PS/2 platform * Compact design saves valuable desktop space * Hotkey or pushbutton switching * Supports high video resolution up to 2048 X 1536 @ 85 Hz * Convenient LEDs indicate which computer you are controlling
Related tags for Avocent SwitchView PC - KVM switch - 4 ports »
