Ask Engadget: Best DVI KVM switch?
By Darren Murph 
posted Mar 19th 2009 11:06PM
posted Mar 19th 2009 11:06PM
Look out -- it's that time of the week again. What time, you ask? The time when brilliant readers like yourself get a moment to shine as their inquiries are posted up here at Engadget. Feel free to send yours in to ask at engadget dawt com, but first, have a glance at John's dilemma below:"I've been searching for a good DVI KVM switch for a long time. Most of the ones I've read about are either too expensive or have gotten horrible reviews. I was hoping you guys could shed some light on what the best DVI KVM switch you've come across is. My only requirements are high resolution (1,680 x 1,050 or higher), USB for keyboard and mouse and (preferable, although not required) and dual monitor support."
We'd say the challenge is pretty clearly laid out. Now it's on you to think up a good reply and comment below.
Belkin Flip DVI.
I'm quite happy with my Belkin Flip DVI, but it does occasionally act weird and not reconnect the USB. I'm using Windows XP on one computer and Ubuntu on the other. Ubuntu reconnects the USB almost instantly, but Windows may take up to 30 seconds, depending on what other apps are open. I would recommend it, I haven't found many other seemingly reputable ones.
Yeah, I have a Belkin Flip DVI. It works pretty well--I run it with a 1680x1050 Dell. No dual monitor support, though it has USB and audio. The audio and video can be switched independently between the two machines, which is quite nice. It comes with a separate puck you push to switch machines, or there's also a Mac menubar app/Windows systray app to do it. I got mine for ~$120 on ebay.
+1 belkin flip.
I appreciate all the help here. Here are some more details if it helps any.
Pretty much I have this setup - a 1680x1050 monitor and a 1280x1024. I work from home a couple days a week, at which point I use a dock for a Lenovo T500. I don't play many games on the PC, so that's not a problem, but hardware is a must - my work laptop is on VPN, which has local access blocked (so synergy/RDP won't work). I'm a developer, so dual screens get pretty useful. That's not a hard requirement, just something that would be nice to have.
Thanks for all the help - I've been looking the hardest at the Belkin Flip, just because it seems to have the most positive reviews out of everything I've read. Not dual monitorm but having two would satisfy that just fine.
And when I said 'cheap,' I meant sub-$500 or so - I saw some that were thousands the other day and it was pretty discouraging.
thanks
Anything by Avocent. Much more worth it than dealing with Belkins.
Iogear is decent too.
Second that notion. The USER should consider an HDMI switch if one is available, after all HDMI is reverse compatible with DVI.
Just use Terminal service, Remote Desktop for Windows or whatever works the same way for Linux and OSX.
If he's using it for something that requires high resolution, VNC or RDC is probably not the best option. Even on a LAN remote desktop can get pretty sluggish and generally will make doing work harder than it needs to be.
Err.... are the comments acting up for anyone else?
First time here?
If it weren't for Digg's Jumping Comment Box of Doom and I Can Has Cheezburger's hold-on-while-I-nom-your-comment setup, I'm pretty sure this would be the..
whoa
..comment systems suck!
"What time, you ask?"
Remainds me of Craig Ferguson :D
Well, Iogear is good, compared to Belkins that is.
Forgot to add regarding dual monitor support:
The ones that I've seen tend to be on the expensive side and not much flexibility in terms of what you want onscreen. A workaround I did was use 2 2-port DVI KVMs. It's less expensive than the ones built specially for dual monitor support and you can choose which machine you want each screen.
I tried saving money by buying a belkin. Doesn't work. There's a reason the Avocent KVM switches are the only ones you see in a data centers, at least the ones I've worked in. They seem to be the only ones that acutally work (I mean really, how hard can it be to make a KVM Switch?!?!) I was switching between 3 home systems and every time I would switch to another system with the Belkin it would "find" the USB device for the first time. It either wasn't mapping it properly or it didn't have a constant emulator in it. Whatever the reason I was pretty pissed someone would even put something like that out on the market. The video would also fall out of phase. I don't know if they have that fixed but if you are trying to save money on a Belkin just make sure it has a good return policy just in case. The Avocent switches I've worked with feel sturdy, they work and they are about 3 times the price. Pick your poison.
I had an Avocent and it worked great serving a G5 and a PC on an Apple HD Cinema display. Quick hotkey switching at full 1080p. No issues with gaming on the PC.
I use the IOGEAR DVI KVMP. Works great for me, but I'm not a fan of the mouse/keyboard USB ports on the front.
He should just use synergy or teleport. Why do something in hardware when it takes 2min to set it up in software. Both allow you to share one mouse and keyboard with multiple computers. I recommend teleport because it has a really great prefence setup. I would never again buy a KVM. No need. (these solutions use a network connection to share your keyboard and mouse with the other machine. Works seemlessly.
Synergy is old (hasn't been updated since '06) and has problems with games (any platform) and newer Linux kernels (input freezes randomly) -- for Windows boxes only, might I recommend Input Director?
Go with Gefen -- a bit more pricey, but rock solid stuff.
Gefen switches are great. I work for Dangerous Music and we chose their switches as the primary ones to integrate with our Monitor ST Additional Switching System.
I use synergy, works great, and has a clipboard that you can share between computers. I can copy something on my mac mini, move the cursor over to my macbook, and paste it. It works with OSX and Windows.
http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/
You should try teleport
Love Synergy. Love!
But that is if you have dual monitors/systems for one kb/mouse combo, which really doesn't help the guy asking about the KVM (one monitor for two systems one kb/mouse combo).
Definitely do NOT buy a DVI KVM switch unless it is a powered unit. Otherwise, I've had trouble with keyboard and/or mouse not getting enough power to work properly. Still, you might get away with using a powered USB hub between the KVM and keyboard/mouse - it worked for me for a while before the KVM died on its own.
I saw the Avocent at NewEgg for $600. I'm currently using an ATEN CS1762 2-Port KVM Switch (~$220). It is not perfect. I've had to route separate wires from each PC to the switch as the wiring already built into the supplied cables caused a lot of speaker hum - no hum by separating. Also, the hot keys for monitor switching don't seem to work for me. But the manual buttons for switching work fine. I'm running a 22" Optiquest monitor at 1920 x 1200 resolution.
Also, unless you're willing to pay several thousand dollars for a really high end switch, you should only boot one PC at a time and leave the KVM in the correct position at least until you get the login screen. When rebooting either PC, you should do the same. Otherwise, Windows will not be able to handshake with the monitor and determine the correct resolution - you'll get odd looking screens that scroll around funny.
This ATEN is my third try and I'm sticking with it. I'd buy again, too. My previous unpowered units were from Belkin and Iogear - both gone into trash heap now.
Good luck - no fun ahead!
I went through tons of KVM switches and as a student could never afford a decent one, so junked it, bought a manual USB switch and a separate DVI switch with an adapter for HDMI so I could use it for my PS3.
Whole thing works problem free and cost me little over £25 ($18)...
Slight correction to one sentence in the second paragraph.
Bob
"I've had to route separate speaker wires from each PC to the switch as the wiring already built into the supplied cables caused a lot of speaker hum - no hum by separating."
Belkin Flip DVI works fine for me with a Dell PC and Mac Mini, but make sure the switch connector is properly seated in the Y-unit.
Gefen. By far.
my hand, in conjunction with my arm.
Bob Floyd writes:
"[Helpful hints about booting PC's attached to a KVM]"
Heed that advice and save yourself the time of troubleshooting something that is just the nature of the beast.
"This ATEN is my third try and I'm sticking with it. I'd buy again, too. My previous unpowered units were from Belkin and Iogear - both gone into trash heap now."
The Iogear dual-link KVM with surround sound support is a powered KVM which is a rebadged ATEN. The manual even includes a reference to the included "ATEN cables". Dell 3007 in glorious 2560x1600, no problems, hot-key switching work in XP and Vista (a hint that it's not a low end product: its docs claim Solaris and Mac support as well, which probably means Linux too). Would definitely buy another.
I think this requirement is too much. Most KVM switches are aimed at office users who do not need
high end graphics for office documents. What you're looking for is more specialized and speacialized
never means cheap.
dual monitor support don't come cheap... you're probably better off switching the mouse/kb through a KVM and hooking up both devices to the monitors
I have an IOmega DVI KVM/USB/AUDIO. I like it a lot.
Tried Gefen, Belkin, IOGear, etc... Best by far is StarTech. Haven't specifically tried the DVI KVM, but I'm on year 3 of my VGA KVM and it is SOLID. Bit pricey, but damn worth the money. My belkin only lasted 6 mos (and not reliable ever). My mother's VGA KVM IOGear died in 8mos.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2252781&CAWELAID=151901339
I have a Gefen, and it works beautifully. Highly recommended.
How bout a DVI-KVM for a 30" monitor running @ 2560x1600 ? It requires dual-link DVI.
In fact, I could do without the the "K" and the "M" - I use synergy when applicable, and also use a Kensington Sharecentral 5
Look at the Dr. Bott MoniSwitch Pro DVI DL:
http://www.drbott.com/prod/db.lasso?code=1109-MSPD
Supports dual monitors for 4 machines at up to 2560 x 1600 per monitor. I use one with my Apple 30" ACD and it rocks.
Don't do what I did... buy an ATEN 4 port one, and expensive USB Razer keyboard and mouse... not compatible. It appears that the keyboard doesn't get enough power (cuts out every few seconds) even though the KVM is powered from the mains. Razer totally unhelpful and refused support. ATEN a bit more helpful and told me to connect it as a USB device rather than using the keyboard specific connection. This seems to suffer the power brown-out issues too. Any suggestions welcome... (Can look up the model numbers when I get home)
Stay away from Belkin, they wont live up to the promise on the box.
I've suffering with them for the last year and final straw came with the introduction of 30" LG monitor, when it became apparent that the promised dual-link DVI support is dodgy at best. I'm getting terrible amount of interference (red lines and dots across the screen) and blinking display when using the native 2560x1600 resolution, with lower resolutions things work pretty ok but there is an annoying delay when the computer has to rediscover the USB keyboard and mouse after EVERY switch between the computers.
I've already ordered a new KVM switch from ATEN but it hasn't arrived yet so I can't comment on its quality..
Belkin's new SOHO KVM works well for me. I had the flip, and it worked mostly. I got it for ~$140. Here is the info.
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=404605
I picked up an Aten CCS-1782 a few weeks ago. Couldn't be happier, overall. While it's only a two port switch, it is DVI and also does 7.1 Surround Sound. So, I can now have both my PC and my Macbook Pro (with Griffin Firewave 5.1) have sound come through my 5.1 surround speakers.
The unit is powered, and has an extra USB port in front of the device for quick attachment of another peripheral.
Unit switches via manual switch of hot key, and I don't have any Mac/PC compatibility issues.
Not cheap, but definitely a nice unit.
Chris
Agree, I have the same Aten KVM switch and it works great with my Mac and Dell PC (at 1920 x 1200). Keyboard switching works and, all in all, it's a lot better then my old Belkin Soho switch (where I had to use the physical buttons on the front to switch between computers).
Gefen, if you want something good.
Avoid Belkin like the plague.
If you want to save some money, IoGear is alright. The Avocent/Linkskey USB/DVI KVMs are not so hot IMO.
I haven't tried out the Addlogix boxes, but I've heard good things about them.
I did this exact same search a while back. The main problem I had with the likes of the Belkin Flip, and most DVI'USB KVMs, what that they ONLY supported USB 1.1. Which is fine as long as you are not a gamer and need hi-speed USB for gaming mouse/keyboard polling. Also, if you share USB devices through the KVM (which is possible) they are piss slow...
the solution: http://www.startech.com/item/SV211KDVI-2-Port-Compact-USB-DVI-KVM-with-Cables-and-Audio-Switching.aspx
StarTech.com 2 Port Compact USB DVI KVM with Cables and Audio Switching (SV211KDVI). It's a hair over $100 online, but comes with all the needed cables. The power adapter I found was optional, as it can be powered off USB. It supports resolutions higher than 1680x1050 and supports a keyboard shortcut to switch between computers (with software installed. And the tour de force? USB 2.0 hub/switching :) For two port DVI/USB switching there is nothing better.
I do have two qualms with it though. 1) the LED is freaking bright and siesure enducing when it starts flashing at night. 2) the audio is very staticy, though I don't know of a KVM with clean audio. Though one nice feature is that you can force (through software) the audio to stay with one computer.
PS - the two monitor version is here:
http://www.startech.com/item/SV231DVIDDU-2-Port-StarView-Dual-DVI-USB-KVM-Switch-with-Audio.aspx
We use the IOGear GCS1762 models for DVI and another model for a few VGA setups we have and they've worked out the best in our mixed Mac/PC environment.
I own the Avocent 4 Port DVI KVM w/ Audio & USB. Works with every Machine and OS 've used (macs and various PC's.) Buy the all-in-one cables from Startech. They are cheaper and better than the ones from Avocent or Belkin.
Just a warning, if you plan on using one of those fancy Keyboards and Mice with the media Keys and extra buttons that do various things, They (extra keys) won't work if you plug them into the ports that are designated for the KB/Mouse. The Workaround is you plug into on of the Shared USB ports and they work perfectly. The downside is you loose capability to do the hotkey switching from the KB. But if the KVM is on your desk, then just press the buttons on the KVM to switch between the Systems.
If you are going to buy a DVI KVM w/USB KB then you must go Dual-Link for highest resoloution and a USB hub. A KVM is something that you don't replace until it exceeeds whatever technology is prevalent at the time. So spending a little money now is better than spending it later to replace it. I have the following KVM from IOGEAR.
GCS1782
2-Port Dual-Link DVI KVMP Switch with 7.1 Audio and Cables
Dual Link DVI KVMP switch with USB Peripheral sharing and 7.1 Audio
It is well built and you can connect hubs and wireless keyboard and mouse to it (I use regular USB Mouse and KB). In addition, it comes with all the cables you need. It is about $200.00 but worth every penny.
+1 for this KVM
It's the only KVM on the market that supports dual-link DVI, USB and 7.1 surround sound. Now if only soft switching worked with my G15.
For its $200 sticker price, you'd expect it to include the cables--and it does :)