SOHO 4-Port KVM Switch; VGA & PS2/USB Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In my company, we have used the Raritan KVM switches for many years. The 4 computers under my desk are used to switch between different computing environments. Unfortunately, we got 24" monitors which required 1920x1080 resolution. The Raritan couldn't handle that high a resolution and dropped it to 1400x1050. I searched for reasonably-priced KVM solutions which a was a big hassle. Lots of things to support in the coming years and many users' reviews to read about their satisfaction.
Criteria:
Front panel access to select computer. One push should select the computer
4 ports that support ps/2 and usb
Vga video port as opposed to DVI
2048 x 1536 supported resolution
Include 4 sets of cables in price
I narrowed the choices to: Belkin f1ds104j, Triplite b0006-vu4-r, and Iogear gcs1734 and selected the Belkin.
I waited to see if the KVM would work as advertised and it did. Make sure you follow the short instructions and the video worked great. The only minor flaw is the keyboard repeat rate seems slightly slower.

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With Belkin's newly redesigned SOHO KVM Switch, you can share your monitor, keyboard, and mouse with up to four USB and PS/2 computers. You can also connect one set of speakers and use them for all your computers. The SOHO KVM Switch helps to increase your efficiency and productivity at home or in the office by reducing desktop clutter while keeping access to all of your programs and files spread across multiple computers.

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StarTech 4-Port Professional VGA USB KVM Switch with Hub (SV431USB) Review

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(More customer reviews)This KVM is advertised to work without a power supply under Mac and PC (as specified on the startech.com website) but doesn't. It has a 5v recepticle but doesn't even include a cheapo wall wart. The 5v voltage is not even common enough for Radio Shack to carry them so they are expecting a lot from the end user.
The specific problem is I get a warning from my Macs about too much power being drawn and then the keyboad and/or mouse gets disabled.
I have 2 differnt setups where it fails to work. One consists of a PowerMac G4 and a PowerBook G4 with a ViewSonic 20" monitor, Apple Pro keyboard, and Microsoft Optical Mouse.
The other setup consists of a PowerBook G4, Old Micron Linux box, Sony 17" LCD, Apple Pro keyboard, and a Logitech Optical mouse.
These seem like common configurations so I am wondering if it is defective or unrealistic about its power requirements. I have written startech.com about this issue. I will update this review once I get a response.

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UPDATE

Startech sent me the power adapter needed when connecting to Macs. BTW, its not included. Seems to work as advertised but I have noticed that if I don't switch to a Mac for an extended period it wont wakeup.

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The SV431USB 4 Port rack mountable VGA USB KVM Switch with Hub offers simple control of up to four computers from a single monitor/display and USB peripheral set (keyboard, mouse).The USB KVM switch features an integrated 4 port USB hub, allowing you to share connected USB peripherals between the four controlled PC/Mac computers as though the devices were connected directly. Offering convenient placement and installation options, the KVM switch features a 1U rack-mountable form factor and rear port connection to master and slave computers, allowing you to make the necessary device connections without disrupting your workspace. A cross-platform solution, the KVM switch supports high resolution applications at up to 1920x1440 and provides a smooth operating experience when controlling mixed (Windows/Mac OS/Linux) environments. Backed by a StarTech.com 3 year warranty and free lifetime technical support.

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IOGEAR 4-Port MiniView USB KVM Switch with Audio and Cables GCS634U Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I liked the handsome unit, solid build quality, rubber non-stick base, etc. but I had problems using this switch with USB keyboards. In the end, I either used a PS2 keyboard or monkeyed around with PS2->USB converters to plug in a USB keyboard. I had no problems with my USB mouse.
But because this unit can only switch ports via the keyboard, it made it difficult to use a new USB keyboard that I liked (Logitech Dinovo Edge). Either the keyboard switching worked or the keyboard's driver worked, and I needed the driver to support the volume and touchpad controls of this fancy keyboard. So in the end, I had to buy a simpler USB switch that had a physical button to switch ports (and found that the other switch, the Belkin Flip, even supported the fancy USB keyboard drivers *and* keyboard switching).

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Introducing the four port MiniView Micro USB KVM switch from IOGEAR the simplest way to simultaneously run and share audio among four computers with a single USB keyboard, monitor and USB mouse. This self-powered KVM switch features the unique USB sniffing technology for USB mouse and keyboard emulation to ensure smooth operation, as well as support for Plug-n-Play monitors and most wheel mice. Our patented VSE Video Signal Enhancement technology provides rich, 32-bit color at resolutions up to 2048 x 1536.Another big plus is the MiniView capability to provide audio support, it allows you to share your multimedia speakers among the connected computers.

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