IOGEAR 2-Port USB DVI-D Cable KVM with Audio and Mic GCS932UB (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just bought this KVM. Here are a few thoughts after using it for a few days:
REASON I BOUGHT THIS ONE: It had two USB 2.0 ports, and no PS2 ports. IOGear has had some great customer reviews for this, and other KVM products. I liked the fact that I plugged my own DVI cable into the switch to my monitor making cable length irrelevant. And finally, the one negative review I did see here was answered directly by an IOGEAR representative attempting to address the problem.
PACKAGING: Nice cardboard box, foam wrap around all internal components, manuals were in color and in plastic bags, the manual content is complete but concise in English.
QUALITY: Everything seems to be made of sturdy high quality components. The cables are thick, well insulated, and are generous length. You would only need to be concerned with cable length if your two machines are over 10 feet away from each other. There are plastic caps that cover the stereo cables if not in use and the cables themselves are color-coded. The cables plug into the switch ports firm and secure.
HOOK-UP: Couldn't be easier. There was no need to look at the manual, everything is intuitive enough. There is a mini stereo jack cable for your left/right speakers and then one for your microphone. I have a 4.1 surround setup and I don't have a need for a microphone. Well, good news for those like me... just use the microphone stereo port for your rear left/right and you will have full 4.1 surround through the KVM. This was a great surprise, and it works.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS: One problem I ran into was that my Logitech MX510 mouse has 5 additional buttons. When run through the KVM it only detects a standard three button scroll wheel mouse. I never really used these buttons anyway, but it required me to reconfigure the mouse driver to speed up the cursor movement again.
I hid the KVM switch behind my desk and only see the slim remote button. The bottom of the button has a no-slip rubber pad, so you can lay it on your desk flat and it won't really slide anywhere. The button itself is easy to find and press without having to look at it.
Everything else worked great right out of the box. Since this is a digital KVM switch, you don't have to worry about quality of the signal. Either the signal arrives or it doesn't. You get perfect clarity or nothing at all. In my case, it's perfect. There is absolutely no difference in display quality when compared to directly connected the computer to the display.
MY SPECS: Computer #1 is an older XP machine with a ATI 9800 graphics card. The other machine is an HP running 64-bit Windows 7 with a GeForce 260. The mouse is a Logitech MX510. The keyboard is an older Microsoft split ergonomic PS /2 keyboard. I used a USB adapter without any issues at all. I hooked up a PC Works FourPointSurround (with subwoofer) through the two mini-stereo ports. Like I mentioned earlier, you can use any equipment that uses two mini-stereo ports, it doesn't have to be a microphone.
FINAL THOUGHTS: I am completely satisfied and this product has met my expectations. My opinion of IOGear has increased a few notches. When looking for future hardware, I'll certainly give IOGear a favorable consideration.

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2Port USB DVID CABLE KVM W/CABLAUDIO & MIC DVI RESOLTION 1920X1200

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TRENDnet 2-Port USB KVM Switch Kit (Includes 2x KVM Cables) TK-207K (Blue) Review

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(More customer reviews)I initially dismissed this product because it looked cheap, and seemed to be priced accordingly. But after reading some of the reviews, I decided to buy it and risk a whopping 24 bucks. It was a great buy.
What it does - It switches your VGA monitor between two computers, along with your USB keyboard and USB mouse. It has two buttons on the device to control the switching. It has two USB ports that go to your keyboard and your mouse. It has three VGA ports. One goes to your monitor (you use the cable you already have). Two go to your two computers. Interestingly, the KVM-to-computer cable, a special cable that is included (two of them), also carries the USB signal. The cable splits at the computer end and you connect the VGA connector and the USB connector to their respective ports on your computers.
What it does not - It does not switch audio. It is not designed to switch additional USB devices, although it may work for some devices that do not need high bus-power, if your keyboard acts as a unpowered hub. The device itself is powered by the computer's USB bus and it does not have a separate power supply.
This is exactly what I needed. KVM stands for keyboard, video, and mouse. That's all I wanted to switch between two computers (a Mac and a Linux PC laptop). I considered other KVM devices, and they had more features such as audio switching and special software, but they cost much more than this simple device. The package comes with software for switching, but it is for Windows only. The docs say it has a hot key, the scroll lock key hit twice in succession, that controls the switch. However, it did not work for me, probably because of my Mac keyboard which does not have a dedicated scroll lock key. However, the device is sitting next to my keyboard, and I just hit the appropriate button (1 or 2) to switch. It is quite small. The switching is nearly instant. What could be more simple than that?
A few things I have tried... It works fine at 1600x1200, 75 Hz. My normally used Mac resolution is 1280x960 at 75 Hz. My Linux laptop is old and can only externally output 1024x764 at 60 Hz, which also works fine. I do not see any degrading of picture quality going through this KVM. My monitor is 19-inch CRT.
In summary, the Trendnet TK207K 2-Port USB KVM Switch works great at a great price. If a simple two-way KVM for VGA/USB is what you need, I recommend this one.

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The 2-Port USB KVM Switch lets you manage two PCs with just one set of keyboard, monitor, and mouse. Switch between two PCs with a simple press of a button Separate sets of KVM cables are included with the KVM Switch, so users can start controlling 2 PCs instantly. The KVM cables also provide power to the KVM Switch, eliminating the need for a power adapter. Hot Key operations provide immediate access to features such as computer switching, and auto-scanning. With its Hot-Plug, and Audible Feedback, the 2-Port USB KVM Switch is the perfect choice for managing multiple PCs.

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TRENDnet 2-Port USB KVM Switch Kit with Audio (Includes 2x KVM Cables) TK-209K (Blue) Review

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(More customer reviews)This switch simply works. No complicated setup, no software to install. Just turn off both computers. Plug the shared keyboard, monitor, mouse, speakers and microphone into the switch, connect the included cables into the switch and the two computers. Then turn on the first computer, the one you want to designate as #1. After the first computer boots up and everything is okay, then push the #2 button and boot the second computer. That's it. From then on, you just push the button #1 or #2 to make the switch. It switches instantly, if both computers are not asleep. If one is asleep, it gives the signal, and then the PC takes only a few seconds to wake up.
I read a lot of reviews and I'm glad I did. Other switches seem to need software to work well, and rely on keystrokes to change. Because this switch has a button, it just truly switches over without any need to install software, making it the most generic. For PCs, you can use the scroll-lock+scroll-lock key combination to elicit the switchover. But it's simpler just to teach my kids to select button 1 or button 2.

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The 2-Port USB Audio KVM Switch lets you control multimedia PCs with just one keyboard, monitor, mouse, microphone, and a set of speakers. The KVM switch not only allows you to share your monitor, keyboard and mouse but you can also share microphone and speakers. With just a simple press of a button, this KVM switch eliminates the hassle of cable swapping and switching between 2 PCs. With its Hot-Plug, Auto-Scan and Hot-Key operating features, the TK-209K is the perfect choice for managing 2 PCs. Separate KVM cables are included.

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