Author Topic: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?  (Read 2688 times)

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Offline mushupork

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PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« on: Mon, 10 September 2012, 21:28:58 »
I bought a Rosewill RK9000 with Blues at the beginning of the year but pulled the PLU ML-3000 with Reds out of the closet last week. 

It's the weirdest thing: When I connect the ML-G3000 to my PC it is fine, when I connect it through my Iogear KVM (which has USB connectors) the keys produce the wrong letters or no letters at all.  If I  use a passive adapter to convert from USB to PS2 and then an active PS2 > USB converter (in this case a Blue Box) to bring it back to USB it works fine. 

This looks like an incompatibility between the ML-3000 controller and the KVM.
  - The ML-G3000 keyboard works. 
  - The KVM works. 
  - The ML-G3000 and KVM do not work without a converter in between. 

I have a workaround but I am curious if anyone has seen this and/or has a theory about why this is happening.
   

« Last Edit: Mon, 10 September 2012, 21:43:04 by mushupork »
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Offline Soarer

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 06:09:44 »
I think it's simply that most, if not all, KVMs can't understand anything other than the regular 6KRO USB report.

Some KVMs can be configured so the device port isn't treated specifically as a keyboard. Then it's not so smooth when you switch, because the OS has to go through its device detection each time, but it will work with any USB device (NKRO keyboards included).

Offline mushupork

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 09:02:34 »
That makes sense ... I also read elsewhere that some PLU keyboards (PLU-87?) emulate multiple HID keyboards in the OS to get better performance and maybe this is confusing to the KVM.  Putting a Blue Box in between means the KVM is talking to a standard keyboard and that corrects the issue ... the Blue Box is the interpreter.

I am also seeing if I can configure the KVM to just pass though the keyboard rather than emulating a keyboard.  (It is an Iogear GCS1104 KVM)

Just curious ... has anyone seen this type of issue with other keyboards?

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Offline FoxWolf1

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 09:14:30 »
That makes sense ... I also read elsewhere that some PLU keyboards (PLU-87?) emulate multiple HID keyboards in the OS to get better performance and maybe this is confusing to the KVM. 

That's how my Noppoo TANK does it; I wouldn't be surprised if the PLU G3000 works the same way. It sounds like you're running into the same issue that makes Macs and Noppoos not get along very well.
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Offline mushupork

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 09:34:43 »
How do you work around it FoxWolf1?
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Offline FoxWolf1

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 09:39:26 »
Well, my workaround was to hold off on buying the Noppoo until I was no longer using a Mac :D.

I've heard the same usb -> ps2 -> usb trick with the blue cube works for Noppoos, though. Sorry I don't have anything cleverer, but maybe someone else has come up with something that'd work? I know there was a phase when Noppoo Minis were popular, and a lot of people were looking for Noppoo + Mac solutions; maybe one of those, or something like one, could work for you?
« Last Edit: Tue, 11 September 2012, 09:42:41 by FoxWolf1 »
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Offline mushupork

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 09:42:41 »
Stay away from Macs ... done  :D

Seriously though ... thanks for the input.
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Offline Soarer

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 10:21:01 »
That makes sense ... I also read elsewhere that some PLU keyboards (PLU-87?) emulate multiple HID keyboards in the OS to get better performance and maybe this is confusing to the KVM. 

That's how my Noppoo TANK does it; I wouldn't be surprised if the PLU G3000 works the same way. It sounds like you're running into the same issue that makes Macs and Noppoos not get along very well.

Not quite the same - even an NKRO that doesn't confuse a Mac would have problems with most KVMs, I think.

What KVMs ought to do when they can only handle 6KRO is send the same command that a BIOS sends to put the keyboard into 6KRO mode. No idea how many do that, but I suspect most don't.

Offline mushupork

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 11:47:02 »
I just looked in the manual and I wonder if the pass through mode would solve this problem.  Maybe teh 6NKRO mode scrambles things and no communication will work.  Page 18 ... http://www.iogear.com/support/manual/GCS1102_1104_Manual.pdf

4074-0

"Auto-detect the keyboard operating platform (for PC compatible systems). Activates Pass Through Keyboard Mode (keystrokes are sent directly to the computer instead of through the Mac emulator)."

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Offline Soarer

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 13:39:45 »
I dunno, it doesn't sound quite the same, because what I was thinking of wouldn't be OS specific at all.

And I just had another thought - with a pass-thru as I meant it, you wouldn't be able to control the KVM with hotkeys; you'd have to use buttons on the unit.

On yours, could you use the front panel USB port instead of the keyboard port?
« Last Edit: Tue, 11 September 2012, 13:49:01 by Soarer »

Offline mushupork

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 11 September 2012, 21:35:12 »
One of the USB hub ports might work but I could not control the KVM port with HotKeys unless the keyboard is in the Keyboard-specific port on the KVM,
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Offline qtan5370

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Re: PLU ML-G3000 NKRO - won't work with KVM?
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 12 September 2012, 00:37:24 »
Almost any NKRO under USB is registering itself as more than one keyboards.
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