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geekhack Community => Other Geeky Stuff => Topic started by: ironcoder on Thu, 10 December 2009, 03:58:37

Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Thu, 10 December 2009, 03:58:37: I'm thinking of trying to run a setup of 3 boxes and 3 monitors and share one keyboard and mouse between them. I realized the monitors don't take up usable space, it's the mice and keyboards all over the desk that make it intolerable. Don't ask me how I know...

Is there something designed for this or do I just have to buy a KVM and not use the video ports? I read the reviews at newegg (can't buy there but it's good for reviews) and every kvm reviewed seems to have some guys who say it's great and others who say it sucks. I need to have something that really works. I would actually prefer a mechanical switch but I haven't found one.

Ideally it would have both USB and PS/2 connectors but for now I can live with all USB since I have the converters working fine on my boxes.

Any ideas guys?

Thank you.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: Rajagra on Thu, 10 December 2009, 05:07:16: I use a Belkin F1U400 switch. Controls 4 USB devices to 4 PCs. One problem with it is it's slower than I'd like - you make a selection then you have to wait a couple of seconds before it changes.

You can get mechanical USB switches, but they are mostly for a single device to many PCs or vice versa. You could get around that by going PC » USB switch » cheap USB hub » keyboard and mouse.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Thu, 10 December 2009, 05:12:52: Thanks, I'll look at USB switches.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: iMav on Thu, 10 December 2009, 05:15:09: Depends on what keyboard you want to use. Personally, I've always good luck with IOGear KVM's, but mine are problemstic with my HHKB.

I'd also suggest Synergy...that would be perfect for your setup.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Thu, 10 December 2009, 05:29:38: What's Synergy?

The problem is whatever I buy is going to be mail order and it's going to be hard to return. If I shell out for something and it doesn't work, I'm screwed.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Thu, 10 December 2009, 05:42:34: Oh that looks interesting. Do you use it, iMav?
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: hyperlinked on Thu, 10 December 2009, 06:18:16: Quote from: ironcoder;140849
The problem is whatever I buy is going to be mail order and it's going to be hard to return.

So...I think this would be an opportune time to ask what your reference to living in a bomb shelter means.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Thu, 10 December 2009, 06:24:23: "We're sorry, the number you have dialed is not a working number..."
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: iMav on Thu, 10 December 2009, 06:46:56: Quote from: ironcoder;140854
Oh that looks interesting. Do you use it, iMav?

Yes, I use Synergy and it works quite well. Like I said, perfect for your situation...and it's free.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Thu, 10 December 2009, 07:11:15: Hopefully it will work. I have 2 Linux boxes and a Solaris box in my office I want to use this with. It's going to be a little while until I get the DVI cables but I'll try it unless I decide to use the USB switch deal which also sounds like a good solution. What are you using it for, iMav?

Thanks guys!
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: timw4mail on Thu, 10 December 2009, 07:23:04: I use two KVMs headless to switch between computers (1 USB and 1 PS/2). Synergy wouldn't work for me because games do funny things when you run Synergy.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: didjamatic on Thu, 10 December 2009, 07:24:36: Q: What do you call a KVM that only does Keyboard and Mouse?
A: A KM.
(rimshot)

If synergy doesn't do it for you, just use a KVM but don't plug in the video connections, have each monitor directly connected to the PC. Then use KVM for input device switching only.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Thu, 10 December 2009, 07:40:36: Yeah I thought about that but it's hard to know which ones just work. So many posts are saying the keyboard or the mouse wasn't recognized blah blah blah, I think a USB switch with a hub is really the surest deal. Now to find a good mechanical USB switch. A decent KVM costs a lot more and isn't guaranteed to work. Bummer there are still problems with this technology after this much time.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: Rajagra on Thu, 10 December 2009, 08:50:52: The only problems I've had with PS/2 KVMs are mice that need special drivers - they work properly on boot, you switch to another PC and the driver thinks the mouse has gone. When you switch back to that PC the driver doesn't pick up on the fact that the mouse is back, so you lose any special functions (scroll wheel, extra buttons, etc.) But they still work as basic mice.

PS/2 KVMs are cheap e.g. on ebay, so it hardly matters that you are wasting the monitor connection.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Thu, 10 December 2009, 10:23:39: I don't want to play around looking for special drivers. Too many OS.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: gohu on Thu, 10 December 2009, 16:21:47: Quote from: timw4mail;140877
I use two KVMs headless to switch between computers (1 USB and 1 PS/2). Synergy wouldn't work for me because games do funny things when you run Synergy.

I use synergy and I game with no problem. You just have to press the Scroll Lock key beforehand to prevent your mouse (and keyboard) from switching screens.

The only disadvantage of synergy over KVM is that you need a master PC which will have to stay on. With a KVM, you can use whichever computer you want to, regardless of whether the other computers are on or off.

With Synergy, you have the huge advantage of the shared clipboard, it is very useful IMO.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Sun, 13 December 2009, 14:30:29: I imagine it only works in X which may not be ideal for me. I'll have to check. I will probably use the overkill hardware solution of buying a halfway decent USB KVM and just not using the video ports.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: timw4mail on Mon, 14 December 2009, 07:09:23: Quote from: ironcoder;142055
I imagine it only works in X which may not be ideal for me. I'll have to check. I will probably use the overkill hardware solution of buying a halfway decent USB KVM and just not using the video ports.

No, it works with Windows, Linux, and OS X. Other unices I'm not sure of.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Mon, 14 December 2009, 15:38:29: I meant it probably doesn't work on NIX consoles, you have to be running X on NIX for it to work. I can't see how it could work with consoles, but maybe I'm wrong. From the page when I checked before it should run on any NIX.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: iMav on Mon, 14 December 2009, 22:03:23: Quote from: ironcoder;142301
I meant it probably doesn't work on NIX consoles, you have to be running X on NIX for it to work. I can't see how it could work with consoles, but maybe I'm wrong. From the page when I checked before it should run on any NIX.

If you are simply running from the console, why not simply go headless? Ssh in when you need to.
Title: What do you call a KVM that only switches keyboard and mouse?
Post by: ironcoder on Tue, 15 December 2009, 14:56:07: That is an option, but I have 3 nice screens available for this so I should put them to good use.