kvm switch without video?

Dr. X

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Oct 27, 2000
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Do they make these. Googling came up with some obscure references, but I can't find a product anywhere. I'd like to use one keyboard/mouse for two computer, but the monitor has multiple inputs and one computer will be dvi and the other vga.
 
Well, I realize I could do that, but to save some cash I was just wondering if anyone made a cheap unit for just switching the keyboard/mouse.
 
Well, you could always custom build something. But if you're like me and everything electrical you build burns the house down, I'd say this is a no-no :p
 
Maybe I'll just look for a cheap one then, since I don't need to worry about the video quality or anything.
 
well Ive a few old serial and PS\2 manual switches
but I dont recall any USB ones

I know what you mean about price, my 4 port IO Gear extremes hurt
but were worth the investment, it feels better the older they get and the more they hold their value compared to most everything else Ive bought :p
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...=and&Range=1, 1&description=KVM&InnerCata=143

^_^ You want cheap, you got it...

Are you using USB? Much cheaper if it's just PS/2 (actually, it's much better to have the mouse on USB -- it's more responsive and such -- plus, if you use PS/2, you WILL need to shut down the systems to switch, it can be dangerous not to, and won't work unless you do anyway.) The cheapest one on there being a mere $10 for PS/2 (mind you, the shipping is outrageous for something that's practically unbreakable and can't weigh THAT much.) If you have to have USB, I saw one called JAHT or something for $20.
 
Do they make ones with both usb and ps2? My mouse is usb, but my keyboard is ps2.
 
Oops, sorry about that. I misunderstood what they meant about the USB on those. They don't actually have USB on the box, it's just that it plugs into the USB so you can switch on the fly without rebooting.

Well, I see a few that do USB, but, so far none that do USB + PS/2. Here's the cheapest USB I saw so far: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817107608 You'd obviously have to actually get a USB keyboard to use that though (which would actually be a good idea because then you can switch without having to shut down every time.) Not sure that's a good choice mind since it uses software to switch rather than hardware (hardware switches costs nearly 2x as much, however, are a MUCH better solution.) Of course, you could get one of the single port USB KVMs and use a hub or something I suppose.

EDIT: Found one. It's expensive though:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817107247
USB+PS/2. It's the fact that you have to have both that makes it toughest to get a cheap one.
 
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