Need recommendation for reliable DVI KVM

[Red Squirrel]

I don't understand why this is so hard to find. DVI KVM switches in general are hard to find, they're all VGA, like if it was 1990 or something. I did manage to find one, the TK-217I. Iti's complete garbage. The keyboard and mouse on the secondary just randomly died. Now it randomly dies on primary, I have to keep unplugging and plugging back, overall, it's garbage.

Why is it so hard to make a KVM that's actually reliable? I need this to be able to switch between my Linux machine and Windows machine flawlessly. They use DVI for monitor and USB for keyboard and mouse. Rather simple normal setup, but oddly very hard to find a switch for.

I'm open to any recommendations. I just want something that works.

Also, it needs to be something that has a physical toggle switch or has a hot key that does not require special software, because one of the machines is Linux.

At this point I'm even wondering how hard it would be to make my own. Could transistors be used to redirect the USB and DVI signals to/from the proper PC? Or heck, relays. That would probably be the most reliable because it would be equivalant to unplugging and plugging back manually.

 

[dandragonrage]

I like Aten KVMs for the money. Higher-end and more expensive than TrendNet but still reasonable.

This breaks your "toggle switch" request but I have a feeling you simply meant it needed to have hardware for switching rather than being soft-key-only. http://www.aten-usa.com/products/productItem.php?model_no=CS74D

They have some more expensive ones as well.

The annoyance about the CS74D is that it does 4 PCs over only 2 connectors so you can't just plug in your standard cables. To get standard connectors you could try a more expensive CS1784A or something: http://www.aten-usa.com/products/productItem.php?model_no=CS1784A

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah it's fine if button is on switch itself. Might have to bend over to hit it but still beats having to shut down all my programs for dual booting like I used to have to do before.

I don't see a price or a way to buy on that site though. Am I missing something, or is it US only?

 

[dandragonrage]

That's just the manufacturer's site. You can get them on sites like Newegg and Amazon. Not sure where you live or what shops ship to you.

When I checked on Amazon to see if they sold them (I got my last one on Newegg) I see that a couple of their models have low review scores, but all the ones that have more than only 2 or 3 reviews have high scores. Every time I have gone looking for a KVM, including older VGA ones, it was hard to trust user reviews as there was a lot of variance in the review scores, and that was with any brand. (I suppose that's true for any product, but reviews for KVMs always seem to have more variance than many other parts when I look them up.)

They also make several other models; I only linked a couple. Worth looking through others as well.

Edit: Also, make sure that whatever you buy actually supports the digital signal in DVI and isn't just using DVI-I/DVI-A to basically run VGA over the DVI cable. Many of the DVI KVMs will either support DVI-D or DVI-A but not both.

 

[cyclone3d]

Startech makes exactly what you are looking for. The one we use has no software, just a button for each machine.

The model we have also supports 2 monitors.
The model number is SV231DVIDDU

They make a number of different ones for different configurations.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I was looking at Startech ones actually, are they good? They seem to be the most decent price.

Good point on the DVI support though... did not realize some just converted to VGA.

Is this what this one does?

http://www.amazon.ca/StarTech-com-S...8&qid=1423841201&sr=8-1&keywords=startech+KVM

It says analog where it mentions resolution but does not mention anything else.

Found an Aten one too, is this one decent?

http://www.amazon.ca/ATEN-TECHNOLOG...TF8&qid=1423841404&sr=8-11&keywords=DVI-D+KVM

A bit more than what I want to pay for a simple KVM but if that's what it takes... I just want something that works at this point. Tired of screwing around.

 

[dandragonrage]

That StarTech one actually seems to do both digital and analog:

Video Resolution 1920 x 1200 @ 60/70Hz Digital
2560 x 1600 @ 60 Hz Analog


For that specific Aten one I actually haven't seen a review, unfortunately. This specific model (the CS74D) is digital only . I'd trust it to work fine based on the brand, but if you'd like to see some reviews, you can find those for some of their other models. I think the CS74D is a pretty recent model; its user manual is stamped as being under a year old http://www.aten.com.tw/doc_data/manual/20140321151114001.pdf. Maybe that is why it has no reviews yet.

The Aten CS1784A is dual-link DVI-I according to Aten, so it should be better than both the CS74D and the StarTech. The CS1784A is almost definitely what I would buy if I were buying one today, though I can't say for sure that my requirements are 100% the same as yours. You might not care about dual link etc.

 

[ob1]

We use Raritans at work, but I have had issues with DVI KVM units not working with the damn KMM units. The KX3 raritan we have right now only has DVI output to console, and finding a KMM that works with it has been a headache. We have a startech unit that has a DVI input, and we seem to have that one working, but the Windows box console is refusing to detect the monitor correctly and only lets us use 1024x768 standard VGA.

 

[dandragonrage]

We have a startech unit that has a DVI input, and we seem to have that one working, but the Windows box console is refusing to detect the monitor correctly and only lets us use 1024x768 standard VGA.

In Linux and with some GPU drivers in Windows you can save an EDID and have the system use that so that it still thinks your monitor is hooked up. The KVM would still need to support the resolution you want to use.

Another solution would be a "Gefen DVI Detective " or similar. Note that their regular one doesn't support HDCP; they have one that's called "DVI Detective Plus" or something like that which does and would be necessary for watching movies. Again, would still need the KVM to support the mode you use, but can solve issues with your OS refusing to recognize the proper capabilities.

 

[Red Squirrel]

The CS1784A is on amazon for about $400, I think I might go with that, but I'll hold off for now, that's a lot of money for a KVM.

 

[dandragonrage]

US$279 on Overstock, though I don't know if they ship outside of the US: http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/Aten-CubiQ-CS1784A-KVM-Switch/5655158/product.html and it's just a hair over $300 on Newegg

If you don't need the dual-link you could also consider the CS1764A which is above the CS74D but below the CS1784A. Like the StarTech it supports DVI-A and DVI-D (connectors are DVI-I) but doesn't have dual-link. If you want dual-link then I'd save up for the 84A as you're considering.

The CS1764A is US$178 on Amazon US right now through a third party and $195 on Newegg.