Anyone use a GOOD KVMP?

[stilly]

I adjusted the attitude on my Belkin Omniport Pro 4 port KVMP today with only my Deagle .44 and 240gr bullets.

AND I now have to RMA my ATEN CS1734B KVMP 4 port switch.

I would ADJUST that too but it cost me $133 to buy so it aint gonna happen.

I do NOT know why I bought it in the first place except that I saw RAVE reviews about it but the fact is that the one that I have SUCKS.

I bought it last March (2011) and I JUST now hooked it up.

so many issues with it...


ANYWAYS, any GREAT KVM Rack mount or HEAVY DUTY CHEAP 4 port KVMs?

I doubt there is a cheap and good USB KVMP but I liked the idea of Audio and USB 2.0 HUB also.

I am open to suggestions in case my RMA turns out to be a POS.

The more flexible the cables the better. I like the single cable design that is very pliable.

[pc_load_letter]

Always been happy with stuff from avocent.

http://avocent.com/Products/Family/SwitchView/SwitchView_Secure_Desktop_KVM.aspx

[bigbearbear]

Any chance you can use software based solution like the Windows Remote Desktop or TeamViewer? I've always found KVMPs to be more hassle than they're worth.

[stilly]

DAMN that SC4 UAD is expensive!

BUT, I think I found them for a decent price.

I have to use a KVM because I have two physical computers and sometimes when I am building another or troubleshooting it I dock another one here alongside the other two and I do not have the room for two+ monitors, mice, kb etc. I like to switch between the two and they work. So far my favorite KVM was the 4 port made by IO gear. It rocked, except that it was not usb and I want usb for my gaming. I do not wanna deal with the slowness of the PS-2 ports anymore.

Since I plan to expand to about 3 computers in the next month I think it might be good to have two kvm switches. That way I can run the master and gaming system by themselves on one and the other switch can run the multimedia and whatever new system build I have or a laptop...

[pc_load_letter]

I want usb for my gaming. I do not wanna deal with the slowness of the PS-2 ports anymore.

Ha ha, I'm confused now. You want a KVM for rackmout systems but USB for your gaming? You run a gaming machine at your work or is this at your house?

If it's at work, I want to work there!!

PCLL

[NYT]

i used to recommend avocent before i tried a raritan. its a bit more expensive but make entry level models.

[NorCal Einstein]

Ha ha, I'm confused now. You want a KVM for rackmout systems but USB for your gaming? You run a gaming machine at your work or is this at your house?

If it's at work, I want to work there!!

PCLL

I run "gaming machines" at work

Intel i7 930 (Socket 1136) system with Dell U2311H in Eyefinity3 & Intel Xeon E3-1230 (Socket 1155) system on a 24" Dell monitor tied "together" using a software KVM program called Input Director. I also have a disgusting amount of solid state drives as well.

[stilly]

Ha ha, I'm confused now. You want a KVM for rackmout systems but USB for your gaming? You run a gaming machine at your work or is this at your house?

If it's at work, I want to work there!!

PCLL

Yeah I wish it were at work. Nono, This is all home. I expose my master system to too much crap to be a reliable gaming system and since it is on 24/7 it does not need to be burning out a $300 plus graphics card when a $50 card will do. But I do not want to keep switching cables over from the game to the master system and since the master system is almost always downloading it needs to run most of the time. Funny though, The game system can run torrent clients with NO problems, but the master will lock up and give me a bsod after about 3+ hours if I try to EXIT the program (utorrent) else it will just keep getting laggier and choppier. I expect that that will be fixed when I redo it, but that is not for some time. I got too many little things loaded up that I need and use.

[stilly]

I run "gaming machines" at work

Intel i7 930 (Socket 1136) system with Dell U2311H in Eyefinity3 & Intel Xeon E3-1230 (Socket 1155) system on a 24" Dell monitor tied "together" using a software KVM program called Input Director. I also have a disgusting amount of solid state drives as well.

yeahyeah, you can put it back in your pants now...

How does a SOFTWARE kvm program work if there is no hardware for it to drive?

I imagine that there is still an adapter of some sort?

I missed getting that avocent kvm and it looked good, but I ended up getting a 4 port switchman kvm from raritan for about $30. Hopefully it works out, but better yet, I hope my returned kvm from ATEN works in the first place since I spent $133 for it last march...

[NorCal Einstein]

stilly check out http://inputdirector.com/

Say I have 2 computers each on their own monitor, labeled A and B (left and right). In software KVM, I use the mouse and keyboard attached to computer A and will use that to input into computers A and B. Computer A is referred to as a "Master" and B is referred to as a "Slave". Both machines need to have Input Director installed on them, but each machine will run the software in a different mode (master vs slave).

With traditional KVM, you flip a switch/dial to change machines. With software KVM from Input Director, the switch is made depending on where your cursor is. Going back to my example of computers A & B - If I'm working on A (left side machine) and then move my cursor to the far right of the machine, Input Director interprets that as a signal to switch and then I'm controlling computer B with the keyboard and mouse from A. Now that I'm working on B, to switch back to A then I would move my cursor to the far left.

That's kinda the basics of it. Input Director lets you customize where and how you need to move your cursor to make the switch from one computer to the other so you don't unintentionally switch across machines.

The solution isn't for everyone, but I've been using software KVM for probably 3-4 years now (first started with a program called Synergy, and now Input Director) and it is invaluable in my workflow.

[pc_load_letter]

Yup yup! Input director at home. Has been a god-send!

[stilly]

Okay. I did. It looks REALLY cool, BUT. I am going to make the assumption that it would not be good for playing a full screen hi res game. I only say that because, Well, okay, you need ONE monitor for each computer, which is good, the game machine gets the fastest monitor. But games do not just allow you to Hmmm. No, that might work. I know that many times once something happens and messes with the screen in a game that is being rendered full screen, it can jack the graphics up. But a normal workstation might be good to go? I also saw no wallpaper showed which made me think of remote desktop/ VNC/RADmin but since each comp has its own monitor then that would not really apply and they prolly just had no wallpapers loaded up.

So then do you use this with a gaming machine too? When I bring my multimedia system back from the dead it might be a good thing to fire this up and see if it can work instead of running a kvm cable across the floor. I need to read a bit more but the concept looks interesting.