Finding special KVM

[Oserus99]

I am curious as to find if they make a KVM switch for either 2 keyboard/mouse, 2 monitors and 2 computers, or, better yet, 2 keyboard/mouse, 2 monitors and 3 computers?

Basically I'd like to switch on the fly which monitor is showing which system.

 

[captainfepa]

Here is one concern about using KVM switches in odd combinations with monitors. I wanted to switch one keyboard/mouse and two monitors between two computers, such that MainMonitor was always on MainComputer but AuxMonitor could switch between second video of MainComputer or (the only) video of AuxComputer, with keyboard/mouse switching independently when desired (thus requiring 2 KVM switches, and use of their panel buttons). This would allow using second monitor to view logs etc on AuxComp not needing keybd interaction, or serve as dual display for MainComp. I was careful to get powered KVM switches that did not require keybd power. Even so, and despite vendor assurances, each KVM switch did need a keyboard! I could not bypass this by any shorting plug, as they actually do handshaking. For the monitor KVM I had to rip out the circuit card from a trashed keybd and hide it under the desk! Worse, some KVM/keybd combinations will actually require the whole keyboard, as they will not handshake till they complete key scanning. This is not an answer to your question, but it is something to keep in mind. My arrangement does work well now, but it would be nice to have KVMs with accessible logic so I could set it thus: keybd to AuxComp implies AuxMonitor to AuxComp; keybd to MainComp permits manual selection of AuxMonitor source.

 

[jihiggs]

my omniview doesnt require a keyboard. i just have it for switching back and forth between monitors.

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[etp777]

Done much searching for the subject? Lots of choices out there in Multi user KVMs. I know Aten, off top of my head, has 2 console-8 computer and 4 console-8 computer switches, both of which daisy chain up to 64 computers. There are several other similar setups out there. Or if you already ahve a regular KVM, Belkin has a reverse KVM that lets you hook up two sets of keyboard/mouse/monitors to the input on one KVM.

 

[captainfepa]

Clearly, not all KVM switches exhibit this quirk, and it would be handy to have a list of inexpensive ones that could, in fact, function simply as an electronic monitor switch. However, I am indebted to Adam Chapweske for his caution to me about this typical functioning of KVM switches, and pass this on as a precaution for experimenters, lest they become as surprised as I was. Mr. Chapweske is an expert on keyboard interfacing, and provides interesting information at his site; for example: http://panda.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu/~achapwes/PICmicro/PS2/ps2.htm