IOGear 4-Port DVI KVMP Switch with Audio and Cables GCS1764
From IOGEAR
The IOGEAR DVI KVMP Switch GCS1764 charts a revolutionary new direction in KVM switch functionality by providing an interface for todays digital monitors while integrating a 4-port USB KVM switch with USB peripheral sharing capabilities. As a KVM switch, the unit allows the user to access four computers from a single USB keyboard, USB mouse, and monitor, and also share among the computers peripherals such as external hard drives, printers and scanners. The GCS1764s independent (asynchronous) switching feature allows the KVM focus to be on one computer while the USB peripheral focus is on another. The user can switch from one computer to another without interrupting print jobs, downloads or other functions being handled by connected peripherlas. This eliminates the need to purchase a separate USB hub as well as the need to purchase separate stand-alone peripheral sharers - such as printer servers, modem splitters, etc. The GCS1764 further improves on previous designs with DVI (Digital Video Interface) connectors, and the transfer of keyboard and mouse data to the computers via a fast, reliable USB connection. DVI supports both digital input (flat panel displays, data projectors, plasma displays, digital TVs and set-top boxes) and analog video input (traditional monitors and TVs).
- Brand: Iogear
- Model: GCS1764
- Platform: Windows
- Format: CD
- Original language: English
- Dimensions: 9.00" h x 5.00" w x 14.00" l, 6.60 pounds
- CPU: AMD Athlon 1 GHz
- Memory: 128000MB DRAM
- Hard Disk: 1GB
- Processors: 1
- Native resolution: 640x480
- Display size: 669.2913385827
Excellent product, but you may run into this easily-solved problem...
I have a Dell Dimension 4550, a QuickSilver 2002 PowerMac G4 and a PowerMac G5 Quad I needed to share a 23" 1920x1200 LCD DVI display. After reading the reviews here, I gave it a go, and I like the product a lot. I like that it comes with all the cables you need, whereas some of the more expensive units don't. I had to dig to find that out, and that it adds about $100 to their cost to buy four cable sets separately.
There was one major problem: when the Dell Dimension 4550 was turned on, the keyboard would lag badly or sometimes spit out 20 copies of the last character, regardless of which computer I was using. And when using the Dell, the optical wheel mouse would go dead every minute or two, requiring an unplug & replug (or switching to a Mac, then back to the Dell).
IOGear tech support was very helpful, and it turns out there's an issue with motherboards using nForce4 chipsets and their USB implementation. After a few back-and-forth emails with quick turnaround, IOGear support pointed me to a discussion in an nVidia forum. A lot of people were having the exact same symptoms as I. One quick answer is to buy an inexpensive Micro Innovations USB210P hub and put it between the Dell and the KVM. Amazon sells the hub as of this writing. I originally had links to the support forum and to the hub on Amazon, but review guidelines do not allow URLs. Sorry!
Everyone in the forum who has tried this hub reports success, and it doesn't even need to be powered. Mine will be here in two days. In the meantime I tried two other hubs and a USB card, and they didn't help, which also mirrored other people's experiences. Only a few products are known to fix the problem, and the Micro Innovations USB210P was the easiest to find. The iRocks IR-4300 hub also works.
Finally a product that works as advertised (and better)
I honestly think that this would have to be one of the easiest setups I have ever been through for a KVM switch.
And what a pleasant surprise to find that its able to deal with above spec resolutions with no video artifacts.
My setup includes:
Port1: DELL 4600C w/ GeForce4 @ 1600 x 1200
Port2: Mac mini w/ ATI controller @ 1920 x 1200
Port3: Mac Powerbook G4 w/ Radeon 9700 @ 1920 x 1200
Port4: Not used *yet*
Display: Apple Cinema Display 23" native resolution 1920 x 1200
Given the KVM is only rated for 1600 x 1200 dpi, the fact that the Macs can drive the display at higher resolution is simply a bonus. And I'd have to add that the higher resolution comes at no cost to quality or clarity.
If only every product could be unpackaged, plugged in, and simply work.
Sharing a Windows keyboard with the Macs also works rather well ... but that has more to do with OS X than the IOGEAR KVM.
Save yourself the trouble
My Setup:
4 x Dell 4700's/Radeon x300
2 x Dell 5150's/Radeon x300
2 of 4 Dell 4700's would work fine, the monitor would never come back after switching. So I bought 2 new Dell 5150's thinking they would work. Plugged them in and after switching back and forth the Dell 19" Ultrasharp 1905 would not restore. I tried a different monitor with the same results.
Contacted their support 3 times and they were miffed and had no answers.
Needless to say I bought an AVOCENT SWITCHVIEW 4-PORT DVI USB KVM SWITCH USB 2.0 HUB W/AUDIO
Worked flawless.
