IOGear USB Laptop KVM with File Transfer GCS661U
From IOGEAR
IOGear GCS661U the USB laptop KVM switch is the latest innovation from IOGEAR, combining easy switching and convenient file transferring between two computers. It allows the user to seamlessly control a second computer with a laptop as the console. The KVM features a toolbar with multiple functions such as file transfer, desktop image scaling and others. With its desktop image scaling, user can adjust the resolution of the remote screen for best possible viewing, simply with the click of a button. The built-in file transfer utility software lets the user drag & drop any files or create backup copies between both computers, or from external USB storage devices. The extra USB port provides a means to connect a USB peripheral device, such as an external hard drive to the laptop. The GCS661U offers a complete easy to install out-of-box, Plug & Play solution and with no additional cables needed. It is ideal for people who own a laptop and an older desktop PC and wish to keep using both for various functions or applications.
- Brand: Iogear
- Model: GCS661U
- Platform: Windows
- Format: CD
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: .50" h x 3.56" w x 1.25" l, 1.00 pounds
rblaw
The product works pretty well, but it is not quite the whiz described by David Pogue. Setup was easy. The software is in the product. I use it to display the laptop on the large desktop monitor, but the laptop does not display full screen on the monitor. Since I do my email on the laptop, I can also do it on the desktop, but there is a tiny image delay that makes typing email using the desktop monitor and keyboard a bit awkward. I can cut and paste from the laptop (remote) to the desktop (local), but not from desktop to the laptop. There is a USB port in the device that allows a printer connection, but that just provides another USB port for the desktop because it can't be used to print from the laptop. The connection between the computers stops from time to time, but can be reestablished easily.
The file sharing feature works easily in both directions although it uses a file manager that is a bit clunky.
Great for its intended purpose, hard to stretch much further
This cable is essentially a way to link two computers in order to do file transfer. Its intent is to allow you to boot up old desktop pc's which you've long ago ditched the monitor and keyboard, and retrieve the files using your laptop's keyboard, monitor and mouse. For that purpose, it works well.
As a KVM alternative, it's not exactly stellar. As you may read on reviews at other sites, there is a bit of lag. Over USB2, you can't view video or things with fast refresh rate, but you can essentially use the other computer as you would expect. One disappointing thing was, that while the packaging says that it "automatically adjusts for resolution," I didn't care for this feature. I would have expected, that as possible on other VNC software solutions, when you resize the window, the remote desktop resizes so you can see the entire desktop at one time. With the VNC software that comes built into this KVM switch, when the remote desktop is larger than your laptop screen realestate, the software gives you scroll bars for vertical and horizontal. This makes navigating another computer a little cumbersome and can make certain applications nearly unusable.
Lastly, over a USB1 connection, this product isn't even worth trying. The lag was over a minute. If you opened an application, it would be a minute before you'd get the feedback that it had started. I had a monitor running on the remote desktop so I was able to track the lag, which was significant. If typing on one screen, it would take a minute for the text to appear. DO NOT RECOMMEND it for USB1 connection.
IOGear KVM does what it says
Ok! It works like it is supposed to! I am a 'computer guy' and use it almost daily for one-shots when changing out computers and the user has not managed to save all their data to the server (like Favorites, Desktop, etc). Just not having to have a second monitor or be swapping the monitor cable back and forth is worth the price of admission.
