KVM solution

[W124E280]

Can anyone personally recommend a high quality KVM solution, please?

Just had my fingers burned buying some tat off eBay (interestingly when I raised a return they asked me to close it and they would deal with the issue outside of eBay - It seems once a return request has been closed by the buyer it cannot be re-opened).

I don't need anything fancy, I just need a good quality solution (no screen flickering or dodgy buttons) which allows me to flip back and forth between my laptop and desktop.

Display is VGA (no HDMI) and I have a hard wired keyboard and mouse.

Ideally I'd like to be able to attach a local printer so that I can print from either, too. (I'm assuming I just need a multiple port USB hub to plug into the KVM switch and both systems will be able to use all devices).

Many thanks in advance

Edited by W124E280 on Saturday 6th June 11:42

[speedyman]

Had a Belkin one years ago and it worked fine. https://www.belkin.com/uk/products/business/c/cybe...

[TC2020]

Thank you.

[rex]

Have you tried mouse without borders. Worked well when I was using 2 computers and 5 screens.

[Mr Pointy]

Adder make good quality KVMs but probably beyond what you want to pay. Aten or Lindy are another good choice.

https://www.adder.com/en/kvm-solutions/switch
https://www.kvmswitchdirect.co.uk/acatalog/KVM_Swi...
https://www.lindy.co.uk/kvm-c6

[dhutch]

rex said:

Have you tried mouse without borders. Worked well when I was using 2 computers and 5 screens.

How does that work?

[xeny]

dhutch said:

How does that work?

software you install on each one of a group of PCs (has to be windows AFAIK)

Lets you hook one keyboard and mouse up to one of the PCs, and move the mouse (and keyboard input) across the screens hooked up to the various PCs (hence without borders).

you can copy and paste text, and drag and drop files between PCs.

Generally I prefer as many screens as I can physically connect to one PC, and then remote desktop into any other I need to work on, but depends how you work.

[Mr Pointy]

But MWB doesn't switch video does it? You'd need a screen attached to each PC & it just handles keyboard & mouse switching.

[xeny]

Mr Pointy said:

But MWB doesn't switch video does it? You'd need a screen attached to each PC & it just handles keyboard & mouse switching.

Correct. KVM, MWB (or synergy) and Remote Desktop all have different best fit use cases.

[TC2020]

Thanks, folks, for all the responses.

In the end I bought a second hand Belkin KVM switch of eBay (cost me £10) and it works perfectly.

[Dave.]

Bit late now, but wouldn't VNC Viewer on one & VNC Server on the other have worked for you?

Exactly what I'm doing as work won't let me install itunes on their laptop....

[TC2020]

Dave. said:

Bit late now, but wouldn't VNC Viewer on one & VNC Server on the other have worked for you?

Exactly what I'm doing as work won't let me install itunes on their laptop....

Not sure, TBH. My work laptop is quite heavily locked down.

[droopsnoot]

Dave. said:

Bit late now, but wouldn't VNC Viewer on one & VNC Server on the other have worked for you?

The advantage of a hardware KVM comes when you might need to boot into the BIOS config, or do other pre-OS stuff.

I use a Belkin KVM here, bought it in the sale when Dixons were closing "just in case". Normally my windows PC can connect in as a client to the other one, but if it can't connect, then the KVM is easier than connecting a screen up.

I always liked the idea of the IP KVMs for our server room, but at the time they were too expensive just to save me walking downstairs.

[Dave.]

TC2020 said:

Not sure, TBH. My work laptop is quite heavily locked down.

So is mine, but there's a "portable" version.