[crystalthunder]

I want to share a monitor, Apple Pro Keyboard, and intellimouse Explorer between my Power Mac G4 and my PC. I've been looking into this for a little while, but I am still unclear if this will work. Which KVM switch will do what I want?

PS: The PC is for compatibility testing, I swear.

[ 01-13-2002: Message edited by: crystalthunder ]

[lgerbarg]

Originally posted by crystalthunder:
<STRONG>I want to share a monitor, Apple Pro Keyboard, and intellimouse Explorer between my Power Mac G4 and my PC. I've been looking into this for a little while, but I am still unclear if this will work. Which KVM switch will do what I want?

PS: The PC is for compatibility testing, I swear.

[ 01-13-2002: Message edited by: crystalthunder ]</STRONG>

I use an ATen 4 way KVM. IO-Gear sells an identical model (they actually OEM ATen's). It works reasonably well. It works as though you are hotswapping the USB devices every time you switch (higher end boxes will emulate attached devices, which is a godsend for Macsbug, but otherwise just leads to compatibility issues).

Louis

[crystalthunder]

What model is that?

[Maneki Neko]

I'm using the IOGear GCS104U to do exactly what you want to do. So far, it's worked great. I snagged mine off buy.com, which has them for $109.25, rather than $199 from iogear directly. It comes with 4 sets of cables, and I've had no image or control problems.

Buy.com link here

[Jansar]

Is that the device that connects to both of the computers using USB?

[agentz]

Personally, I'd go for a Belkin product, such as the Omiview USB KVM Switch. We use Belkin products on the desktop in our workshop and in our server installations and they work flawlessly (for our needs anyway).

The Omniview USB KVM is a four device switch, with five VGA connections on the rear, with four USB B sockets (the small device-end type connectors) and a power connector. The front of the unit has a built-in 4 port USB hub, a pair of PS/2 connectors (which you won't need) and the input select switch. You would (obviously) need the relevant cable kits to connect the PC and the Mac to the KVM switch, which you buy directly from Belkin as a unit, or you can cobble together your own cables from common or garden things lying about. You'd then connect your Apple Pro Keyboard and Intellimouse Explorer to two of the front USB ports.

Hey presto

The only slight drawback is that you can't use the built in OSD and hotkey support without resorting to using a PS/2 keyboard, but as I guess you'll be sat close to the two machines and the KVM switch this shouldn't be an inconvenience to you.

[Maneki Neko]

Originally posted by agentz:
<STRONG>Personally, I'd go for a Belkin product, such as the Omiview USB KVM Switch. We use Belkin products on the desktop in our workshop and in our server installations and they work flawlessly (for our needs anyway).</STRONG>

I looked at this when shopping for a KVM, and my only real complaint was the price. It also doesn't come with any cables. That shot the price up to the point where picking anything but the iogear switch wouldn't have made much financial sense.