Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

KVM power

33 views
Skip to first unread message

vjp...@at.biostrategist.dot.dot.com

unread,
Jun 11, 2021, 10:13:07 PM6/11/21
to
I've never seen KVM switches needing power before and this one (I bought
several) has no power supply included. But their is a socket for a power
adaptor. Zonet KVM3304. So before I swithc everything over and find out it
doesn't work, I was hoping someone would tell me if I really need power and
what happens when I don't have it. ie, maybe I should shut down a few of the
machines. THis thing is 4-way. What's a KVM - Keyboard Video Monito switch
that lets you use multiple computers with one console.


--
Vasos Panagiotopoulos, Columbia'81+, Reagan, Mozart, Pindus
blog: panix.com/~vjp2/ruminatn.htm - = - web: panix.com/~vjp2/vasos.htm
facebook.com/vasjpan2 - linkedin.com/in/vasjpan02 - biostrategist.com
---{Nothing herein constitutes advice. Everything fully disclaimed.}---




legg

unread,
Jun 11, 2021, 11:36:12 PM6/11/21
to
On Sat, 12 Jun 2021 02:13:03 +0000 (UTC),
vjp...@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

> I've never seen KVM switches needing power before and this one (I bought
>several) has no power supply included. But their is a socket for a power
>adaptor. Zonet KVM3304. So before I swithc everything over and find out it
>doesn't work, I was hoping someone would tell me if I really need power and
>what happens when I don't have it. ie, maybe I should shut down a few of the
>machines. THis thing is 4-way. What's a KVM - Keyboard Video Monito switch
>that lets you use multiple computers with one console.

No experience with that model, but static switches conventionally
require little power. If it's a higher quality video monitor, it
might need buffers that have a slightly higher power requirement.

Any reviews I've read indicate that this model gets sufficient
power from PS2 ports. If you're only using the video ports, or
using a usb-ps2 adapter, it might not be so straight forward.

RL

vjp...@at.biostrategist.dot.dot.com

unread,
Jun 11, 2021, 11:44:50 PM6/11/21
to
Thanks

In <18a8cg5juhqp0j6bf...@4ax.com> by legg <le...@nospam.magma.ca> on Fri, 11 Jun 2021 23:37:49 we perused:
*+-On Sat, 12 Jun 2021 02:13:03 +0000 (UTC),
*+-vjp...@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

*+-> I've never seen KVM switches needing power before and this one (I bought
*+->several) has no power supply included. But their is a socket for a power
*+->adaptor. Zonet KVM3304. So before I swithc everything over and find out it
*+->doesn't work, I was hoping someone would tell me if I really need power and
*+->what happens when I don't have it. ie, maybe I should shut down a few of the
*+->machines. THis thing is 4-way. What's a KVM - Keyboard Video Monito switch
*+->that lets you use multiple computers with one console.

*+-No experience with that model, but static switches conventionally
*+-require little power. If it's a higher quality video monitor, it
*+-might need buffers that have a slightly higher power requirement.

*+-Any reviews I've read indicate that this model gets sufficient
*+-power from PS2 ports. If you're only using the video ports, or
*+-using a usb-ps2 adapter, it might not be so straight forward.

*+-RL

Jeff Liebermann

unread,
Jun 15, 2021, 5:43:36 PM6/15/21
to
On Sat, 12 Jun 2021 02:13:03 +0000 (UTC),
vjp...@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

> I've never seen KVM switches needing power before and this one (I bought
>several) has no power supply included. But their is a socket for a power
>adaptor. Zonet KVM3304.

This one?
<https://www.amazon.com/Zonet-4-Port-KVM-Switch-cables/dp/B000KUWXCS>
"Each unit comes with a set of 4 PS/2 cables, each cable is 3 feet
long. No power supply is needed.... each switch draws its power
directly through the cables that attach to the desktop."

The KVM3304 gets its power from the computer USB port. If you don't
have at least one USB cable plugged into a computah USB port, it won't
power on. I stupidly bought one of these on eBay without the cables.
Big mistake. The designers of this abomination decided to save on the
cost of the USB connectors and instead ran the USB data and power
through each of the 4 video cable. Without these special cables, it
won't work.
<https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PLYAAOSw4f9f9g8k/s-l1600.jpg>
<https://www.rackmountsolutions.net/ce-10-combo-3-n-1-kvm-cable-10-ft/>

>So before I swithc everything over and find out it
>doesn't work, I was hoping someone would tell me if I really need power and
>what happens when I don't have it. ie, maybe I should shut down a few of the
>machines. THis thing is 4-way. What's a KVM - Keyboard Video Monito switch
>that lets you use multiple computers with one console.

Did you get the cables with the KVM3304?

According to several web pages and listings the power supply is 9VDC
500ma. However, if you have the correct cables, you shouldn't need an
external power supply.


--
Jeff Liebermann je...@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

legg

unread,
Jun 16, 2021, 9:18:08 AM6/16/21
to
On Tue, 15 Jun 2021 14:43:27 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <je...@cruzio.com>
wrote:
There's no USB on KVM3304 model. Power is drawn from PS-2.

RL

Jeff Liebermann

unread,
Jun 17, 2021, 12:44:04 AM6/17/21
to
Oops. I managed to mangle the PS/2 connectors into USB. Sorry.
However, my comments about not having the cable still apply. Plugging
in an ordinary male to male HD-15 cable isn't going to work. It needs
the "$pecial" cable, with the PS/2 connectors to deliver power to the
switch.
<https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PLYAAOSw4f9f9g8k/s-l1600.jpg>
0 new messages