Cross-platform KVM switchbox recommendations
Art Taylor
I have been getting the "why do you have so many damned computers here?"
speech a bit too often lately, and the time has come to reduce space.
Since I'm not about to get rid of any of my boxes, I need to combine all
of them under a single monitor, keyboard, and mouse. I've elected to use
the SGI 20D11, SGI ps/2 keyboard, and SGI ps/2 mouse.
The thorny problem is that one of the machines is a PC running Windows 98.
It always runs at 1024x768, and I don't care about lower resolutions, so a
special video card should not be necessary, as long as I have a
VGA->SGI 13w3 cable.
Now, what I would like to do is tie the three machines at my desk (Indigo2
Impact, Indy 24-bit, and PC) together under one KVM switch. I've had
problems the last time I went shopping for a KVM switch, when running at
higher resolutions. 1024x768 seemed to be an upper limit. I only assume
things have changed on this front, but I've no idea about brands that are
better or worse than others.
What recommendation would you make on this front? My options are:
1) Tie all three together under an SGI 13w3+ps/2 specific KVM switch,
getting a special cable for the PC.
2) Tie all three together under a PC "standard" KVM switch, getting special
cables for SGI 13w3 -> VGA, and getting a VGA monitor that groks SGI's SoG.
3 to 2.71828e107) Something I haven't thought of yet.
Since this is for personal use, expected to last a few years, price and
long-term viability are primary concerns. That is, if I'd just end up
replacing my 20d11 in two years, it wouldn't make sense to pay the (assumed)
premium for a 13w3 switch, unless that premium is pretty small. However,
since the complainant above is a girlfriend, and not a wife yet, I don't
really have to answer to her yet for silly purchases.
If you've had good or bad luck with a particular switchbox or brand of
switchboxes, with a similar configuration, I'd really appreciate hearing
about them.
Thanks for bothering to read my long-winded question.
-a.
Martin Slaney
Art Taylor wrote:
Yeah, they just _do not_ understand, do they ?
> If you've had good or bad luck with a particular switchbox or brand of
> switchboxes, with a similar configuration, I'd really appreciate hearing
> about them.
If I were you, I'd keep a separate kb+mouse for each machine (and put up with a
bit of kb/mouse shuffling) and just get a HD-15 VGA switch-box + 2 x 13w3 -> HD-15
adapters and a modern 19" or so multi-sync monitor (they nearly all support
SOG).Oh - and use a HD-15 -> 5 x BNC to go between the box and the monitor - that
will make the setup less vulnerable to ghosting due to longer than usual video
cabling.
I have a similar setup here - works well. The advantages are :-
More than one computer can be on (and in use) at the same time.
You're much better equipped to deal with any new arrivals of computers of pretty
much any type, inc. newer SGI, MacIntosh, Sun etc.
If you get a 4-way HD-15 switch (most common) you have a spare switch position for
"guest" machines or whatever.
You'll still have access to "DOS" type screen modes etc.
Colin Anderson
others...
I have several multi-platform KVM setups of my own, as do some friends.
In my case, all use either a Sony/SGI GDM-20E21 or GDM-4011P monitor
which is multisync and has dual switchable inputs (13w3 and HD15), not
to mention granite skins and the cube logo. One such example is the
machine i'm on now. I have an Indigo2 and a PC on one monitor, keyboard,
and mouse. Both the SGI and PC have their gfx plugged directly into the
monitor (SGI using 13w3, PC HD15), but have the keyboard and mouse
running through a $10 mechanical KVM switch. When I want to switch to
the other machine, I use the monitor's onscreen display to switch over
the gfx and the KVM switch for the keyboard and mouse. I could easily
change things around and run video through the KVM switch in the future
should I get more machines at this desk. Though you would probably want
a better KVM switch if you're going to pipe video through it. My KVM
swith has a rats nest of 22 guage of unshielded wire inside and isn't
usable above 1024x768.
One of my buddies has a similar setup with a Mac clone in the mix.
Happens to be an old Motorola StarMax clone which uses HD15 for video
and PS/2 for keyboard and mouse. Works great, but getting long in the
tooth.
- Colin
Eric M Haas
KVM switchbo.. by Art Tay...@hemisphere.or
I had this same issue come up just a couple of months ago, but it was
more from lack of space to put the monitors, and irritation about
getting keyboards confused than external complaints. All the kvm
switches I've seen that have a 13W3 connector have a pretty hefty
premium probably due to number sold. If you want a switch that you can
connect anything to, you can look at rairitan, rose, or cybex, but all
of those are going to be really expensive. Since you say it is for home
use, you're probably looking for something a little cheaper. I bought
the belkin omniview SE 4 port switch with 3 sets of cables for about
US$150 from www.onsale.com Several people have reported problems with
the omnicubes IIRC, but not as much with the others. My omniview works
fine, except twice it has stopped taking keyboard input for the indigo2.
I believe that this is actually a problem with the indigo2, as it
happened a few times before I had the switch and I thought it was the
keyboard, but I'm now using a different keyboard with the switch. If I
reset the keyboard it will work fine and it has only happened twice.
FWIW, I'm using mine with an SGI 4011P monitor and a random PS/2
keyboard and logitech mouseman2. You can buy the 13W3 to HD15 adaptors
pretty much anywhere that sells cables. The one I have is made by APC.
-Eric
Al Smith
>
> Several people have reported problems with
> the omnicubes IIRC, but not as much with the others. My omniview works
> fine, except twice it has stopped taking keyboard input for the indigo2.
> I believe that this is actually a problem with the indigo2, as it
> happened a few times before I had the switch and I thought it was the
> keyboard, but I'm now using a different keyboard with the switch. If I
> reset the keyboard it will work fine and it has only happened twice.
I'm using a Dakota Scout kvm switch to cope with an O2 and two PCs;
there seems to be a similar problem in that when taking input through
the switch, the O2 seems far too eager to believe that keys have been
stuck down. The only way to correct it is to swap to another display,
swap back and then press keys until the O2 notices that the one which
was previously stuck has been released. When the modifier keys, shift,
ctrl etc, are stuck then it can be rather tricky to escape from. The
keyboard repeat delay is also very slow; ~2cps rather than the norm of
10cps.
Does anyone have any suggestions? The other PCs (1 W2K and 1 linux)
are fine w.r.t phantom stuck keys and also the repeat rate.
FWIW, it's a standard SGI keyboard.
Al.