Why to USB KVM switches suck?

My dad had to bring home a work computer, well the problem is we've got nowhere to put another computer, so this leaves us with quite a problem.

Just buy a KVM right? Well he has a nice USB keyboard and a nice USB mouse. Well the USB KVMs are very expensive, and on top of that I have not yet found one that will let you use the extra functions of your keyboard and mouse -- IE extra buttons, media buttons, etc.

Why do USB KVMs suck? Anybody know of one that will work with multimedia keyboards and Logitech MX700 mice?

I didnt know they are that bad. I am about to get one, luckily not for the reason that you need one... I just want one for the monitor aspect for it. Soon I will get the desk I am building done and have both my Linux and Windows machine on the same desk, plus two monitors and have the ability to go from two seperate monitors, then turn the switch on or whatever and have a dual monitor display. Sucks they dont work though. I would suspect with some research you could find one that works somewhat decent. Me, I am just going to get the cheapest one I can find.
Cameron

I tried Belkins PS2 KVM. Completely worthless for Linux machines. You'll find quite a bit about frozen mice on the internet, as well as how to "fix" the problem by modifying your X Windows configuration file (something that could really hose up your linux box if you're careless). I got it to work with RedHat, but SuSe never worked right. After switching to the USB version (and another brand), I've had no trouble using Win2000 Pro, Win2000 Server, Suse 9.0, and RH 8.0 on this KVM. However, I don't use the extra mouse buttons, so I'm not sure if this will be a limitation for you.

Why can't I type? It should be why do not why to. Anyway...

Ended up with a Belkin PS2 model (Screw my Mac server since it can be adminn-ed 95% remotely) but it has a problem.

Machine "A" is Win 2000. Machine "B" is Win98.

The Win98 machine plays nice, but the Win2000 machine won't work with the hot-key switching! Takes stronghold on the KVM and won't switch until you turn the machine off or unplug the keyboard.

Looks like it's time to order a KVM with a button to switch between computers!

I swear this thread is a poor representation of my capabilities to use the english language.

That said,

New KVM has been ordered. 4 port with options to use hot key or a hardware button. Also ordered a PS/2 Mouse-Keyboard to USB cable, so cross your fingers and hope that works with the Mac.

Saaby. . . you might want to check on some apple user forums. Since System 10 is basically Unix powered, there is probably an X Windows type configuration file. Changing the mouse type from "autodetect" to "USB" worked on my Linux Machine, but like I said previously, I didn't try any "extra" buttons or functions. . . though the Mac usually has only one button on the mouse. Or you may choose to NOT try risking a complete meltdown of your computer or operating system. But I'm curious to know if you can "tweak" the Mac like you can with Linux. Let us know how you make out.

If you can get by without the Mac in the mix, and the two Windows machines are networked, then you could always use something like RealVNC...????

Here at work, we've found that you have to get the more expensive model KVM's to properly emulate the mouse and keyboard. The cheap ones will lose mouse function and act up all the time.

The Mac is currently controlled by SSH and Apple Remote Desktop, which is actually based on VNC -- but with lots of nice extra features, so if we can't get the Mac 'in the mix' it will be ok.

RealVNC sucks! If you're on Win2000 or WinXP you have to get Ultravnc. Install the 'hooking video driver' that comes with it and your VNC sessions will be about 10 times faster.

I actually set up one of my teachers at school with a wireless overhead system. She wanders the room with a TabletPC set up as a VNC server. A laptop running the VNC viewer is hooked to a projector which projects everything on her screen. Since it's a tablet she juts writes on the screen like it was an overhead projector and it's projected onto the screen at the front of the room, but it's 100% wireless so she can wander around. Pretty cool until the power flashes on and off

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If you can get by without the Mac in the mix, and the two Windows machines are networked, then you could always use something like RealVNC...????

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I know Saaby is already familiar with it, but for the rest you don't need to remove the Mac from the mix to use VNC. There are 3 different screen sharing programs that are available on the Mac at the moment. Timbuktu which is crossplatform and has been around since like the 80's /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif ARD (Apple Remote Desktop) which is what saaby is talking about and finally there are 3 or 4 totally separate ports of VNC both server and client and there have been for years and years. Some of them even work quite nicely. I've used all three of those solutions. TB2 was the fastest, ARD is the most expensive, and VNC was the cheapest /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif It worked pretty good, not totally polished, but I used to control the NT server at work from my Mac laptop all the time. VNC works very well cross platform. For a while I had both VNC and ARD installed on some machines because depending on where I was connecting to it was sometimes easier to connect through the firewall via VNC.

The latest version of ARD actually uses VNC, so it's 100% cross platform. I can control my PCs from inside ARD and use my PCs to control my ARD-equipped Mac.

The new KVM is working GREAT with the PCs but I get no video or cursor movement on the Mac. The Mac recognizes the USB cable as a PS/2 convertor.