[geeks] KVM revisited

[Charles Shannon Hendrix]

On Tue, 2 Oct 2007 22:54:44 -0700
"N. Miller" <velociraptor at gmail.com> wrote:


> I can't speak to the nVidia USB issue.  I've used mine with a Mac  
> Quicksilver, a Powerbook 15", a Fujitsu tablet, an HP 8000 laptop  
> (iirc, that was a work box a couple of jobs back), and a self-built  
> box using a Gigabyte mobo with VIA USB.

VGA or DVI?

> As to nVidia chipsets, my husband's x86 box which isn't being used at  
> the moment is one of those nVidia chipset mobo's, and frankly it was  
> a bit of a pain the last time we rebuilt it, so I can see where it  
> might be a culprit.

I have never had any problems with the nVidia chipsets after n3 came out, but
it does seem to catch a lot of people.

The thing is, it could very well be because nVidia actually follows the spec.

It's kind of a catch-22: do you follow the spec and fail to work with devices
that don't, or do you follow, as best as possible, what most devices seem to
do and fail with devices that meet the spec?

Here is something interesting: it appears that the USB problem only affects
nVidia machines if they are running Windows.  People running Linux on nf4
chipset systems report the IOGear KVM works fine.

It might even be a Windows driver issue at the root of it.

Anyway, certain hubs between host and KVM seem to fix the problem for a lot
of people, so I might take the chance and get one.  The most popular "fix
hub" is available at Wal-Mart for $13.

> > Does that mean you cannot switch resolutions?  What if you boot  
> > Windows
> > at 1600x1200, and then play a game at 1280x960?  Will the KVM not work
> > then?  That seems a really serious limitation.
> 
> I don't think this is accurate.  
> I have changed resolutions on both  
> my Macs and x86 boxes with no issues using this IOGear KVM and have  
> no issues.  Other than occasionally losing the keyboard input as I  
> mentioned originally (well, and the twitch necessary to switch the  
> "switching" key :-), I've had no other problems with it.  Perhaps  
> that's FUD?

No, it's very real.  It's basically a combination of legal stupidity and Aten
trying to be too clever.

Most people seem to report that once you boot you just change resolution and
it works fine then.  Annoying, but workable.

I might take the chance and get one, because otherwise everyone says the
IOGear KVMs are the best out there for the money.




-- 
shannon           | All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers turn to look 
                  | at the stars.
                  |         -- Rush