Re: Switch

"Mike Easter" <[email protected]> wrote in message 
news:[email protected]...
> dwåcôn wrote:
>> Looking for a device that will allow me to a single monitor, keyboard
>> and mouse (and speakers) with two PCs and switch back and forth.  Any
>> recommendations?
>
> My local Fry's has a 2 box KVM [keyboard, video, mouse] switch on sale
> this past weekend until tomorrow that I was thinking about buying.
>
> The speaker situation isn't in it.
>
> Oh, here's one with audio
> http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=507&sku=29561  PORT
> AUTHORITY2 2-PORT VGA AND PS/2 MICRO KVM WITH AUDIO
>
> When you're shopping, don't forget the cables.  Sometimes they're just
> advertising the switch.

There are a few online traders I provide IT support for that have a setup 
like this, except each computer has its own monitors and speakers, and the 
mouse and keyboard are switched between the computers. The KVM switch they 
use does have the capability of switching the monitor and speaker 
connections, they're just not using it that way because they've got 
multiple monitors on each computer, and want to hear the audio from each 
computer all the time.

You switch between the two computers by pressing Scroll Lock twice in 
rapid succession. Works very well, no problems with the computers that 
aren't connected to the keyboard and mouse at the time, even when booting.

They'd tried a manual switch in the past (where you had to press a button 
on the KVM switch), but it was cumbersome, and sometimes didn't switch 
over... the new one switches every time, and they don't have to reach very 
far to hit the Scroll Lock key, so it's much more convenient.

They got the switch at Best Buy, made by IOGear. IOGear makes 2, 4 and 8 
computer models.