Mutant USB K(V)M Switches?

Zwack asks: "I was wondering about a KVM switch capable of handling both Macintosh and Linux like computers. I would prefer the V part to be optional as I use multiple screens, but I prefer to use a single keyboard and mouse. Ideally there would be an open design out there that I could adapt to my needs. I've worked with large commercial products before with mixed results, but the prices seem exorbitant for my limited home use. I've searched google without any real success. Does anyone know of any low cost products or open designs that they would recommend. Initially PC/Mac support is all that is required, longer term I may want to add Unix workstations into the mix (I used to own Sun and SGI boxes, and I work with a lot of HP and IBM equipment)." The "mutant" part comes from the fact that the switch itself has to offer an easy way to adapt to the different platforms it will connect to. Such a switch might use special cables: a custom connector to the switch, but the opposite end will connect to whatever machine you like, be it a PC, a Mac, a workstation or even a TV. Something like this would strike me as a very useful portable device, has anyone developed something like this yet?

Comments

a lot of hard work, for what?

[tps12]

Ideally there would be an open design out there that I could adapt to my needs.

What needs? If it switches the KVM, what else do you need? I guess given a choice, open beats closed. But I don't see the utility here.

I've worked with large commercial products before with mixed results, but the prices seem exorbitant for my limited home use.

"Limited home" users shouldn't buy KVMs. What I mean is that rack-mounted servers are also "exorbitant for...limited home use." They're not targetted at home users. If you want to use them, you pay the price.

The "mutant" part comes from the fact that the switch itself has to offer an easy way to adapt to the different platforms it will connect to. Such a switch might use special cables: a custom connector to the switch, but the opposite end will connect to whatever machine you like, be it a PC, a Mac, a workstation or even a TV. Something like this would strike me as a very useful portable device, has anyone developed something like this yet?

Why has no one developed an adapter that will let you put any engine into any car? This is a ton of work, and it's not the kind of adaptation that can be performed without sticking a real CPU in there with every different kind of interface. It's a lot trickier than just shifting wires around. The end result would be an expensive device that no one would pay for: someone would want it for the SGIPC translation but not want to pay for the HP, Mac, etc. translations in the process! This is best accomplished, IMO, by finding converters to whatever format you can (serial, e.g.) and then getting a switch in that protocol.

x2vnc and win2vnc

[waxed]

Check out x2vnc and win2vnc. One keyboard and mouse, seamlessly controlling multiple computers on a desk (each with their own monitor) as though they were one big desktop space.

http://www.hubbe.net/~hubbe/x2vnc.html
http://w ww.hubbe.net/~hubbe/win2vnc.html

My KVM Solution

[AnamanFan]

I was in a very similar situation myself! I have a MAC tower, a Dell portable, and a HUGE Dell screen. I was appalled by the over-priced boxes out there, but here is my cheep-but-effective solution:

My keyboard and mouse I use is PS/2. (I do have MAC issue keyboard and mouse, but you'll see why I use PS/2.) from there, it travels to my $50 (w/o cables) Linksys PS2KVM2 switch with my screen connected. To my Dell PC, I connect the switch up using some double male patch cords. For the MAC, I got a USB to PS/2 adapter for $15 at a computer show.

It works like a charm! For the Linksys switch, I just have to hit Ctrl twice and I switch computers. It really confuses some of my friends when one minute they are looking at OS X and the next Windows XP. I do have a few notes:

If a switch does not plug into the wall for power, it will draw power from keyboard and mouse inputs. In other words, you can expect things to work unless one powered keyboard and mouse are connected to the switch. If you removed video from the switch, it will still operate as long as the keyboard and mouse are plugged in.

The other note I have is that even though I can still use all the keyboard functions on the MAC. The Windows key functions like the Apple key. The only thing I can't seem to do is do boot-level functions. (Example: If I hold down C at booting, it will not boot to the CD drive.) That's why you should keep your old mac keyboard and mouse around.

I know this isn't a pure USB solution, but it may be cheeper than finding a box that uses USB natively. Hope this helped someone!

use a normal kvm and a usb to ps2 adaptor

[silveyra]

I had the exact same problem, two linux machines, a windows machine, and a mac. I had a normal kvm, and all I did was get an adaptor that converts a mouse and a keyboard ps2 inputs to a single usb connector. I then hook the kvm ps2 ports to it, and I hook the adaptor to the mac.
Works great.
Adaptor was about $20 at Fry's.

Belkin OmniView SOHO KVM-(google is your friend)

[digitalmuse]

If you don't already have at least a basic video switchbox or basic HDI-15 & dual ps2 KVM, you might as well throw the money and do it right.
We're doing this at the office for some secretarial luser who needs both a W2K and Mac box. We picked up one of the Belkin Omniview SOHO 4's and had no problem hooking it up to both platforms. I've also heard that it works with linux (at least on a RH7.0 install someone had...YMMV)