KVM Recommendation?

Hello everyone,
I've checked the many questions and posts on KVM switches, but none seem to address my variables, so I'm hoping someone can provide some recommendations, or confirm that I can't do what I'd like to do.
I have two primary macs, and a couple of other older models that I use for utility purposes every once in a while. I would like to find a KVM switch that can support at least the two primary machines. Here are the specifics:
My monitor is a 23" Apple Cinema Display.
Computer 1 is a new (October 2008) MacBook 2.4GHz (laptop) ( I also have the mini-DVI adapter).
Computer 2 is an older PowerMac G4 QuickSilver (tower)
Keyboard and mouse are the Bluetooth wireless models from Apple. I use a DLink bluetooth wireless adapter DBT-120.
I would like to be able to more easily connect the laptop to use the Apple Cinema display and wireless keyboard/mouse, without having to unplug everything from the back of the QuickSilver and reconnecting it to the laptop.
Do any of you know if there any KVM switches and "laptop hubs" or "port replicators" that can support this mix of hardware?
Thanks!!
Kevin

Did you ever find a solution?
i'm in the same boat.
i was looking at: http://www.belkin.com/flip/ as an option, but not sure if that would work.
anyone?
(crickets chirping)

Similar Messages

ANY DVI KVM Recommendations?

I'm looking at the Gefen 2x1 DVI KVM Switch:
http://www.kvm-switches-online.com/ext-dvikvm-241.html
It seems that it has a good reputation so far.
Can using a KVM damage your display?

While I don't know when you received technical support from Gefen, I just had a call with them last week which was satisfactory.
I had purchased some DVI Detectives (to prevent the PowerBook from going to sleep when KVM switching to another computer) which came with single-link DVI patch cables. I called them and let them know that obviously I can't use those with my Dual Link KVM I bought from them, and they that day sent out replacement Dual Link DVI patch cables (and I returned the old ones).
I'd say that's good service.
Cheers,
Doug

Recommendations for DVI KVM Switches?

I wish to share the same USB wireless keyboard/mouse, and monitor between my Macbook and PC.
Has anyone tried this with a DVI KVM switch, and can you recommend which one to use? They're a little pricey, so I'd like to get comments from actual users if possible...
Thanks
MacBook, Black, 2GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.7)

I've gone thru several between work (2 offices) and home and after using different models and having them die or exhibit difficulties with new larger monitors, I've been happy with the Belkin KVMs that I've had for the last couple years. But I foresee a possible problem with the wireless part. I think you'd better put out a call for reports on success/foibles using a KVM and wireless mouse/keyboard. What I'm not sure about is how the computer will react to losing contact with wireless and then getting it back again.

Can anyone recommend a good KVM switch for a PC/Mac pair?

I want to run my Mac and PC off of the same USB keyboard and mouse and use the same monitor. Naturally, to fix this problem I bought the first KVM switch I could find (how different could they be?) which was a Belkin variety. Worked ok right at first, but by day 2 I was having switching issues - the monitor kept switching between the two endlessly, though the USB seemed to switch ok. The Mac refused to sleep, though. I'm taking the Belkin switch back and trying something new.
Has anyone had any success with a KVM switch? If so, what flavor?
Thanks.

Personally I love my IOGEAR USB KVMP.
I own 2, both of them are 2 port units
Best part of IOGEAR is they come with all cables & power supply.
Worst part is most models dont have Audio support, so every machine needs their own speakers.
The IOGEAR USB KVMP Miniview #GCS102U http://www.iogear.com/main.php?loc=product&Item=GCS102U that I own has ports in front for USB keyboard & USB mouse, in back are 2 USB (A/B) ports with 2 male 15pin VGA ports to connect the 2 computers, also the main monitor port has female 15pin VGA port to connect the Monitor. Cool part is you can use a DVI-VGA adapter without problems which is nice if you LCD or CRT monitor.
2 other USB ports on the back let you share other devices like Printer and Scanner. I am able share my keyboard, trackball, monitor and printer with my newer MDD Dual G4 and an Intel Celeron 2GHz PC I have that runs Linux.
My other KVMP drives 2 other older Macs, a BWG3 and a USB upgraded PM7600.
The front has a button that you push there is less than 2 second delay for monitor and no software needed.
The USB ports are all USB1.1 if I recall so the style is fairly universal if out of date.
they also have a 4port version which I might get http://www.iogear.com/main.php?loc=product&Item=GCS634U
Although I have not used one, http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=255941 I love the look of the new Belkin Flip. Apple sells them on the AppleStore for $80 and are touted for PC & Mac mini, although I dont see why i cant be used for any Mac. Its cool feature is it does offer Audio Support too and far as I know it has its cables too. I think it is USB2.0 since its a new product. http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/6314001/wo/0I7xL JNdSeJb3Do7Faa1XvHguGA/1.0.19.1.0.8.25.7.11.0.3
good luck.

KVM VGA-Passthrough using the new vfio-vga support in kernel = 3.9

This is intented for people who wish to pass-through a GPU to a virtual machine using the KVM hypervisor, QEMU and vfio-pci
NOTE: AMD RADEON 5xxx, 6xxx, 7xxx, 2xx and NVIDIA GEFORCE 7, 8, 4xx, 5xx, 6xx, 7xx 9xx have been reported working with this, passing though an intel IGD is not supported YET
NOTE: THIS IS EXPERIMENTAL SO IT MIGHT NOT WORK ON YOUR SYSTEM
This is the result on my radeon 6950:
This is the result on my geforce 470 gtx:
Recommended reads
Alex Williamson's blog and FAQ for detailed technical information
OVMF whitepaper.
GPU passthrough database by noctavian
At this moment there are two ways to achieve this using KVM: legacy VGA via Seabios or non-VGA (UEFI) via OVMF
The main practical advantage of using OVMF is that on intel systems you no longer need the i915 VGA arbiter patch which also disables DRI on the host
Requirements
AMD-VI/VT-D enabled and working (On intel systems both your MB and you CPU must support it, to find out if you CPU has VT-D support go here: http://ark.intel.com/, you also need to boot with intel_iommu=on to enable it)
At least 2 GPU's, one primary boot device and the card you wish to pass-through
Qemu=>2.0
Aditional kernel patches might be required if you're using an Intel CPU: ACS override patch and i915 VGA arbiter patch, you can find a kernel package with these patches included on AUR: linux-vfio
Aditional requirements for OVMF:
An UEFI compatible GPU (Most modern gpus support this, SEE: Does my graphics card ROM support EFI?
An UEFI compatible GUEST (ex: Windows 7 and up)
OVMF: Gerd Hoffmann's rpms or OVMF-svn from AUR
If you're building your kernel manually this option is required:
CONFIG_VFIO_PCI_VGA=y
Preparing your System
On intel system the i915 VGA arbiter patch is required if:
You're using the IGD on your host
You're doing VGA assignment
NOTE: Enabling this will disable DRI!
If you wish to avoid this, then then you should try OVMF
To enable it add this kernel parameter to your bootloader:
i915.enable_hd_vgaarb=1
Next, we need to prepare the GPU for vfio:
Blacklist radeon or nouveau or nvidia or fglrx on /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
Example, blacklisting the opensource radeon module:
echo "blacklist radeon" >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
Use pci-stub
In my case since i have 2 radeon cards blacklisting the radeon module is not an option, so i use pci-stub
NOTE: If pci-stub was built as a module, you'll need to modify /etc/mkinitcpio.conf and add pci-stub in the MODULES section, after that you need to update your initramfs like this
mkinitcpio -p linux-mainline
lspci
07:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Cayman PRO [Radeon HD 6950] <-- radeon 6950
07:00.1 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Cayman/Antilles HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 6900 Series] <-- radeon 6950 audio
lspci -n
07:00.0 0300: 1002:6719 <-- radeon 6950
07:00.1 0403: 1002:aa80 <-- radeon 6950 audio
Now add this kernel parameter to your bootloader:
pci-stub.ids=1002:6719,1002:aa80
dmesg | grep pci-stub
[ 2.096151] pci-stub: add 1002:6719 sub=FFFFFFFF:FFFFFFFF cls=00000000/00000000
[ 2.096160] pci-stub 0000:07:00.0: claimed by stub
[ 2.096165] pci-stub: add 1002:AA80 sub=FFFFFFFF:FFFFFFFF cls=00000000/00000000
[ 2.096174] pci-stub 0000:07:00.1: claimed by stub
[ 2.096178] pci-stub: add 1B21:1042 sub=FFFFFFFF:FFFFFFFF cls=00000000/00000000
Setting up vfio and kvm modules
This is only required if you get this message:
vfio_iommu_type1_attach_group: No interrupt remapping support. Use the module param "allow_unsafe_interrupts" to enable VFIO IOMMU support on this platform
If your board doesn't enable interrupt remapping, you need to add this to your bootloader:
vfio_iommu_type1.allow_unsafe_interrupts=1
Or if vfio-pci was built as a module ( default on arch )
echo "options vfio_iommu_type1 allow_unsafe_interrupts=1" > /etc/modprobe.d/vfio_iommu_type1.conf
Some applications like Passmark Performance Test and SiSoftware Sandra crash the VM without this:
echo "options kvm ignore_msrs=1" >> /etc/modprobe.d/kvm.conf
Binding a device to vfio-pci
We'll use this script to make life easier:
#!/bin/bash
modprobe vfio-pci
for dev in "$@"; do
vendor=$(cat /sys/bus/pci/devices/$dev/vendor)
device=$(cat /sys/bus/pci/devices/$dev/device)
if [ -e /sys/bus/pci/devices/$dev/driver ]; then
echo $dev > /sys/bus/pci/devices/$dev/driver/unbind
fi
echo $vendor $device > /sys/bus/pci/drivers/vfio-pci/new_id
done
Save it as /usr/bin/vfio-bind
chmod 755 /usr/bin/vfio-bind
Bind the GPU and GPU audio:
vfio-bind 0000:07:00.0 0000:07:00.1
Systemd service:
[Unit]
Description=Binds devices to vfio-pci
After=syslog.target
[Service]
EnvironmentFile=-/etc/vfio-pci.cfg
Type=oneshot
RemainAfterExit=yes
ExecStart=-/usr/bin/vfio-bind $DEVICES
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
cat /etc/vfio-pci.cfg
DEVICES="0000:00:11.0 0000:04:00.0 0000:05:00.0 0000:06:00.0 0000:07:00.0 000:07:00.1"
Testing if its working out
Seabios:
qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -m 1024 -cpu host,kvm=off \
-smp 4,sockets=1,cores=4,threads=1 \
-device vfio-pci,host=07:00.0,x-vga=on -device vfio-pci,host=07:00.1 \
-vga none
OVMF:
qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -m 1024 -cpu host,kvm=off \
-smp 4,sockets=1,cores=4,threads=1 \
-drive if=pflash,format=raw,readonly,file=/usr/share/ovmf/x64/ovmf_code_x64.bin \
-drive if=pflash,format=raw,file=/usr/share/ovmf/x64/ovmf_vars_x64.bin \
-device vfio-pci,host=07:00.0 -device vfio-pci,host=07:00.1 \
-vga none
Note:
kvm=off will hide the kvm hypervisor signature, this is required for NVIDIA cards, since its driver will refuse to work on an hypervisor and result in Code 43 on windows (unless you're using a QUADRO)
x-vga=on is required for vga assignment
-vga none disables the default vga device on QEMU, it is also required for vga assignment
You should see a black qemu window on your main display, and seabios/ovmf ouput on your monitor from your passthru'd card saying it cant find anything to boot
If you're using an intel cpu and nothing happens try this:
modprobe -r kvm_intel
modprobe kvm_intel emulate_invalid_guest_state=0
NOTE: There might be some problems using nvidia/fglrx/nouveau drivers on the host gpu, see the ISSUES section below on how to solve this
At this point you're ready to create your vm, you could use libvirt + virt-manager to create your vm using a nice graphical interface, there are
also some interesting examples in this thread, otherwise if you prefer to use the command line continue reading
DISK:
Creating a disk image:
Create a 30Gb raw image:
dd if=/dev/zero of=windows.img bs=1M seek=30000 count=0
Using a VIRTIO controller:
We create our virtio controller for qemu:
-device virtio-scsi-pci,id=scsi
Attaching our hdd:
-drive file=/home/nbhs/windows.img,id=disk,format=raw,if=none -device scsi-hd,drive=disk
Attaching a cdrom:
-drive file=/home/nbhs/windows.iso,id=isocd,if=none -device scsi-cd,drive=isocd
To install windows, you'll need to download the virtio drivers iso from here
Attaching the virtio iso:
-drive file=/home/nbhs/virtio.iso,id=virtiocd,if=none -device ide-cd,bus=ide.1,drive=virtiocd
Windows will complain it cant find a disk to install to, just click browse, find the folder for your os/arch, select "RED HAT VirtIO pass-through controller" then click next.
For more info check out the Archlinux wiki's QEMU section
Using a physical disk or partition:
-drive file=/dev/sdb,id=disk,format=raw,if=none -device scsi-hd,drive=disk
You might need to change the bus depending on the controller you use
If you wish to use a physical partition and be able to read its contents later on, you can follow these guides:
http://fds-team.de/cms/articles/2013-12 … yer-u.html
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/QE … disk_image
Passing a sata disk controller to qemu:
If you dual boot like me you can pass an entire sata controller (in ahci mode) and all the drives attached, and seabios will boot from them.
lspci
00:11.0 SATA controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 40)
Make sure all volumes are unmounted, then bind the controller to vfio:
vfio-bind 0000:00:11.0
Now we pass the controller to the vm:
-device vfio-pci,host=00:11.0
USB:
Its also possible to passthrough a usb controller, in my case an ASMEDIA USB3 Controller:
lspci
04:00.0 USB controller: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1042 SuperSpeed USB Host Controller
05:00.0 USB controller: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1042 SuperSpeed USB Host Controller
06:00.0 USB controller: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1042 SuperSpeed USB Host Controller
Bind them to vfio:
vfio-bind 0000:04:00.0 0000:05:00.0 0000:06:00.0
Pass them to the vm:
-device vfio-pci,host=04:00.0 \
-device vfio-pci,host=05:00.0 \
-device vfio-pci,host=06:00.0
Or a specific device:
lsusb
Bus 004 Device 010: ID 045e:00e1 Microsoft Corp. Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 Reciever <-- mouse
Bus 004 Device 011: ID 045e:074b Microsoft Corp. <-- keyboard
We pass them to the vm:
-usb -usbdevice host:045e:00e1 -usbdevice host:045e:074b
NETWORK:
Please see https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/QEMU#Networking
AUDIO EMULATION:
To hear the sound from the vm on your host speakers you'll need to add this lines:
-soundhw hda
You might need to start qemu like this:
QEMU_PA_SAMPLES=128 QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=pa qemu-system-x86_64...
alsa:
QEMU_ALSA_DAC_BUFFER_SIZE=512 QEMU_ALSA_DAC_PERIOD_SIZE=170 QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=alsa qemu-system-x86_64...
Note: these are the settings i found that work great on my system, if you get crackling/skipping audio you might want to try different settings
To see the available drivers and audio options:
qemu-system-x86_64 -audio-help
LOADING YOUR CARD ROM FROM A DUMP/FILE:
modify this line:
-device vfio-pci,host=07:00.0,...... \
change it to this:
-device vfio-pci,host=07:00.0,......,romfile=/path/to/your/gpu/bios.bin \
ISSUES:
Using the latest NVIDIA drivers on the guest will result in code 43, but there's a workarround
Using the latest NVIDIA drivers on the guest using hv enlightenments will result in code 43, see: https://forums.geforce.com/default/topi … 8/#4314318
Using AMD proprieraty drivers on the host, see: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 2#p1273412 the only solution atm is using the opensource radeon driver
PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS:
SEE: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 1#p1270311
Pin vcpu to pcpu, see http://www.linux-kvm.com/content/tip-ru … cific-cpus
Use cgroups, specifically cpuset, see https://access.redhat.com/site/document … puset.html
Use Hugepages, see http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/lnxin … ttunhp.htm
Use Hyper-V enlightenments, see: http://blog.wikichoon.com/2014/07/enabl … h-kvm.html
Last edited by nbhs (2015-04-05 20:01:18)

nbhs wrote:
apoapo wrote:
I finally got some progress.
After trying mainline kernel and with vbios, I went to bios/uefi and turned the Primary VGA card from onboard to pci-express ...
Now I see the seabios in passthroughed screen, but with blinking cursor in it, so i will try some things .
NIce! have you tried running windows with it yet? does it work if you dont load the rom file by hand?
Hi,
I tried it again and I captured this error message if I use the PCI-e card es Primary Card:
qemu-system-x86_64: -device vfio-pci,host=01:00.0,bus=root.1,addr=00.0,multifunction=on,x-vga=on: VFIO 0000:01:00.0 BAR 0 mmap unsupported. Performance may be slow
This was, when I got some seabios picture.
After some reboots I wanted to try it again, I was spammed with errors . Dont have them to show you now... will look for it.
Now I'm With the onboard as primary Card and I found this in dmesg:
[ 0.401391] DMAR: No ATSR found
[ 0.401412] IOMMU 0 0xfed90000: using Queued invalidation
[ 0.401413] IOMMU 1 0xfed91000: using Queued invalidation
[ 0.401415] IOMMU: Setting RMRR:
[ 0.401422] IOMMU: Setting identity map for device 0000:00:02.0 [0xbf800000 - 0xcf9fffff]
[ 0.402590] IOMMU: Setting identity map for device 0000:00:1d.0 [0xbd568000 - 0xbd59afff]
[ 0.402606] IOMMU: Setting identity map for device 0000:00:1a.0 [0xbd568000 - 0xbd59afff]
[ 0.402619] IOMMU: Setting identity map for device 0000:00:14.0 [0xbd568000 - 0xbd59afff]
[ 0.402628] IOMMU: Prepare 0-16MiB unity mapping for LPC
[ 0.402635] IOMMU: Setting identity map for device 0000:00:1f.0 [0x0 - 0xffffff]
[ 0.402717] PCI-DMA: Intel(R) Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O
[ 0.402782] ------------[ cut here ]------------
[ 0.402786] WARNING: at drivers/pci/search.c:46 pci_find_upstream_pcie_bridge+0x83/0x90()
[ 0.402787] Hardware name: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
[ 0.402788] Modules linked in:
[ 0.402790] Pid: 1, comm: swapper/0 Not tainted 3.9.2-1-mainline #1
[ 0.402791] Call Trace:
[ 0.402796] [<ffffffff81058090>] warn_slowpath_common+0x70/0xa0
[ 0.402797] [<ffffffff8105817a>] warn_slowpath_null+0x1a/0x20
[ 0.402799] [<ffffffff8129ea43>] pci_find_upstream_pcie_bridge+0x83/0x90
[ 0.402802] [<ffffffff813b3c7b>] intel_iommu_add_device+0x4b/0x1f0
[ 0.402805] [<ffffffff813ab630>] ? bus_set_iommu+0x50/0x50
[ 0.402806] [<ffffffff813ab65a>] add_iommu_group+0x2a/0x50
[ 0.402809] [<ffffffff8135bf63>] bus_for_each_dev+0x63/0xa0
[ 0.402811] [<ffffffff813ab622>] bus_set_iommu+0x42/0x50
[ 0.402814] [<ffffffff819130b6>] intel_iommu_init+0xa83/0xb7b
[ 0.402816] [<ffffffff818dd10b>] ? memblock_find_dma_reserve+0x124/0x124
[ 0.402818] [<ffffffff818dd11d>] pci_iommu_init+0x12/0x3c
[ 0.402820] [<ffffffff8100210a>] do_one_initcall+0x10a/0x160
[ 0.402823] [<ffffffff818d5037>] kernel_init_freeable+0x15b/0x1dc
[ 0.402824] [<ffffffff818d4881>] ? do_early_param+0x88/0x88
[ 0.402827] [<ffffffff814b55f0>] ? rest_init+0x90/0x90
[ 0.402828] [<ffffffff814b55fe>] kernel_init+0xe/0x190
[ 0.402830] [<ffffffff814dad6c>] ret_from_fork+0x7c/0xb0
[ 0.402832] [<ffffffff814b55f0>] ? rest_init+0x90/0x9

KVM with mini and out of box problem

#1 Just bought a refurbed mini, want to share kvm as I have in the past with a wintel laptop.
Anyone using a kvm controller with their mini? I've got a iogear with my existing wireless k/m and the mini doesn't like it very much. Sporadic mouse movements, and weird mouse type clicks happening when moving around menus(such as right click result on screen when hand isn't near the button).
I went to a wired mouse for a test as the kvm had a separate usb port for kybd and mouse...that hasn't completely solved the problem.
#2 I've got a 2nd problem which may be causing the keyboard issues. I unboxed my mini, started it and when prompted hooked up my old g4 mac as a target disk unit. The mini flawlessly transferred over all my email, programs, icon's, etc in a little under 2 hours. Rebooted and logged right in to my old environment! Very impressive. Patched it after that and it rebooted fine.
The other night, I turned it on, and the screen resolution was changed. Didnt think much of it thinking the kvm may be messing with it.
Two nights ago I checked my mail and walked away for a while..upon my return it locked. Held pwr key in until it shutdown and went to bed. Last night I turned it on, got the "Osx has recovered.." message. Cleared that and as soon as I opened mail it crashed again(getting the your computer has encountered a problem black box error..). Restarted tried my IM client...crash.... reboot, try firefox...crash.
I haven't tried booting and repairing disk permissions yet. Any other thoughts?
thanks

I use a TrendNet KVM with my Mini and PC.
Empirically I've concluded that a wireless mouse is not a good idea with this setup; I use a wired USB mouse now.
I had to try a couple of KVM brands before I found a good fit. Even so, occasionally I get a key repeat from a single key press, but otherwise everything is fine.
My experience has been that any kind of PS/2->USB adapter used with a KVM is a bad idea. The fewer converters the better.
I'd recommend not using the KVM until you get your other issues with the Mini sorted out.
It is possible that migrating your settings from other Mac is causing some of your problems.

DVI KVM Switch Suggestions

Hi I would like to use a DVI KVM switch because having problems with the VGA ones... does anyone recommend a brand/model that works with the mini and a PC?

I had two things I wanted to achieve with a KVM, and they tax most KVM switches. The one I have now works great. The one I am happy with is this one from Addlogix:
http://www.neutronexpress.com/prod.cfm/322180/ADDLOGIX/KVM-201DVU It is old other places but when last I looked it was cheapest here, at ~ $190, including cables.
What it does that is "above and beyond":
1. It is DVI, rather than USB. My PC and monitor were already DVI. It works great, and up to 1900x1200 or so. Not all DVI KVM switches actually work well.
2. It works great with my wireless Logitech MX mouse/keyboard combo, which doesn't play well with most/many KVMs.

ACD 30 + Belkin SOHO F1DD102L KVM

Troubleshooting connecting an ACD 30" to a Belkin SOHO F1DD102L KVM. Here is my setup:
Apple Cinema Display 30"
MacPro 1,1 with ATI Radeon 5770 DVI video card (this is an upgrade from the stock card)
MacBook Pro 3,1
I connected everything and when switched to the MacPro, I get all kinds of strange artifacts on the screen. To make a long story short, it's not working. When I switch to the MacBook Pro, the CD displays properly, so I am guessing that the switch is working properly (I also switched ports on the KVM itself and I get the same behavior).
Which leads me to conclude that the MacPro video card doesn't like the KVM. I have read a lot of successful connections with the 30" CD. In fact, the SOHO KVM was recommended to me by a friend who works at Apple, as he claims the engineers there use the same KVM. However, the x-factor could be the video card.
Thanks in advance for your responses.

Troubleshooting connecting an ACD 30" to a Belkin SOHO F1DD102L KVM. Here is my setup:
Apple Cinema Display 30"
MacPro 1,1 with ATI Radeon 5770 DVI video card (this is an upgrade from the stock card)
MacBook Pro 3,1
I connected everything and when switched to the MacPro, I get all kinds of strange artifacts on the screen. To make a long story short, it's not working. When I switch to the MacBook Pro, the CD displays properly, so I am guessing that the switch is working properly (I also switched ports on the KVM itself and I get the same behavior).
Which leads me to conclude that the MacPro video card doesn't like the KVM. I have read a lot of successful connections with the 30" CD. In fact, the SOHO KVM was recommended to me by a friend who works at Apple, as he claims the engineers there use the same KVM. However, the x-factor could be the video card.
Thanks in advance for your responses.

DVI KVM switch to use with iMac and Cinema Display

I currently have a 20" iMac that I use with a 20" Cinema Display. I'd like to share the Cinema display between the iMac and a Dell computer. Assuming this can be done, are there any recommendations for a DVI-KVM switch? Most important is no loss in video quality when the Cinema display is used with the iMac. The Dell is seldom used and even a straight DVI switch without mouse and keyboard sharing would be OK.
 20" Intel iMac + Cinema Display + Sony HDR-HC7 HD camera Mac OS X (10.4.8) All tools, no talent!

I am also trying to link a Mac Mini and a HP PC with an nVidia FX5500 graphics card via a KVM switch. The mini works fine but the PC does not sync up and the screen is blank and the little white light on the lower right is blinking.
Any news on your question would be appreciated
mac mini Intel dual core Mac OS X (10.4.6)

T420 - external 24" monitor DVI- Displayport : not detected when connected via KVM switch

Hi,
I've been using a 2port USB KVM Switch from InLine for a long time connecting a mac mini and a macbook pro
to a 24" LCD. Recently I had to replace the MacBookPro with a T420. Unfortunately the T420 does not detect the
monitor, when connected via the KVM switch.
I tried:
A) T420 -> Lenovo Displayport to DVI-Adapter -> KVM-Switch -> 24" monitor: NO SUCCESS
B) T420 -> Thinkpad miniDock Series 3 DVI Port-> KVM Seitch -> 24" monitor : NO SUCCESS
C) T420 ->Thinkpad miniDock Series 3 DVI Port-> 24" monitor - > SUCCESS
D) T420 ->Thinkpad miniDock Series 3 VGA Port -> 24" monitor - > SUCCESS
So I have a workaround, but leaving out the KVM switch is not a long term option.
This is all on Win 7 professional / 64bit
Using config (A) I then installed the Intel HD Graphics Driver version 8.15.10.2342 16 May 2011
SURPRISE: during driver install, the monitor WAS detected!!!
SECOND SURPRISE: after reboot I was back in the old situation where the monitor was NOT DETECTED
CONCLUSION:
Seems like a software issue with the Intel HD Graphice driver.
ANY HINT/COMMENT/HELP highly appreciated!
Thanks,
Michael

hey mgold,
as the T420 works correctly with the external monitor and with the miniDock ; it is sad to say the the KVM switch is non-compatible.
I would recommend that you get in contact with the manufacturer of the KVM. At the same time, try uninstalling the current video drivers of your T420 and see if it makes any difference with the KVM if the T420 is running on a generic driver
WW Social Media
Important Note: If you need help, post your question in the forum, and include your system type, model number and OS. Do not post your serial number.
Did someone help you today? Press the star on the left to thank them with a Kudo!
If you find a post helpful and it answers your question, please mark it as an "Accepted Solution"!
Follow @LenovoForums on Twitter!
Have you checked out the Community Knowledgebase yet?!
How to send a private message? --> Check out this article.

4-port dvi usb kvm switch

i'm having trouble finding one that...
1) reads all the mac extra keys - volume up/down, mute, cd eject
2) allows hotkey switching without needing a pc keyboard (scroll lock) to program, and
3) reads dvi from my g4's adc output with it's dvi adapter
the linkskey i bought is an utter disappointment and will be going back shortly.
any suggestions?
thanks.

The 4-port Avocent is made by Addlogix. Their 2 port KVM switches are fantastic. This is the one I've used from them and highly recommend it if you need a 2 port solution.
http://www.addlogix.com/kvms/embed.asp?stuff=sekvmdvubody.html

Good KVMs + other questions

Ever since Apple started offering up their Intel computers, I've been drooling for one. So I'm gonna bite the bullet and get a Mac Mini Duo (with employee discount from friend woohoo!). I've had a Mac before (iBook G3 with Jaguar and later Panther) but have since given it away as a donation. It got too outdated and someone else could've benefited more than I could from it.
I will have it running on the same keyboard, mouse, speakers, and display as my PC, which is my main machine (mostly for gaming and development work). So what I need is a simple (but quality!) KVM that has 2 USB ports (possibly three, I use my Wacom quite often), an audio in, and a DVI or VGA adapter. Does anyone recommend any particular product? Everything I've been able to find has PS/2 ports everywhere and no audio-in. Preferably inexpensive... $40-50.
And, my other questions... is it possible to install and boot Tiger from an external Firewire drive? The mini comes with a cruddy 5400rpm drive, which I guess could be good for storing music, photos, etc, but completely useless for running an OS and applications on. Is this at all possible, or should I just settle on getting an overpriced 7200rpm laptrop drive and dropping it in the mini then cackle while i throw the 5400rpm off a 22 story apartment building?
What's an inexpensive source for memory that'll fit in the mini? And is there any way you can have them drop one 512 stick in the mini instead of 2x256? Or would this be impossible?
Last one, kind of... how reliable are they? I know they're first-gen, and I generally don't trust first-gen hardware. They've got two beefy Intels in there, so I can imagine heat being an issue - is it? My flat is generally cool or cold. It'll get above 70 in here for maybe one week a year (gotta love San Francisco). Any other issues I should be aware of?
Very last one! Everyone with a Duo, how do you like it? Would you marry it? When I first got my iBook I wanted to marry it, but California state law prohibits it.
Windows XP Pro Mac Mini Duo to come!!

I use a Belkin KVM switch (Model: F1DL102U). The link below will take you directly to the model I use on Belkin's website:
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?MerchantId=&ProductId=164060
I purchased mine at CompUSA for $69.
It is pretty nice. It's got a single button to toggle between two computers. And if one computer is already in use, then it will automatically switch to the other computer when you turn it on.
For example, if I am using my Mac Mini, then the switch will automatically switch-over to the PC when I turn on the PC. Then, when I turn the PC off, the switch will automatically move back to the Mac Mini.
But, I can use the button any time I want to toggle / switch between the 2 computers.
This switch has 2 USB ports, 1 VGA video port, 1 Audio in port, and 1 Audio Out port.
I have found that you can easily share multiple devices on the USB ports.
For example, I have my mouse plugged into my keyboard, and then the keyboard plugged into the first USB port on the Belkin KVM switch. Then, I plug my USB printer into the second USB port on the KVM switch.
So, if you have a keyboard with multiple USB ports, or a USB Hub, then you would be able to share multiple USB devices between both computers.
In my arrangement, I am sharing a keyboard, mouse, and USB printer. Additionally, I have a pair of speakers and a monitor shared between the two systems.
Everything works pretty good, and I don't really have any complaints. I'm actually quite happy with the setup.
I found several places online to purchase it, but purchased it on CompUSA's website. I placed the order online, and picked it up in the store (had my wife stop in on her way home).
I've had mine now for around 6 or 8 months. It's been working good for me.
As for the hard drive, yes OS X Tiger will boot perfectly fine from an External Firewire drive. I ran tests with mine, and found that the External FireWire 7200 R.P.M. Drive did return better performance than my Internal 5400 R.P.M. Drive. However, my external 7200 R.P.M. USB 2.0 hard drive returned significantly worse performance than my internal 5400 R.P.M. Drive.
The best source of memory that I have found is Other World Computing.
http://www.macsales.com
They have a great price, excellent support, and I have never had a compatibility problem with any module I have purchased from them. I've upgraded several Macs using their memory. Pre-sales, and Post-Sales questions / support is excellent.
It's a great risk-free place to purchase from. Their prices are very close to the bargain prices, but they definitely know Macintosh computers and supply compatible modules.
As for first generation systems, I'm not sure that Apple's First generation is much different from their 3rd. My luck with the different revisions of the iMac G5 were absolutely terrible. The only Mac's to have practically every part die frequently. They weren't able to fix it in 3 revisions. So, I wouldn't expect that you'll see much change in the first 3 revisions of the Intel systems. Best bet is to buy now, or wait until 4th or 5th generation.
It took them 4 tries with the current iMac systems to get it right. The new CoreDuo is experiencing much less trouble than the 3 generations of G5 systems.
So, I'd either take my chances now (if you need the system today), or wait until you see the complaint levels dropping.
Fortunately, the Intel Mini's don't seem to be experiencing the same level of complaints that have come out of other recent Apple systems (MacBook Pro (Intel), iMac G5, PowerBook G4, etc.).
Hope this helps.

KVM Switch (two Mini's - one Monitor)

Hi,
I have a Mac Mini Intel Core 2 Duo v10.6.8 ( late 2009 - Mini DisplayPort) and a Mac Mini 2.6GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 v10.9.2 ( 2014 - Mini DisplayPort and Thunderbolt Port), and I'd like to find a way to connect the two Mini's to one 24" LED Cinema Display (1920x1200 - Mini DisplayPort).
Reading in the apple support communities I saw that some users users recommend different brands (Gefen KVM, Dr. Bott KVM) in other cases so i would like to know if anyone used Mac's similar to mine before buying the switch.
Sorry for my poor English
Thanx

Hi,
I don't have any, but after comparing these two, I'd choose the second one, not only by what the specs/features are, but more importantly what the 1st one does specify...
http://www.iogear.com/product/GCS922U/
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?sku=658264&Q=&O=&gclid=COXtjdvPx 74CFVGVfgodhQIANQ&is=REG&A=details
Apears you'd need 2 MDP/TB to DVI adapters.
So that may be a clue in investigating which is best, hopefully you'll get a reply from KVM owners here.
BTW, had you not mentioned it, I'd take you were a native English speaker, quite good!

Remote Desktop or KVM????

I have a G5 Powermac with display sat next to a 15" imac flatscreen. Don't really want two keyboards and two mice. What is the best way to control the imac, with a KVM switch (seems overkill for merely two usb ports), a usb switch (has anyone got one working?) or something like Remote Desktop (expensive and I don't need to see the imac desktop on the powermac). Any ideas, comments or suggestions?

It depends on what your priorities are.
If you're trying to save desktop real estate then you could use a KVM to switch between the PowerMac and the iMac screens (using the iMac's video mirroring to display its screen on an external monitor).
This would work well if you use both machines equally, but only one at a time.
On the other hand, if you use one machine more than the other you might find ARD an acceptable solution to control the other machine periodically. I wouldn't recommend this for 'normal' system usage, though, especially for anything detail-oriented or that is video-intensive (video, games, etc., etc.)
If you need to see both machines at the same time, though, then there isn't really a good option other than to have two keyboards, mice, etc. or use a KVM and just ignore the video option.

KVM-like device for using 1 keyboard/mouse for 2 Macs

I'm familar with KVMs but what I'd like to do is simply use the same Apple Keyboard/Mouse for both my thunderbolt iMac and my thunderbolt Mac Mini. Any recommendations for keeping this as minimalist and space saving as possible? (BootCamp/Windows7 will occasionally be used on the iMac.)

Zathrak, look into a free application called Synergy. It lets you use a keyboard/mouse on multiple computers. It works like a client/server type of environment. Both computers must be on the same network for this to work.
Check out the website and see if this serves your purpose. http://synergy-foss.org/

KVM Recommendation?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for