Switch2 KVMs: are all as bad as mine?

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I recently acquired a Belkin 'Switch2 for Mac mini' KVM and am unhappy with it. Have any other Forum members used this thing?

I used it to run the mini and a PC:the mini would not reboot past the initial grey screen and the PC would complete its booting but would flash off, pause blank, flash back for 2-3-17 seconds and blank, over and over again. Returned it and got a replacement which boots the Mac now ...and the PC carries on flashing and blanking. It will do so whether the Mac is connected or not. On different resolutions and different screens.

All Web references to the Switch2 are guardedly (it's cheapish, after all) glowing and no complaints in the forums are evident. Puzzling.

I am about to return this one for a refund unless someone can tell me of a way to stop this behaviour.
 

cwa107


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I've had a number of Belkin KVM switches at my desk at work and I can tell you that the USB models are flakey. Even the TrippLite switch that I had would always be problematic - particularly if you ever need to boot a PC in DOS or use a Linux box.

I think this stems from the fact that the USB KVMs basically unplug and replug the USB keyboard/mouse each time you switch, rather than just sending a continuous signal, but just interrupting input.

Right now I'm using a Belkin Flip KVM (two ports), and it has a remote switch that sits on the desk (so you can leave the actual box under your desk). That works pretty well, although occasionally it will refuse to switch.

I wish I could give you a better recommendation, but in my experience every USB KVM I've tried has been less than stellar.
 
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I have NEVER had a usb KVM switch that was worth the box it came in. That includes my personal cheapie models from a retail shop, and really expensive 12 and 24 port models at work. All are worthless.

I now only use the PS2 port switches and use a decent usb->ps2 adapter cable for which ever machines don't have ps2 ports. This scheme almost always works, whether Mac or Linux. On very rare occasions (maybe once a month), I will lose the keyboard after a switch, but plugging and unplugging the kbd alway gets it right back.

I had a techie in a fairly large computer store say about the same thing. As far as he was concerned, they would save money by not carrying usb KVMs, since almost all come right back.

Konan
 
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Thanks. Well, that sums it up, two replies and nothing positive!

I put in a query to Belkin Support - how long might I have to wait for a non-robot response?
 

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