KVM Switch

[Starrx05]

Anyone knows if there's any advantage using one over the other? I need to switch between my 3 PCs and planning to get one. The USB has less cable because it only uses one for both keyboard & mouse but w/ many ext devices being USB these days, would it slow things down?? One advantage I can see w/ using USB is I can plug and unplug it w/o turning PC off so if I have 4 PCs and a 4-port KVM and want to use my laptop on my big screen LCD once in a while, I just have to unplug one PC and use that cable.

I remember PS2 uses IRQ 12, so if I use USB, would that be freed up for other devices? I think it probably won't matter because PCs these days can share IRQs, not like in the older days w/ Win 98. And will I be able to use USB kb/mouse in DOS or when it's booting up to access the BIOS? Believe it or not, I never have an USB keyboard before so don't really know. Thanks everyone.

 

[LouPoir]

I have a PS2 version. If I had to buy again, it would be USB for sure.


Lou

 

[n7]

I have a USB currently, & while it is nice for being able to plug in & use while the systems are running, i actually somewhat preferred my old PS2 one, since switching between PCs w/ PS2 = instantanous.

With USB, there's always a pause as the USB is recognized.
In Vista, it's alot better than XP, but still, it's annoying.

So i guess i'd say there's benefits to both?

 

[pcslookout]

PS2 because there is no drivers the interface really needs to work. Where usb it could mess up if your drivers for the usb ports aren't installed correctly.

 

[Starrx05]

Thanks all... So if using USB, I cannnot boot from CD or floopy into a DOS program (like Ghost for cloning) and switch there because USB needs drivers? My P3 can't boot from any USB devices but the other PCs can. If I need to plug in the laptop then a USB one will be better because I can unplug it whenever. Laptops obviously don't have PS2 ports.

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: Starrx05
Laptops obviously don't have PS2 ports.

They should do!

 

[SuperNaruto]

depending on the notebook, smaller ones won't have ps/2 ports, larger one are easier to fit them in..

older usb kvm sucked, sluggish and didn't work as well, newer one worked better... one of the company i saw was a usb/ps2 combo, allows you to use either one.. but more cables..