What is the video quality like of a CAT5 KVM Extender?

[mjrpes2]

In case you don't know what I'm talking about, a KVM CAT5 Extender is a keyboard/video/mouse extension that runs over CAT5 ethernet cable. It allows you to seperate your computer's keyboard/video/mouse from the base CPU unit by long distances (up to 1000 feet). The main advantage with CAT5 versus regular KVM cable is that CAT5 is a lot thinner, cheap, and easy to run through walls/floors.

Belkins has a kit here: KVM CAT5 Extender. The price is around $200, not cheap but still worth it to me if video quality is up to par.

But I have been unable to get much information about video quality. Doing some google searching, I was unable to find any reviews of a CAT5 KVM product. Over at the silentpcreview forums, a person named Katana Man said "Cat5 video/KVM extenders are the worst. I won't even waste another keystroke on them."

Is quality really that bad?

 

[mjrpes2]

*bump for love*

and then i will let this thread die a slow, miserable death

 

[peter7921]

Ever thought about Remote Admin software? Like Real VNC or Remote Admistrator? It allows you to control any PC over a network. I use it on my netowrk all the time i have two servers running with no keyboard, mouse or monitor, i just hook them up to my Network and control them using Remote Admin, you can also control them over the internet. My friend uses "Real VNC" he seems to really like it.

 

[thirdlegstump]

VNC requires another 'dummy' computer though.

I would imagine the vid quality to be mediocre at best as I've seen some horrible ghosting from even 10' VGA extensions.

 

[Dug]

I wouldn't consider anything but Gefen
They have proven to be the best in the industry. But it will cost you more than building another computer.

The cheap kvm extenders just don't work well unless you are using short distances and low resolutions.

If you are extending due to noise, spend the money on noise reduction in the computer or the computer area.

Other things to consider, just buy a high quality video extender along with a good wireless keyboard mouse. There are some keyboard and mice that can go a very long distance.

How far do you need to go?

 

[mjrpes2]

Thanks for the replies.

1. "If you are extending due to noise, spend the money on noise reduction in the computer or the computer area."

What I'm doing now is exploring all options for a 100% silent PC. I already have a very quiet setup, but I'd like get absolute silence while maintaining a fast setup, and I realize that the only way to obtain this is by either seperating the base unit from where you'd use it, or investing in quiet mobile technology that is both more expensive and not as fast. I'm looking at my options right now, and just wanted to see how good this CAT5 KVM technology really is. If it turns out the video quality is poor or the components too expensive, then I'll just be satisfied with my current fairely quiet setup.

2. "Other things to consider, just buy a high quality video extender along with a good wireless keyboard mouse."

My goal would be to have a base unit in my cellar and a connection that runs up to my room. This would require about 50-60 feet of cable and going through 2 walls and 1 floor. To do this with a VGA extender would require the drilling huge holes in my floor/wall that I'd rather not do. The great thing about CAT5 cable is that I already have it installed!

3. "Ever thought about Remote Admin software?"

I currently use the remote administrator feature with windows a lot; it's a blessing when hosting a windows/linux server but it's not possible to play videos or games over such a setup. And like deathkoba said it requires a dummy computer that itself wouldn't be completely quiet, defeating the whole purpose of my project.

4. "I would imagine the vid quality to be mediocre at best as I've seen some horrible ghosting from even 10' VGA extensions."

Actually, if you get high quality parts the quality of VGA extensions can be quite good. Last year I did a KVM set with 15 foot VGA cable extensions and there was no noticable degredation in quality. However, video over CAT5 seems to be a whole different technology so I think it would not be accurate to compare CAT5 to a regular VGA extension (but the lack of reviews on the web makes it impossible for me to compare anything at all).

5. "I wouldn't consider anything but Gefen"

That's a great site and I have bookmarked it. The "CAT5?2000I-USB" would be perfect... video/PS-2/audio/USB. Everything but USB2 (which would be great for external CD-ROM/ flash media add-in). But at $1000, it's way out of my ballpark

 

[mjrpes2]

Heh, I know someday technology like this is going to gain more appeal to the masses, as computers get hotter and noiser and networking multiple computers in a house becomes the norm.

Imagine one day in the not so very distant future, when computers become fast enough that they can easily support multiple clients without a hit in performance. Then, a family would have need for only one base computer, and this could be situated in an out-of-the-way location. From the base computer, you'd run CAT5 or fiber throughout the house to stations, where a box would allow you to hook up a monitor, keyboard, mouse, USB, and audio.

Quiet, economical computer

 

[SUOrangeman]

OK, I run a lab here at work where we occasionally run 10 or so machines via remote CAT5 KVMs. These Avocent (formerly Cybex) LongView units have been fairly successful in the 2+ years we've used them. To give you an idea of our arrangement now:

PC -> LongView -> CAT5 (~30ft or so) -> LongView --->

---> Fiber Transcoder -> Fiber (down two floors) -> Fiber Receiver ------>

------> LongView ->CAT5 (~30ft or so) -> LongView --> "Console"

Needless to say, many points of failure and anything that can fail has failed at least once.

Our configuration could be a little more stable, if we could actually leave it up on a more permanent basis. Unfortunately, we have to break it down at the end of any day we need to use it.

Over the last year or so, we've also tried using straight fiber connections from the PC to the "console" two floors down with varying success. But, alas, we aren't using that right now (hint, hint).

Regardless of the means, we can only push 1280x1024 at 60Hz and have noticed periods of latency with the keyboard and mouse (not so much with the video). And, no, we aren't gaming over these point-to-point links. I haven't seen any products that push higher resolutions.

-SUO

 

[mjrpes2]

Interesting that there is occasional lag with the keyboard and mouse. Yours seems like a special case though, seeing that it goes from PC to CAT5, to Fiber, to CAT, and finally back to Console. I'd only be interesting in PC to CAT5 to console.

I have an LCD screen at 1280x1024 60Hz, so there's no problem there. What is video quality like? I occasionally play games, but I would not be setting up a 133t gaming system. I'm most worried about text quality.

 

[Sunner]

We have an AdderLink extender for a bunch of Cybex KVM switches, and it's ok.
The quality isn't too good, but it's perfectly acceptable for short amounts of time on a 17" monitor at 1024x768.

There's some lag, but it's there even when just using the Cybex and not the extender, so I don't know if the AdderLink would introduce any lag if you had a KVM that didn't have any.

 

[SUOrangeman]

> What is video quality like?

I've seen no serious issues with video worth commenting.

-SUO

 

[mieses]

I have just purchased 2 Belkin Omniview CAT5 KVM Extenders. The ghosting is noticeable on both short and long runs of cat5 and cat5e cable. I'm running 1280x1024, have tried both lcd and analog monitors at various display frequencies. It's very disappointing. The Belkin extender was $200 so maybe it is lower quality than the others that have been mentioned. Belkin seems to have announced a new CAT5 extender system (which is far more expensive than the Omniview Extender) but I'm not sure I would trust their CAT5 stuff at this point.

What is the best value in fiber extenders?