As the title says, I need a KVM to allow me to switch between the Sam440 & my Windows PC. I think this means that I need a KVM which supports DVI switching (not VGA), USB keyboard & mouse switching, and audio switching.

KVMs seem quite expensive, and the cheapest suitable one I could find with reasonable reviews is the StarTech.com 2 Port KVM. I am guessing that this is identical internally (and at the rear) to the Avocent SwitchView.

Does anyone have any experience with this KVM, or can anyone recommend any other similarly priced KVMs?

Can anyone think of any problems using this KVM with a Sam440 & a Windows PC? I have an Apple Keyboard & a Microsoft Trackball, both USB.

BTW, as my LCD monitor only has VGA input, I assume that I can just attach a DVI-to-VGA adapter on the output of the KVM?

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Quote:

BTW, as my LCD monitor only has VGA input, I assume that I can just attach a DVI-to-VGA adapter on the output of the KVM?

Having spoken to the KVM manufacturer, it seems that using a DVI KVM with a VGA monitor (via an adapter) is a *bad* idea, and will not work - without using some very special/rare cables (DVI-A for connecting both computers to the KVM.)

One possible work-around is to connect *each* computer via a DVI-to-VGA adapter *and* a VGA-to-DVI adapter (so it starts & finishes as DVI, with VGA in the middle), to make a normal DVI cable act like a DVI-A cable. However, I am unsure what affect this will have on the display quality (plus it will be an ugly kludge)...

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@ChrisH

I use a 4-way KVM switch with my Sam 440, Ai-XE, Micro A1-C and Pegasos.

However with the switch I am using the SAM is not recognized unless I have either the A1 or Micro A1 also powered-up. I am currently traveling away from home and can not remember the manufacturer. It is a typical RGB & ps/2 type KVM switch.

TrevorD

Last edited by TrevorDick on 14-Oct-2008 at 10:36 AM.

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@ChrisH

The SAM440 boards are delivered with a DVI->VGA adapter, which I was using via a PS2/VGA 2 port KVM. This required the use of a PS2->USB adapter on the SAM too.

Simon

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Simon

Comments made by me on any public fora are not representative of, or on behalf of, any company I may have, or assumed by the reader to have, any association with.

Any comments are a personal opinion, and should be accepted as such.

I am somewhat worried that I may have wasted money on a KVM that uses DVI (not VGA) connectors, because I read somewhere (can't remember where) suggesting that OS4 on Sam does not support Digital signal on DVI. Can anyone confirm this? (m3x?)

(I don't have any KVM cables yet, to test if it works.)

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Author of the PortablE programming language.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue...

@ChrisH

Does your monitor have two inputs or could you stretch to one that does? If so, you can use the monitor to switch the video and use VNC to direct mouse and keyboard events so you only need one mouse and one keyboard.

I always found video switchers reduce image quality.

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AmigaONE XE G4
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OK, I rediscovered why I thought OS4 might not support Digital on DVI - at the back of the Sam440 manual, it says "DVI Digital support from Uboot is under development, but works under Linux CruxPPC." I am unclear whether (a) this affects OS4, and (b) whether this is still true about Uboot (it could be out of date).

@gadgetgaz
One of the reasons for using DVI is that quality should be unaffected (if it uses the digital signal).

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Author of the PortablE programming language.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue...

Does no-one know the answer?

_________________
Author of the PortablE programming language.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue...

@ChrisH

I am using a generic 4-port KVM switch DD-204 (made in China I think?) It has RGB & PS/2 connectors. As mentioned above my SAM 440/OS4.1 works with it but the SAM is not recognized unless I have my A1-XE also powered up at the same time.

Hope that helps?

TrevorD

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No, I don't need no reason, I'm just breezin'

@TrevorDick
By "RGB" I assume that you mean VGA? That isn't any help to me, because the issue is with DVI. (In particular, my KVM (and possibly others) requires digital signals on the DVI connector, even though DVI also supports analogue.)

_________________
Author of the PortablE programming language.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue...

@TrevorDick

Quote:

TrevorDick wrote: @ChrisH I use a 4-way KVM switch with my Sam 440, Ai-XE, Micro A1-C and Pegasos. TrevorD

1: Does Morphos Detect the monitor? I couldn't seem to get my Peg2 to work very well for that reason, even attempting to set a manual screen resoultion didn't work too well as it forgot the settings when I reset.

2: Show off!

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Rage quited 29th May 2011

@Stephen_Robinson

Yes, without the A1-XE powered up the KVM switch does not see my Peg 2?

Quote:

2: Show-off!

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No, I don't need no reason, I'm just breezin'

@TrevorDick

I used a Level One KWM Switch for my PC and Pegasos2. Now I switch SAM over Pegasos2 and is working great. Of course the PC must be turned on if I want to use the Amiga. Strange though, or these switches are working like that (I have pc in the first, and the Amiga in the second switches).

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@Phantom

Yes I've noticed that phenomena too! All the KVM switches I've tried so far have the same problem? Perhaps I need to use a powered KVM switch?

Trevor

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No, I don't need no reason, I'm just breezin'

@TrevorDick

Maybe, because normal switches must take power from somewhere. In my example, the first is pc, so from there.

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Oh well, at least my KVM is (optionally) powered even though I don't yet know if OS4 (or UBoot) will work with it...

_________________
Author of the PortablE programming language.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue...

Good news: My DVI-only KVM works with my Sam440 (and PC), so Uboot & OS4 must support a Digital signal on the DVI output

Bad news: I boot without a Startup-sequence with the KVM plugged in via USB. So it has to be disconnected until it starts booting . I'm going to make a new thread about this, so please don't discuss this here.

Last edited by ChrisH on 09-Nov-2008 at 10:55 PM.
Last edited by ChrisH on 09-Nov-2008 at 09:33 PM.
Last edited by ChrisH on 09-Nov-2008 at 09:33 PM.

_________________
Author of the PortablE programming language.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue...

@ChrisH

Quote:

Good news: My DVI-only KVM works with my Sam440 (and PC), so Uboot & OS4 must support a Digital signal on the DVI output.

Sorry, didn't see that question before. Yes, OS 4.1 does support DVI and interrogates the monitor for its specs.

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cheers
tony

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