Sure I've asked this before,but I can't find it now and the need has suddenly arisen again.

With the imminent purchase (hopefully) of another suped up barebones tower system, I shall need it to have some form of screen. So, all I basically want to know is there a box of tricks I can plug my normally used 17" screen into, which then has some form of switch to flick between around 4 systems? Would be nice if this could be done.

Having never looked into this, or attempted it before, any help gladly received.

Yes - you can get a KVM switchbox which should allow one set of keyboard, mouse and screen to work multiple machines.

Yes - you can get a KVM switchbox which should allow one set of keyboard, mouse and screen to work multiple machines.

KVM eh? [goes off to google ]

hmmmm. quite a lot aren't they? Cheaper for me to put the 2 towers alongside one another and just flick the data cable between towers. Going to be a rare occurence I need to look at each anyway.

edit2: Actually found some on Ebay for £2 :confused: Such as:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-4-PORT-KVM-SWITCH-BOX-1-monitor-4-computer-Auto_W0QQitemZ5840635374QQcategoryZ45341QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

edit3: I would also need a shedload more wiring - for 3 connections to PCs-Box, assuming controlling mouse/keyboard/monitor goes in the end?

Keyboard

Video

Mouse

This does two on a budget

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=92021

And this does 4

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=92024

I think this

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=14016400981&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=79993

Would be the cheapest for 4 PCs + all cables, etc? I might be using Ebuyer for the parts for my barebones, so shall see.

I'd go for the 4-way one from Ebuyer if I were you. Beware of the cheap eBay ones as some often used their own custom wiring. So if one doesn't come with all the required leads, beware, as it'll cost you a lot more to find the right ones.

I run a 2-port Belkin one at home, for when I'm setting up machines, and they're very handy

Steve

hmmmm. quite a lot aren't they?

Just run all but the main one with out a monitor/keyboard and use remote desktop to access when you need to (assumeing you're using XP).

One thing worth remembering - the cheapest ones tend to be carp

Read: loads of ghosting, can't handle the screen res, and may lock up when you switch between the machines.

Avoid mechanical switches for the same reason - they work a treat for low res but when you get a little more up to the usable range, it's a waste of money.

I've got a few different types, Belkin is ok generally. Be careful if you buy a 4 porter or above, that it includes the cables, as a single KVM cable of say 2m(eter) length can set you back a fair bit of dosh too.

I've got a couple of 2-porter ones that switch using IIRC the print screen key or similar, they coped with a 21" monitor at highest res without a problem

edit: doesnt look like they've got the one I bought any longer, but here's a link at any rate:

http://www.aria.co.uk/ProductsList.asp?Submit=search&Category=139

Im sure it was called an omnicube.

That's a Belkin product (got one sat behind me). It's pretty good, but from what I recall they're not that cheap!

Rob.

I've got a load of the darn things here, the Belkin 4 porter has the optional rackmount, I've also got an 8 port rackmount one and recently got a few that my current employer was chucking out

Got 3 of the 4 porter KVMs that are cheapish, they are ok but not as stable.

Don't use a cheap mechanical one unless you're desperate. I had a 2-port Belkin one which regularly failed to switch over either the keyboard, the mouse, or (most annoying) one of the colour drives to the monitor.

I now have a Linksys electronic one - it has two built-in sets of keyboard, mouse, and monitor leads to go to the PCs (or servers); just plug the keyboard, mouse and monitor into it and away you go. It can be programmed to switch between servers manually (press the scroll lock key twice) or alternate (fast or slow) between servers. It's been working 24/7 for about six months now, and hasn't missed a beat.

I've also got an 8 port rackmount one and recently got a few that my current employer was chucking out

Using them all?

Why don't you try something like RealVNC on the second machine? It'll give the functionality of the machine and only rarely needing the actual keyboard & mouse for boot up issues....

Just a thought....

Why don't you try something like RealVNC on the second machine? It'll give the functionality of the machine and only rarely needing the actual keyboard & mouse for boot up issues....

Just a thought....

Real what now? No idea how that works - must be like a virtual viewer or something eh? Never thought of that TBH. Does that work over the LAN? Is that the idea?

Real what now? No idea how that works - must be like a virtual viewer or something eh? Never thought of that TBH. Does that work over the LAN? Is that the idea?

If they're running XP *Pro*, then you have this functionality built in. RealVNC and its equivalents basically gives you the desktop of the machine, in a web browser window. On the PC you want to view, you setup the port you want to view though, e.g. if the machine is on IP 192.168.0.1 and you'd set RealVNC to run on port 3999, you'd type in http://192.168.0.1:3999 into IE6/Firefox.

I used to use it quite a lot, but the machines I use are now all running XP Pro or 2000 Server, so I can remote into them without this software.

Steve

P.S. If you want to use the Windows Remote Desktop software, it has to be XP Pro; Home doesn't have it.

@Steve/Wardy - yeah that XP Home thing is a real bummer, I bought a laptop in the US of A and it's got an official XP Home installed on it. Annoyingly it doesnt do the Terminal Services service/Remote Desktop which is a royal PITB.

We use VNC a fair bit, a few versions like RealVNC and TightVNC appear to be used throughout the company. The only situation where things get messy is if you use both Remote Desktop and VNC on the same machine, as VNC gets upset after Remote Desktop has been used.