IOGear (GCS632U) 2-port KVM Switch

Having had bad luck with a Belkin USB kvm I picked up this model - the only 2 port USB+audio that was in stock at the local Best Buy.

The device is made of a molded rubberish plastic with permanently attached to-computer cables extending out one side. The kvm devices themselves plug in oppose the PC cables speakers are plugged into the side. Unlike some other KVMs there is no ability to share a microphone.

This device is one of the smallest I've seen (about 6 square inches - but read on for the caveat). Unfortunately the layout is somewhat awkward:

With the device sitting flat on your desk with the IOGEAR logo at the nearest edge (the letters will be upside down) the two sets of molded USB and audio cables will feed out the back, your kvm device cables will extend out the front and the audio cable out the right side. Because the video cable is stiff and can only bend so much it takes up another 6 square inches or so as it bends around towards the back. The audio cable sticking out the right takes up even more space. Because there is no need to physically access the kvm once installed (unless you want to see the LED indicators) you may find it convenient to wedge somewhere with the audio cable exiting upwards - otherwise you may find yourself snagging the cables or burying them under various desk debris.

Aside from the two LEDs indicating which system is active the kvm hub becomes irrelevant: you can switch between the two systems by pressing Scroll Lock twice. The hub intercepts the signal from the keyboard so even if a machine is turned off (for example, the system crashes and must be powered off or locks up and accepts no keyboard or mouse input) the hub will still switch to the other box. This also means that no drivers are required to be loaded on any of the devices. This is a particularly useful bit of design.

For Mac users - or people with systems that use Scroll Lock for other functions or otherwise can't or don't want to use Scroll Lock to toggle system, the switch sequence can be changed to pressing CONTROL twice.

Switching between systems is fast: no longer than a second or three for the new system to start responding. Keyboard/mouse emulation will allow a system to boot even when it does not currently have the focus.

Of limited use to home users is an autoscan mode: typically used by server operators the hub can be asked to automatically switch between systems every 5 seconds or so. The system is also designed to allow a PC keyboard to emulate a Mac or Sun keyboard.

My scroll wheel mouse was specifically tested and works normally. This was very pleasing as some KVMs have trouble with mice scroll wheels.

In my environment I share kvm between a box running XP Media Center edition and a box that has run Knoppix, SuSE, Mandrake, Fedora 3 and Windows Server 2003 without difficulty or noted switching issues.

My biggest complaint is high-end distortion in the audio passthrough. For the casual user/gamer/MP3er this will range from not noticed to minor annoyance. To the hard-core audiophile this will be intolerable and it is recommended that you purchase this device only as a last resort.

For whatever reason this kvm does not appreciate it when my mouse is plugged into my keyboard's USB slot - it wants the keyboard and mouse plugged directly into itself. Unfortunately the USB hub built into the keyboard is unpowered and I have no other USB devices that do not require a powered hub so I do not know if the kvm prevents _any_ USB connectivity through the keyboard - but a powered USB hub is typically preferable anyway.

This device would be acceptable for the majority of home users and in environments where two servers needed constant monitoring. The awkwardness of the cables aside, this device is plug-and-play and is perfectly content to hide out of sight and simply work as expected. Those who demand perfect fidelity or shared microphone input should look elsewhere.