KVM switch...

[ScarDar]

Can anyone recommend a desktop KVM switch that uses the new "white" connector for monitors and USB for the keyboard and mouse. I'm looking for a 4 switch, but a 2 switch would work just fine.

[ScarDar]

Some more details.

Computer 1: main cpu, used for gaming.
#2: server
#3: mac
#4: laptop

There's a few out there, I'm curious if anyone's found one that can handle game level of data traffic through it.

[Rusby]

I've really only used one of these at work.. not much advice I can give. If I were in your shoes I'd start looking here:

The Top Sellers in KVM category on newegg, read what people have to say also:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000290143%204802&name=Top%20Sellers

And by white monitor connectors, I assume you mean DVI? (http://www.gshop.com.au/images/dvi_cable.jpg)

[ScarDar]

Yeah DVI. Been looking over reviews and most can't either a) handle game level of data flow, and b) can't keep a continous singal to a mac so that it doesn't reset the screen resolution to 800x600 on you.

[Torlan]

I work in a buisness testing HD which we use DVI and HDMI, I will see if we have anything around here and let you know the brand if so. I'm not sure we have started usin DVI switches yet though.

[Rusby]

Torlan, do you find most name brand HDMI cables are adequate, or is there a noticeable difference between a $20 or $30 one compared to a +$60 cable?

[Torlan]

To be honest here I have yet to notice any difference between low cost and high cost cables, and to be honest most customers do not either. The ones that seem to go nuts are the ones that hook it up to analizers. Now the one thing will be distance too, as you start getting longer distance in your cable the better quality does get less signal loss. Still for the most part here we use the cheap ones that come with the monitors and the only time we use anything like monster cable is for screen shots and even then to the human eye you won't notice a real difference.

[Torlan]

Also as far as a switch I couldn't find anything, The only thing we have, is a DVI cable that a engineer spliced into 3 BNC connectors to $1000 switch so probably not the best thing for what you are looking for.

[Drakhon]

I hate Monster. Not only are their cables ridiculously overpriced for a minor (if any) increase in signal quality, but they sue all sorts of companies that have "Monster" in their name even when the others are in an industry that has absolutely nothing to do with their own - in other words, no possibility of brand confusion which is what the law requires.

Also, there are plenty of places online to get cheap (price) cables. Retail stores overcharge by a lot on them. I haven't had to buy anything in a while, so I forget the site that I've seen recommended a lot since then, but I'll try to find it.

[ScarDar]

I still love my 2 dollar HDMI cables off amazon...

[Greenmind]

Just out of curiosity, what are you attempting to do with the KVM (other than the obvious). I used to use a KVM switch frmo Belkin but found remote desktop with dual LCDs to work much better. Right now I have 4 machines up on my computer. To use our main server I just mouse over to the 2nd LCD and click once. At the same time I can alt-tab between the other 3 machine remote desktop sessions. It works so much better than a KVM for me and since most of the computing is on the other machines it doesn't use much processor time or memory..

[ScarDar]

I'll probably only have one computer on at a time and working on it. This isn't about having something being processed. This is about coding on the PC one day, and then coding on the Mac the other day, and not having to bend over to switch the cables. However the PC will be for gaming, so if it's switched to it I want to know it can handle it. So really having the Mac reset it's resolution isn't that big of a deal.

Basically I don't want to have to switch my instruments every time I decide to work on one or the other.