[geeks] geeks Digest, Vol 193, Issue 8

[Fred]

On Tue, 19 Feb 2019 geeks-request at sunhelp.org wrote:

> From: Jonathan Patschke <jp at celestrion.net>

> For low-resolution analog video, they're fine.  Many of the horror stories
> from those boxes come from using them to switch parallel printers (whose
> buses can carry appreciable power when driven by old hardware) or PC

Understood.   I seem to remember that from very early on in my career.

> If you're still nervous, get a three-way switch, and leave the position in
> the middle open so you can quiesce the data lines mid-switch. :)

I believe this is what they did for printers when I did see them in use
"back in the day".   I remember one of my mentors saying - it's not a gear
shift - go slowly.

> From: Lionel Peterson <lionel4287 at gmail.com>
>
> The mechanical switches are OK, but Sub-optimal.

Sub optimal is OK for home lab use.  The terminals get used occasionally,
and the VT525 "more" as it's for when I don't have a desktop turned on and
want to check the mail quickly.  I can check the mail with the terminal
and be logged out before my main desktop is logged in and sitting at the
Windows desktop.

> From: Mouse <mouse at Rodents-Montreal.ORG>
>
> And, of course, that's assuming the switchbox _is_ break-before-make.

A good point.   For the price point at this vendor, I'm not sure.  ... but
it's not like I'm going to be constantly switching it.  As I mentioned
above, it's pretty much going to sit at one position most of the time, and
only one terminal will be left on (the 5250, as it's the console ...)

Thanks for the responses all.

Fred