[Sunhelp] KVM switchboxes (was RE: [Sunhelp] Info for my AXi)

[McMurry, James A.]

Which reminds me:

I have some Suns with the type 5 Sun keyboard and mouse, but SVGA video
connectors.  I'd like a 4 to 1 KVM(*) switchbox for them using a bare-bones
Sun 17" monitor with a SVGA connector that I already have.  Problem is,
since these systems have the proprietary Sun keyboard (and I want to keep
all the extended functionality which that entails), a simple PC switch won't
do.  Since they have SVGA video, a Sun-specific KVM switch won't do.

What to do?  (heh)

I've used modular devices like the Cybex Autoboot Commander 4xP before, but
that's overkill for this (I'm sad to say; it's a cool product.)

A vendor put together a quote for a 4x1 switch which was over $3000.  Sorry,
but I can just buy another cabinet for that much and give everything its own
monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

Anyone know where I can find a decent KVM switch that will support Sun
keyboards and mice, but SVGA video on the machines and monitor?  

Thanks,

James McMurry
GNMC Systems Support Manager
Destia Communications, Inc.
Chesterfield, MO  63017
james.mcmurry at destia.com

(*) KVM = "Keyboard, Video, and Mouse", just in case...




-----Original Message-----
From: James Lockwood [mailto:lockwood at isi.edu]
Sent: Monday, June 28, 1999 2:23 PM
To: sunhelp at ohno.mrbill.net
Subject: Re: [Sunhelp] Info for my AXi


On Mon, 28 Jun 1999, Paolo Di Francesco wrote:

[snip]

> 4) I have a problem: I have more workstations than monitors. (1 monitor!)
> So I would connect the monitor and the workstations usign a switch. I 
> have tried a 20$ manual switch (blah...) but you can use it at very low 
> freq (640x480) and it's not useful under X.... Have you tried (cheap!!!) 
> digital switch models?

Never tried them, but you would probably want to get a VGA-style digital
switch as 13W3 switches are extremely expensive.  If you get good results
from a cheap solution let us know, many people could use this.

-James