deskthority

I'm looking to utilize my Filco keyboard and G9x mouse with multiple systems in my home office. There are 4 systems in play, 2 running Windows 7/8, and 2 running ESXi (so keyboard only). Video is being switched by an AVR so I'd buy a KM (no V) if there were such a thing. My primary concern is that the KVM doesn't interfere with the functionality of my current keyboard/mouse and would support anything I might add in the future (within reason, I'll assume USB2 here). Has anybody here had any experience with such devices, and how did it impact your kb/mouse performance? Ultimately I'm looking for the ability to switch between inputs but without any impact on performance or functionality vs. plugging straight into the PC.

Here's my criteria in no particular order:

• Minimum 4 ports
• USB switching with full USB performance in all environments (so it should work for BIOS setup, console ESXi, and full support in Windows, while not interering with any "advanced features" of the mouse or keyboard)
• Don't care at all about video, it won't be used
• Likewise, OSD is a non-issue
• 1U Rackmount would be ideal
• Keyboard hot-key switching and panel buttons would both be useful

Here's the desktop in question. If possible, I'd like to stick it in that right rack unit that's currently unpopulated. Bonus points if solution has blinky lights or otherwise looks boss.

Very nice setup.

I share a mouse and keyboard between four computers, too. But via Bluetooth. You can just imagine how awkward that can get when going from one to another. Let's just say the way I switch around between them is non-trivial. Fortunately I don't need to so much.

My limited experience with KVMs is that the way they go about faking the mouse and keyboard's presence for all hosts is where all the weird starts. USB never seemed to be a good match for them. I gave up on sharing wired peripherals long ago.

Do your machines care about the keyboard and mouse being connected at all times? If not, I'd switch them around with a bit of DIY. USB is just four wires internally, and hooking up the appropriate connectors with a nice big switch inside a rack should be eminently doable. Blinking lights optional.

Then again, someone here may already know just the thing you're looking for.

Using a 4 pole 4 position switch is my fallback plan. The problems you describe are spot on, but bluetooth is a non-option for me as the ESXi hosts aren't likely to handle it well.

Bluetooth isn't really an option for gaming, either. I don't so I'm fine, but I can still spot the lag as often as not.