Hey folks,
I've seenover 600 posts in here about problems with keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) switches. While I agree that a Logitech KVM would be ideal, here's an alternate idea that might be simpler to support and implement.
Instead of using an actual KVM, I recommend that we look at using multiple unifying receivers.
To do this we have to address a few issues:
a - users will need to switch their video themselves
b - users will need to switch their audio themselves
c - the unifying receivers must be addressable (maybe up to 4 addresses?)
Let's talk about video first. While a KVM would let you switch video, most monitors now have multiple inputs. There are also LOTs of video switches with IR remotes. In my case, I run all my video (and audio) thorugh my home theatre AV receiver. What I'm saying is that there are alternatives to using a KVM to switch video, and this solution I'm proposing assumes that you are okay with using one of those solutions instead of a traditional KVM. Is it perfect? No. But I'd be okay with pressing a hotkey to swap my keyboard/mouse and button on a remote to switch video. Of course, you could use a KVM to swap just your video and use the solution I describe below to swap your keyboard/mouse. You moight even be able to get the same hotkey to switch everything at once.
Audio falls into the same situation as video here. Lots of alternatives and easy to solve.
Now for the Keyboard/Mouse part.
I don't know what the limitations of the current unifying receivers are, but I think Logitech could use some clever software to make this work with the existing receivers.
What we need is at least 2 unifying receivers that can be uniquely idnetified and can operate in the same room without interfering with each other.
If that's possible and Logitech updates Setpooint to support this, then we could do this:
1. Plug in the first receiver.
2. Set the address (via Setpoint on the PC) to A.
3. Pair my mouse and keyboard with reciever A.
4. Tell Setpoint on the first PC that I want to share the mouse and keyboard with other PCs.
5. Plug in a second receiver on a different PC.
6. Set the address (via Setpoint on the PC) to B.
7. Pair my mouse and keyboard with receiver B.
8. Tell Setpoint on the second PC that I want to share the mouse and keyboard with other PCs.
9. Now set a unique hotkey for Receiver A and another hotkey for Receiver B.
10. When I press the hotkey for Receiver A, Receiver A becomes active while Receiver B ignores all comms except its hotkey.
11. When I press the hotkey for Receiver B, Receiver B becomes active while Receiver A ignores all comms except its hotkey.
12. I can extend this to up to 4 unifying receivers.
While not a true KVM solution, this simple solution could allow many people to switch all the peripherals that use the unifying receiver between 2 or more PCs. I believe this would drive people to buy more Logitech peripherals.
In my case, I run my audio and video through my AV receiver, so all I need is a way to swap my keyboard/mouse between my primary and my alternate PCs. I already have a K800 keyboard and I would gladly replace my MS mouse with a Logitech mouse if it meant I could switch between PCs in this way.
What do you think?
