Belkin 2-Port KVM Switch with Audio Support and Built-In Cabling (USB, F1DL102U)

by Belkin

Product Details

Product Manual [355kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.5 x 3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001BRD62
• Item model number: F1DL102U
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 14, 2004

Product Description

Belkin 2-Port KVM Switch with Built-In Cabling F1DL102U KVM Switches

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not up to Belkin standards, June 27, 2004

By 

D. Christensen (Leominster, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Belkin 2-Port KVM Switch with Audio Support and Built-In Cabling (USB, F1DL102U) (Personal Computers)

OK, I own many Belkin products. Up until now, they have not let me down. I would recommend just about anything made by Belkin. Anything but a KVM switch, that is.

Does it work? Yes, but it has some MAJOR drawbacks:

1) Not compatible with all USB keyboards

2) Locks up occasionally, requiring you to disconnect it from all computers

3) Periodically switches your monitor off (standby) for no apparent reason

4) Causes degradation of video signal

For one, the only way you will know is to try it with your USB keyboard. But at about fifty bucks a pop for this KVM, that's an expensive experiment.

For two, this is supposed to be a KVM switch. If you need to disconnect it and reconnect it periodically, what's the point of even having a KVM switch?

For three . . . don't know what to say on this one except that it's very annoying.

Also, the picture displayed on my NEC LCD1760V 17" LCD monitor is distorted when using this KVM. It's not terribly distorted (so I know all the hardware is working AS DESIGNED), but it is noticeably distorted. Basically, if you pass video through this Belkin KVM switch, the video is darker and blurry. Bright white colors take on a slightly gray tinge and text is harder to read than it should be. It's almost like this KVM causes your monitor to lose some contrast. Yes, all cables are properly and FIRMLY connected. This isn't a hardware problem or a connection problem, it is a design problem. I suspect the cables used on this KVM are inferior quality, which is possibly what is causing the video degradation.

I think this one is a waste of money. Normally, Belkin makes great products, so I was REALLY disappointed with this KVM.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars stay away - USB 1.1, May 28, 2005

By 

Jim Hammond (Bristow, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Belkin 2-Port KVM Switch with Audio Support and Built-In Cabling (USB, F1DL102U) (Personal Computers)

This is an improvement over my last KVM, which would only merit one star. This KVM gets a second star because it provides good video quality at 1280x1024 and has a hardware as well as a software switch mechanism.

It has two USB ports. Don't be deceived by the labeling that says one port is for the mouse and one is for the keyboard. You can plug any USB device into either - including a USB hub. USB is USB.

Actually there are two different kinds of USB. There is the older and much slower USB 1.1 vs. the now ubiquitous USB 2.0. However, they are entirley compatible. You just lose significant performance if you plug a 2.0 device into a 1.1 port.

My biggest complaint is that you will naturally want to connect a USB hub to the KVM to share more than just slow devices like a mouse and keyboard. For example, a digital camera, MP3 player, external hard drive, cell phone, printer, scanner, etc. Then you will discover that these devices now run SOOO SLOOOW. The problem is that this device is USB 1.1 instead of the ubiquitous USB 2.0 that you would assume it is, and you must ASSUME because nowhere on their package, booklet, disk, or web site do they mention this critical flaw.

Another short sighted feature is that the USB and audio cables are too short where they split off at each end. If I plug in the USB cable on my laptop, the audio cable needs about six more inches to reach the audio port - and laptops aren't exactly big.

Another problem with laptops is that if yours even starts to go into standy mode, this KVM will no longer recognize it until you reboot it.

If you can be certain that you will NEVER want to share a USB 2.0 device, which is astronomically unlikely, then this is a good KVM.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Typical Belkin Junk, August 6, 2006

By 

gadgetmaster "gadgetmaster" (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Belkin 2-Port KVM Switch with Audio Support and Built-In Cabling (USB, F1DL102U) (Personal Computers)

I wasted a couple hours of life on this JUNK.

Decides for itself when you want to change inputs.

If you push the button, 50% of time it fails to correctly hold new signal after user button press, swapping you back to other machine. The other half of the time it never finds the new signal and swaps you back to the first machine.