Customer Reviews

Belkin Flip DVI-D KVM Switch with Remote F1DG102D

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

This is my third KVM in a hunt for a unit that would work with a Logitech G15 gaming keyboard and Razer Copperhead gaming mouse. The issue with both of these devices is that they both draw some power, and in the case of the mouse - a good bit of USB bandwidth. For whatever reason, most KVM units on the market do not seem to like them. Most only work with fairly generic USB mice/keyboards. The Flip DVI is the first KVM I've used that works reliably with both. So if you're hunting for a unit that works with more exotic hardware, this is definitely worth consideration.

Aside from that issue, these seems to be your basic, attractively designed, well functioning KVM (with audio) that does what it's supposed to do. I like the small remote unit -- much handier than bulkier units, and the small color coded LED light tells you which computer you're using.

You can also download software that allows you to use keyboard commands to switch, as well as listen to music coming from one computer while using the other. I've works as advertised. I tend to prefer the remote, but if you're a keyboard junky, or you want to use these advanced features, it seems to work well.

I haven't had the unit long enough to comment on reliability/durability, but so far I'm impressed with what I've seen, and it does exactly what I need it to do. I've used a lot of Belkin gear over the years, and I'm typically impressed with what they put out.

I have been using this KVM switch for several months now to switch my 30" Dell monitor running at 2560x1600 between two Dell desktop computers.

The first KVM swtich that I received was terrible. I saw bright flashes followed by a black screen and then a few seconds later it would recover. This happened a few times a day. Every few seconds I would see colored horizontal lines flicker across the screen. The third issue was corrupted video across the entire screen that made everything look gritty. The only way to resovle this was to power everything down and back up again. This is a huge hassle with multiple computers and multiple monitors. Everything tries to auto resize and reconfigure and it can take a long time to get it all straightened out again. Those of you with multi-monitor setups know what I am talking about.

I called tech support numerous times and they had me try many things (switch to a different AC wall plug, swap the two video cables between the two computers, unplug everything and re-plug it all in again, power cycle the switch and so on) none of which solved the problem more than temporarily. Belkin's final tech support resolution to the problem was to tell me to run at a lower resolution. Right. Pay $1,500 for a monitor and then hobble it because of a Belkin Quality control problem. Tech support also told me that this switch did not support 2560x1600 resolutions (a quick reference to the Belkin website that clearly states it can got us past this one). They then told me that this switch did not support dual link DVI which again the website says it does. Clearly there was a delay in getting information from Belkin to their tech support team on their latest products and specs.

I tried to get them to replace the unit on call five and six but they would not. I finally went to the Belkin website and setup a replacement myself. The replacement arrived quickly and every single problem went away and has not returned over the following several months that I have been using it. I have found from Googling that I am not the only person seeing these problems.

The other issue to know before you buy is that the switching speed is not acceptable if you switch back and forth rapidly when you work. I just timed it twice and it took over 20 seconds to switch each time. The video switches reasonably fast (a few seconds) but the keyboard and mouse take a very long time. I only switch a few times a day so it works for me but if I had to switch a lot like I have in the past it would not have been usable. I have used many other KVM switches over the years for work and some switch as fast as you can type. If you need that kind of switching speed then don't buy this switch.

Wanted to share a huge 30" 2560x1600 monitor requiring a div-d interface supporting 2560x1600 between a Mcacintosh pro and a home-grown pc running Vista (64 bit) with an invidea 8600 graphics card. Everything worked great except the remote switch which did not work at all. Keyboard software worked fine.

If you have a giant display that requires dual link DVI, your KVM options are limited. I'd read some trouble reports about this one, so wanted to share that it seems to work beautifully with my Apple 30" Cinema Display.

My only nitpick about this product is the downright ugly remote. Looks like something from the early 80s with pastel green and yellow, and feels even worse when you click it. Would also have been nice for them to offer the option of USB power, this one has to have a wall wart.

It is not worth my time to call and talk to tech support anymore, but it is to warn other customers away from this product. DON'T BUY IT. I have a PC and MAC tower, and am a professional film designer. The keyboard and mouse freeze when I play games on either machine if they are attached to this. everything is fine if the key/mouse are plugged directly into the computers. The monitor switching works fine, but why don't they charge me only $30 for a monitor switch and throw out the crap that doesn't work?

I called Belkin 5 times and got lots of instructions to plug, unplug etc. I did everything they asked. No results. They said they would have the "Firmware department" call me and they never called. BIG SURPRISE.

Don't Buy.

I needed to share a large 1920x1200 monitor, keyboard and mouse between a Mac and PC laptop. After using the flip for a few weeks I like the following:
* Comes with the additional cabling required.
* Easy to hide the box that interconnects the cables - all that is seen is the little round switch.
* Easy to tell which cables go with which switch position since they are color coded.
* No software required on either Mac or PC to make it work if you don't want to use keyboard switching.
* Monitor display quality is unaffected as far as I can tell.
* It has not caused any crashes or hangs on either computer.

Issues - none that were not self inflicted. Being a Mac user I did not bother reading the instructions at first and there is an important power on sequence for the PC to get it to recognize and use the monitor. Once I followed the instructions all was well and the switch has worked well since. There is a short delay after switching before the mouse and keyboard work on the PC but I don't think this is an issue with the Flip.

I purchased this KVM for my home office, where I have a Windows PC and a MacBook Pro. I haven't nailed down the exact steps to reproduce the problem, and this may be specific to my setup, but a couple times a week the KVM is unable to switch the keyboard and mouse over to the PC. I have to unplug the keyboard from the KVM and plug it directly into the PC, and I usually have to power-cycle the KVM.
When it works, it works well. The video is indistinguishable from direct connection. I really like the concept and the form factor. I just wish it was a little more consistent.

It took a little while but I got it working. A few comments may help others.

The description is vague, even on the Belkin web site. The base unit is roughly 5 inches by 4.5 inches by 1 inch. However, space is also needed for the connecting cables and connectors. One of the two cables coming out the back of the base is about 2 feet long; the second is about 6 feet long. Both terminate in DVI male connectors. Coming out the back of each of those two DVI connectors are two wires each about a foot long. One has a standard USB connector, the other a standard audio plug. Both plug into ports on the back of the computer. If you are switching from a PS/2 mouse and keyboard to USB versions, you need to make sure that the BIOS accepts a USB mouse and keyboard and that they are "enabled" in the BIOS setup utility. Switching from one computer to the other takes about 5 seconds. The remote goes "THUNK" when pressed, the base unit responds with "tick." I had a problem with "jumpy" cursors when using a previous analog KVM switch; this is not a problem with the new digtal switch. Also, faint shadows that echoed icons and other images (probably due to reflections in the analog cable connecting the computer and the monitor) have disappeared. A new problem was that the display would occasionally blank out for a second or two when connected to one of my computers (with an ATI video card and a linux OS). When I switched from the open-source "radeon" driver to the proprietary "fglrx" driver, that problem went away. Finally, the XP "new hardware wizard" had to run to get XP to recognize the new hardware. I haven't had the unit long enough to comment on its reliability.

I purchased this product from Amazon and one of the two video channels was dead on arrival. Prior reviewers have noted similar problems. I returned it and purchased the IOGEAR GCS932U which worked perfectly and also appears to be of better quality. It even costs less. Belkin should spend less on packaging and more on their product. I administrate a wireless Internet service provider.

Just received the unit today and it was truly plug-and-play. I am running an Intel Mac Pro and a Unibody MacBook Pro with a 23" Cinema Display. Since the mouse plugs into the mac keyboard, I use the USB mouse port on the KVM for a Wacom Tablet. Took about 15 minutes to get it all set-up, but everything has worked great. The dual screens are great with the MBP.

My only slight complaint, and the reason for the four star review, is that there is a slight quality degrade that I noticed when the screensaver is on. (You can see a refresh line running up the screen occasionally.) I have not noticed it any other time than when the screen saver is on. I use my system for graphic design work, and there are no other quality issues as far as I can tell. Totally compatible with Macs and easy to use. Highly recommended by this buyer!