Customer Reviews

Belkin F1DG102U Flip 2-Port KVM Switch with Audio Support (USB Connection)

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(39)

 

 

Just what I was looking for - an easy way to run a desktop server and docked laptop with one monitor, one keyboard and one mouse.

A few things you should know before plunking down for this -

1) Make sure you are using a keyboard and mouse that are either BOTH usb, or BOTH ps2. If you mix and match, you'll need an adapter for one of them, or have to replace the one that doesnt connect. They sell this product with usb or ps2, so you can pick. My keyboard was not usb, but I bought the usb version, since my next one probably will be.

2) Switching back and forth isnt instantaneous. It take about 5 seconds for it to adjust before you can use your mouse, which is also accompanied by some "recognized hardware" noises, but mercifully, no popup announcements.

3) Another issue, is your screen resolution. Supposedly this supports up to 2048 x 1536 at 65Hz. However, after hooking it up, my resolution has been degraded. The settings are the same (1280x1024) at highest 32 bit color and 65Hz refresh, but the screen is noticeably more blurry, which is a bit irritating. Perhaps I will figure this out, but so far, no luck.

Aside from these issues, nice product. No software required, so you just plug it in and go. Some people have mentioned that this doesnt work with a scroll button on a mouse, but my MS mouse two-button with scroll works the same as ever.

Will repost if I resolve any of the above issues...

My experience was similar to what several others here have mentioned. The first day I hooked it up, it worked. The next day it did not. When I hit the button to switch computers I get unreliable results...usually it switches the video but not the mouse and keyboard. I have found that by flipping it about 4 times it will sync itself and I get control of the desired computer.

You might have to jiggle the remote switch plug a little before you get contact. The light on the remote switch must glow either green or yellow. If not, jam the plug in harder.

When it was working, I did find an annoying 6 second delay before the mouse and keyboard would activate. The video is instant. I'm also trying an Airlink 101 and I find it switches instantly, so it can be done.

It's a nice attractive design and the snake style combined usb/video cable to the computer is great along with pervasive yet subtle color coding. I love the cute little remote switch button with long thin extension cable for convenient placement; it can also be used as a foot switch, which is great. I like having a dedicated hardware switch rather than hot-key only operation. Device requires no software....a major plus, but hotkey operation is available with a software download. Airlink 101 has a built in hotkey, Belkin should do that too since it allows hotkey operation with no software.

Other people here have more patience or are more forgiving of quirks....they say it's finicky. Or in my case I could say "just click it four times and it might do it." Blather....it either works or it doesn't, and it don't! A simple device like this has no excuse not to work perfectly, all day, every day. How hard can it be...we're not splicing DNA here. A first rate design at a good price, unfortunately DOA.

I bought this little KVM after researching some others which were generally uglier or more expensive. The Belkin Flip is one of the first KVM's I have seen where a company is at least trying to go after the average consumer with something that looks nice and has a convenient switch that can sit on your desktop (about 1-1/2 inches in diameter).

If you are simply using this to connect a desktop, laptop, monitor,keyboard and mouse that are all more or less standard, then this is for you. If, however, you are a serious gamer, have a large monitor and high screen resolution, or use an operating system other than Windows, then (based on other reviews) this KVM may be too low-tech for you and not work well with your system.

I got this mainly to be able to hook up my work laptop to my monitor, mouse and keyboard at home, without having to disconnect my desktop. And it has worked fine.

As some people have noted, sometimes the remote flip is buggy, but I found that if you plug it in and out of the base unit, that it finally "catches" and then works fine. Also, the switch is not instantaneous, it takes about 3-5 seconds, but is not bad at all.

Overall, a pretty good product, but not perfect.

Belkin Flip USB with Audio - Folks, I too experienced some of the problems. Display resolution was a problem initially. Once I reset resolution on each system after installation of the Belkin Flip it seems to work fine.

I have mine hooked up to IBM T400 laptop with port replicator and my IBM ThinkCentre desktop. HPL1710 monitor. Logitech MK300 wireless kbd/mse and Altec Lansing VS2620 plain jane speakers.

Installation is sequence sensitive. If you did what I did and ripped open the package and just started plugging in things and expected it to work you would be disappointed, as I was. I was getting strange behavior when switching. I then decided to RTFM! Read the manual from Belkin. I took off all cables and restarted the installation using Belkin instructions and all worked well. It works from cold start with one system. Then while working on one do power on of other system and wait a few minutes. Switch to other system to continue boot up and all worked fine. Switch between both and all is good. Great value for the money and removed a rats nest of cables, keyboards, speakers, mouses (or mice if you wish). Hope this helps.

I am an Desktop Admin at a medium size organization. I purchased 5 of these thinking they would be something like the IOGear version ( http://www.amazon.com/Iogear-GCS632U-MiniView-Switch-Cables/dp/B0001BVXI6/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1231541736&sr=8-1 )
They turned out to be utter junk. I connected them just like the directions said (which is different than traditional KVMs that tell you NEVER attache the KVMs with the computers turned on) and they worked. For a short period of time. Shut down the computers and turn them back on? The first computer had no mouse or keyboard movement. Then switch to the second computer, and the video switches but the mouse and keyboard start moving on the first computer. (I was using a dual monitor on the first computer to ascertain this) Troubleshooting hardware is a huge part of what I do every day, and this piece of junk could not be made to work right for more than one day. They are a complete waste of money. The reason for the 6 second delay for the mouse and keyboard to respond when switching? This KVM is purely an electro-mechanical switch. You can HEAR it click over. Then you hear Windows beep in response to the fact that you just plugged in a mouse and keyboard. The point of a KVM is to always make the computers that are connected THINK they still have the mouse, keyboard, and video connected, even when you are switched to the other computer. I might as well have a big rotary switch at my desk like the old A/B switches. Also when you boot up a computer on this, it complains that no keyboard or mouse was found, until windows starts up. Dear Belkin EVEN A CHEAP KVM NEEDS TO EMULATE THE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE AS SOON AS THE COMPUTER POWERS UP. Buy the IO Gear I mentioned above. Same price and WAY more reliable. Also it supports hot keys. I actually liked the little push button switch with the colored LED, but it's useless if it doesn't work right.

I've had the Flip for a few months now and I really like it. I use it to switch between a Linux/Windows dual-boot PC and a Mac laptop, and I often switch my keyboard and mouse several times in one day; pushing the Flip button is much easier than swapping even one USB cable.

KVMs used to be purely the domain of server rooms with racks of computers, and as a specialized tool, they were expensive - doubly so because you had to buy the cables separately. The Belkin Flip is all-inclusive, as cheap as any KVM I've ever seen on the market, and it has some nice features designed just for desktop users, like the remote control and audio support. Belkin even added features to let users switch individual peripherals from one machine to another. For instance, the Flip is designed to let you play music from computer A while working with computer B, then switch the audio over later to play a game on B. Pretty cool idea, but I can't comment on how well this works because I haven't had a need for this feature myself.

Color-blind users may not be able to tell the yellow and green LED colors apart - I can't; it took me some time before I even figured out that the LED was changing color at all (I thought it was just a handy power indicator). Given that there are only two ports, though, it's not hard to know what to do if the keyboard's not responding: push the single button, wait a second or two, then try again.

One thing that's a bit odd about the Flip is that you sometimes have to push the button after you turn on just one computer; ideally, it would recognize that power was only coming from one port and switch to that one by default. It's not a big deal; again, just push the button, wait a sec, and you're good to go. There may be a setting that will fix this, since the switch is software-configurable, but I haven't bothered to look.

I had the same minor problem with the remote's cable connector not being fully inserted as was reported by another user. Just push a little harder on the connector than you normally would with headphones or phone chargers to ensure the connection is made. This was only an issue during setup - since I got it connected, it has stayed connected.

I don't use the Flip for switching video, since I'm using DVI on one computer and VGA on another, and can use my monitor's built-in switch. I tried switching video with the Flip and it worked fine, but I prefer the quality of pure digital DVI output when I can get it, and downgrading to VGA to use a single switch for every peripheral wasn't worth it to me.

The switch is just a bit quirky. It did not work well with the Dell monitor I have, but I got around that by hooking up the laptop to the monitor via VGA and a desktop to the monitor via DVI. The other interesting thing is that the switch has a color to represent which computer you are selecting. That gets out of whack if you don't boot the computers up in a certain order. Which mean the sound gets out of sync of the mouse and keyboard. So I have the desktop hooked up to speakers and the laptop sound just via internal specker. So all I am truly using the device for is to switch keyboard and mouse. Sound and video are not going through the switch as designed. If you plan to buy, I recommend getting the one without sound. The video might be OK with a monitor other than the Dell 19 Ultrasharp I have. It is still a cheap solution

Don't get this unless you intend to spend considerable time under your desk... Mine works for up to two days at a time, whereupon I must climb under my desk to un and re-plug the USB ports in both computers to reactivate it. Watch your head getting back up, and expect to do this several times a week. Also, sound won't always shift with computers, so you'll get the sound from one computer with the KVM of the other.

I purchased this with some hesitation given the negative reviews below, but I found it to work just fine. I have to add one disclaimer; one of my computers has a digital video output, and the other doesn't, so I use the digital/analog switch on my monitor to handle the video, so I have not really tested that function. The audio switching works flawlessly. Someone mentioned a 30-second delay on switching, but I have not experienced that. There is a slight delay with both machines - about 1 or 2 seconds - and then the "new USB device" tone sounds and everything works. When I first installed the KVM switch, it did not respond to the remote switch, but I found that was because it's plug was not inserted all the way into the socket. I like having the remote switch separate from the KVM switch unit itself, so I can keep the cables out of the way but do not have to reach to switch between machines.

This is a great product. I have been using this for more than a year with no problem. It could be a little cheaper but the convinience it gives me is worth it. I have quite a few Belkin products and they seem to work very well. I use this switch to connect one 24" LCD monitor to to two PCs, one with Windows ME and one with Vista.
I highly recomend this to anyone who wants to share one monitor with two PCs -simply and effectively without any fuss!