Customer Reviews

IOGEAR 2-Port MiniView Micro PS/2 KVM Switch with 2 Cables GCS62

5 star:		(97)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

This is an excellent KVM switch!

I purchased this item because the new KVM switch I got a week before did not provide the performance I expected or required.

The earlier KVM switch was manual and provided a terrible video signal -- full of shadows and ghosts. Granted, this was probably due to the cheap cables that came with the unit but the costs of 2 new sets of cable would have been more expensive than this new switch!

Thus the IOGEAR KVM Switch. For the cost of new cables I got a new automatic switch with integrated and upgraded cables. The video signal and picture quality is excellent, the compact design fits neatly on my desk, and the molded combo cables mean less clutter for my cat to get tied up in -- what more could anyone want?

If you're looking for a KVM Switch that'll help you lose those unwanted pounds, become more attractive, and make you the envy of all your friends and relatives -- this is it!

This product has been needed for a while. I've had two complete systems on my desk for almost a year, and it's been a nuisance. But every time I researched KVM switches, I got dismayed by pricing, apparent problems, set up complexity including having to go out and get your own cables (for more money), poor physical design and so on.

But Finally IOGear listened to the market, which is probably considerable, and designed just the right product. It comes with its own integral cables; in fact, there's little more to it than cables; it sits behind the computers or on the floor, off the desk and out of the way; installation is as minimal as possible, just shut down the computers, unplug the existing devices and plug the switch's cables in in a totally obvious way; it works great with both systems; it has a (finally!) sensible control-key combination, namely two hits on scroll-lock, a key I haven't used in years, so it will never happen by accident; there's no physical switch, but with a good control-key combination, who needs one, and who wants another box on the desk when the whole idea is to save space.

Oh, did I mention that it just works. Well, it does -- mouse, keyboard, and monitor all work perfectly on both systems. And considering the cost of cables, the price is incredible.

This should sell tens, if not hundreds of thousands. It simply nails the market niche. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars.

Now, when is IOGear coming out with their 3- and 4-port models? ;-)

I just got a new computer for Christmas and needed a KVM switch to use my keyboard, monitor and mouse on both my old and new computers. I was looking at other KVM switches, but saw this one at Fry's and bought it for $.... It is a great product. Worked fine first time, every time. No s/w to install. Controlled only by a keyboard hot key. No moving parts to break or wear out. And when you consider that it has 2 sets of 6 ft. cables built into the switch it is much cheaper than the competitors switches (have you seen what they charge for 2 sets of 6 ft. KVM cables these days!). Takes up almost no space and can be positioned under the desk if you wish. Great simple design, reliable, and inexpensive, considering 2 sets of cables are built in. Highly recommend it.

I highly recommend this KVM switch if you need to connect two computers to one monitor/keyboard and mouse. It is extremely easy to hook up: All you need to do is connect your monitor/mouse/keyboard cables to the switch, and then connect the cables to each computer and that's it! The video quality has been great-I have not noticed any decrease in resolution or performance, and my scroll wheel mouse works just the same as it always has. It uses the scroll lock key to switch between the two computers which is very nice. I have used some KVM switches that use the control key to select between the two computers, which in some cases can interfere with the function of the key in some applications.

I will give one word of caution however: Treat the cables like GOLD! This particular KVM has the connecting keyboard/monitor/mouse cables permanently attached to the unit: If any of the pins on the connecting cables to the PCs for the keyboard, mouse or monitor are bent and you can't connect them, you're out of luck. You cannot detach and buy replacement cables like on some KVMs.

I highly recommend this switch as you can't beat the quality for the price.

This product has a major flaw. I bought the Iogear based on the reviews here and else where. Brought it back. The mouse would not function on the line attached to my IBM laptop docking station. I found a note at the end of the instruction booklet that says it doesn't work with IBM and Toshiba laptops. No mention on the package and none in the reviews. BAD! IBM and Toshiba are huge so this is not a small flaw. I returned it a bought the Belkin which works flawlessly.

I have a laptop (Thinkpad) and a desktop at home and this seemed like the ideal product to get.

However, when set to the Thinkpad, the mouse doesn't work.. The manual says ... " for certain laptops, you can connect either the mouse or the keyboard".. And this incompatibility makes it pretty yucky.. There was an older review that mentioned this fact. I wish I had read it, in which case, I would have not purchased this product.

Now, what I have is, 1 keyboard, 1 monitor and 2 mice (one connected to the KVM and one to my laptop). So when I switch machines, I have to start using the other mouse.

Overall, the setup is better than what I had before.

Connects in seconds. I purchased this KVM so I don't have to keep unhooking my main pc to test other units people have me work on. It also works great with my USB microsoft explorer optical mouse. I had to use the USB to PS/2 adapter that came with the mouse. All the buttons work and the scroll wheel functions perfectly. Works exactly like I wanted it to. Highly recommended!!

Hooked this up to a Dell desktop and an IBM T43P via docking station. Mouse doesn't work with IBM laptop, even if laptop is rebooted. Checked the manual and it says if you have an IBM or Toshiba laptop, it won't support both mouse and keyboard so use the laptop's keyboard. Yeah right!

I called customer service, which has no toll-free number, long wait time, and they eventually just said "yep, doesn't support IBM".

Wish I had sorted the reviews by "worst first" before buying, rather than relying on the overall rating.

What a piece of junk. I am tired of having to restart my machine because this thing bonked out because I typed too quickly. Apparently it cannot process too many keystrokes.

When I type quickly, the Iogear Mini KVM switch apparently gets confused and freezes up and starts "switching" the monitor off, then on, then off, then on in 1 second intervals. The keyboard is no longer responsive.

The only way to fix it is to turn it off by unhooking everything that can provide electricity to the unit (all cords to both PCs).

However, sometimes that doesn't fix it, and I have to restart my machine, which means I lose ALL unsaved work.

My advice is that, if you work from home, AVOID this at all costs. If you are in the middle of doing anything important and you type one-too-many-keys at the wrong moment, your work is toast.

Very simple to configure and very good price. Only two minor quibbles the first is that there is a very slight video signal degredation (probably due to the extra lengths of cable) and secondly more a quirk with windows 98 and my matrox video driver in that I can only specify the refesh rate as default or optimal. If set to optimal the card will go to the highest rate the device can support. If I boot with the kvm set to the XP computer the kvm allows 85hz refresh and when I switch to the 98 machine I get an out of range error on the monitor whereas if I boot with the kvm set to the 98 machine it can see the monitors max of 75hz and all is well. Nutshell is I must boot the 98/matrox machine seeing the peripherals, the other XP machine I can set the refresh rate of 75hz on the video adapter so it doesn't try and auto sense and can be booted not seeing the peripherals. Also final note I do have a Microsoft intellimouse and using the included USB to PS/2 adapter works fine with the kvm.