IOGEAR 4-Port MiniView Micro PS/2 Audio KVM Switch with 4 Cables GCS614A

by Iogear

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8 x 3.2 x 11 inches ; 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001Q5SLY
• Item model number: GCS614A
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #51 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > External Components > KVM Switches
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 7, 2004

Product Description

Size Name: 4-port

From the manufacturer

Introducing the four port MiniView Micro Audio KVM switch from IOGEAR - a simple solution for those with more PCs than hands. Use one keyboard, one monitor and one mouse to control four PCs or Macintosh systems*, and share the multimedia speakers among them. This self-powered KVM switch features mouse & keyboard emulation to ensure smooth operation, as well as support for Plug-n-Play monitors and most wheel mice. Our patented VSE Video Signal Enhancement® technology provides rich, 32-bit color at resolutions up to 2048 x 1536. With KVM cables (6' long) molded into the unit, all you need to do is to plug it into your computers, and you've got a complete KVM solution from IOGEAR.

* Macintosh support requires IOGEAR's Mac Adapter.

Features

• Use one keyboard, monitor and mouse to control four computers
• Share multimedia speakers among four computers
• 6’ long molded-in cables to simplify setup
• Microsoft Intellimouse, Logitech FirstMouse+, MouseMan+, and most PS/2 mice are supported
• Port selection through convenient Hot Keys
• PS/2 mouse emulation for error-free boot-up
• Save space and reduce desktop clutter
• Plug-n-Play monitor support
• Support video resolutions up to 2048 x 1536
• No software required
• Built in AutoScan mode
• LEDs allow for easy status monitoring

Product Description

Introducing the four port MiniView Micro Audio KVM switch from IOGEAR - a simple solution for those with more PCs than hands. Use one keyboard, one monitor and one mouse to control four PCs or Macintosh systems, and share the multimedia speakers among them. This self-powered KVM switch features mouse keyboard emulation to ensure smooth operation, as well as support for Plug-n-Play monitors and most wheel mice. Our patented VSE Video Signal Enhancement technology provides rich, 32-bit color at resolutions up to 2048 x 1536. With KVM cables (6ft long) molded into the unit, all you need to do is to plug it into your computers, and youve got a complete KVM solution from IOGEAR.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Limited support for audio, June 14, 2004

By 

Madbreaks "Madbreaks" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: IOGEAR 4-Port MiniView Micro PS/2 Audio KVM Switch with 4 Cables GCS614A (Personal Computers)

This is the second KVM switch I've owned. I was excited to have audio support. However, upon setup I found that audio response was very poor ~ next to no response from my subwoofer, and all low-end sound seemed to be filtered out. I emailed IOGEAR's support department and received the following response:
------------
Greetings,

Thank you for contacting us.

Subwoolfers are not supported by this KVM. It will only support a powered two speaker setup. We are changing the packaging to reflect this.

I apologize for any inconvenience.
------------

...very disappointing, as this not-so-minor detail is not mentioned anywhere on IOGEAR's website, not in the product brochure.

Aside from this drawback, the switch works as you'd expect. One minor gripe I have is that the hotkey sequence 'ctrl-alt-shift-#', where '#' corresponds to the computer you'd like to access, is kind of a pain. My previous KVM switch used a double-tap of the scroll lock key...which became second nature after using it for a while. I'm not sure why such a long hotkey combination is necessary. Granted, this is only a minor drawback. On the possitive side, setup was a no-brainer, and my Logitech wireless keyboards works perfectly (despite IOGEAR's warning that wireless keyboard and mice aren't fully supported).

Bottom line? If audio is important to you and you have more than two speakers, you'll definitely want to consider other options. If audio's not important, you may still be able to find a cheaper 4-port KVM swich which does not have audio integration.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Works well, but the documentation stinks!, December 30, 2008

By 

M. Verive - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: IOGEAR 4-Port MiniView Micro PS/2 Audio KVM Switch with 4 Cables GCS614A (Personal Computers)

First off, I'm a techie, and not afraid to experiment with *any* computer device. So, when I couldn't get this to work (yes, I read the directions!), I had to scour the web and discovered that the hot key sequence as described in the documentation (Ctrl-Alt-Shift) does NOT tell you that you need to hit AND RELEASE all keys in sequence. From the other reviews, I'm not the only user who had trouble discovering this anomaly, but now that I have it working, I suggest that you approach the key sequence as follows: tap and release the ctrl key, then the alt key, and finally the shift key, and you should see the Caps Lock and Scroll Lock lights alternate. Then, tap the number key for the computer you wish to access.

So, while this works well, the documentation needs to be fixed.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible product!, June 28, 2006

By 

R.B "Robert" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: IOGEAR 4-Port MiniView Micro PS/2 Audio KVM Switch with 4 Cables GCS614A (Personal Computers)

Terrible product and poor design! I tried everything to make this switch to work with no success. I then called technical support and they couldn't get it to work either. As for design at the connector hub, inputs are to close causing fittings to be cramped and bent. I had to force all connectors: video,keyboard,mouse,& audio to fit properly.

This will be going back!

Update!
Got my replacement and finally got it to work. After going back checking all the cables and spending time playing with it. The trick to make it work is to press all four keys CTrL,ALT,SHIFT then the computer # (1,2,3,or 4) rapid & exactly in order. Try doing this a few times to get a feel for it. This worked for me.

I give it a low rating for the trouble and poor intructions by the manual and tech support.

Upgrade to 3 STARS for the design flaw.

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