IOGEAR 4-Port MiniView Symphony Multi-function KVM Switch with Cables GCS1774

by Iogear

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13 x 8.5 x 4 inches ; 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000B76SBM
• Item model number: GCS1774
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 29, 2005

Product Description

Size Name: 4-port

From the manufacturer

IOGEAR's Symphony multi-function 4-Port KVM Switch represents the new wave in KVM technology. The Symphony allows you to control four computers using a single VGA monitor, USB keyboard and mouse. In addition, it has a built-in USB 2.0 hub, Ethernet 10/100 switch, and audio sharing capabilities. With its built-in USB 2.0 High Speed hub, slow transfer rates are a thing of the past. Fully compatible with USB 2.0 standards, this KVM allows you to share your USB peripherals and transfer data at up to 480 Mbps. In addition, the audio ports allow you to connect one set of speakers and microphone, and share them among your computers. To complement your KVM setup, IOGEAR's Symphony KVM sports a full-featured Ethernet 10/100 switch. This built-in Ethernet switch allows you to easily network and share internet with your computers. Among its many features, it supports auto-sensing, 10/100 Mbps speed, and is fully compliant with 802.3 networking standard.

Features

• Four 6 ft (1.8m) cables included
• Multi-function USB KVM switch integrates a USB 2.0 hub, Ethernet switch, and audio
• Controls four computers with a single VGA monitor, USB keyboard and mouse
• Built-in USB 2.0 peripheral sharing to share printers, scanners, hard drives, etc., with data transfer rates of up to 480 Mbps.
• Built-in 5 port 10/100 Mbps Ethernet switch allows you to easily network and share Internet with your computers
• Share one set of speakers with all your computers
• Independent switching of KVM, USB peripherals, and audio focus
• Port selection via Hotkeys and front push-buttons
• Auto scan mode for monitoring all computers
• Power on detection – automatically switches to the first powered on port
• Superior video quality - up to 2048 x 1536
• Firmware upgradeable
• Easy installation – no software required
• Keyboard and mouse emulation for error-free boot up
• Hot pluggable – add or remove computers without powering down the switch
• Compatible with multiple operating platforms (PC, Mac, and Sun)

Product Description

IOGEARs Symphony multi-function 4-Port KVM Switch represents the new wave in KVM technology. The Symphony allows you to control four computers using a single VGA monitor, USB keyboard and mouse. In addition, it has a built-in USB 2.0 hub, Ethernet 10/100 switch, and audio sharing capabilities. With its built-in USB 2.0 High Speed hub, slow transfer rates are a thing of the past. Fully compatible with USB 2.0 standards, this KVM allows you to share your USB peripherals and transfer data at up to 480 Mbps. In addition, the audio ports allow you to connect one set of speakers and microphone, and share them among your computers. To complement your KVM setup, IOGEARs Symphony KVM sports a full-featured Ethernet 10/100 switch. This built-in Ethernet switch allows you to easily network and share internet with your computers. Among its many features, it supports auto-sensing, 10/100 Mbps speed, and is fully compliant with 802.3 networking standard.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This does not work as advertised, November 14, 2005

By 

AutoMatters "Jan at www.AutoMatters.net" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: IOGear 2-Port Symphony KVM Switch with USB Video Card, USB Hub, and Cables GCS1772 (Grey) (Personal Computers)

I recently bought a second computer and wanted to use both of my (Windows XP) computers in my home office at one time. Since space on my desk is very limited, I wanted to share as much as possible with both computers.

The online and on-the-box advertising literature for this expensive KVM switch made it sound ideal. It would supposedly let me share one monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and Internet connection, plus two USB printers, with both of my computers. I am not a computer technician, so installation needed to be straightforward.

When the KVM switch arrived from Amazon.com, I spent a lot of time routing cables behind a bookcase and carefully making all of the connections. Nevertheless, when I turned out the two computers, I had nothing but problems. One computer would not work with the KVM switch at all. The other one would work poorly, with the keyboard only reproducing some characters and randomly repeating others. The mouse had a delay between when I moved it and when the cursor moved on-screen.

Since IOGEAR's technical support is only available Monday through Friday, during business hours, I tried to get things working on my own. I spent many frustrating hours on Saturday reconnecting things and trying various workarounds, but to no avail. Both computers worked properly when I disconnected them from the KVM switch and hooked them up directly to the keyboard, mouse and monitor.

Today, Monday, I called IOGEAR. Their technical support person (who said she is outside the U.S.) did not sound especially knowledgeable about the product, but eventually pointed to a problem with the NVIDIA product described in the Properties window that she had me call up on my monitor. She started to suggest modifying my computers with the addition of some sort of internal card, to enable their KVM switch to work.

Rather than start adding internal computer hardware to address an incompatibility with NVIDIA products, I asked to speak to someone else. After keeping me on hold quite a while she said she'd have to get them to call me back. After waiting a little while, I called back to IOGEAR's customer service and spoke to someone else, in Irvine, CA. After asking me some questions about my computers, he said that the problem was indeed due to an NVIDIA product -- but not on my monitor. Rather, he said it was due to the NVIDIA product on my new computer's motherboard. He said it has a known (to IOGEAR) incompatibility issue with this KVM switch, and that to work around it I would need to install some sort of card in my brand new, very expensive, computer. I asked but he said that they would not pay for the card or the labor to do this, and would not accept responsibility for not letting potential customers know in advance that this serious incompatibility with NVIDIA -- a common and widespread brand of computer hardware, exists.

That is not acceptable to me. I will be returning the KVM switch. I strongly recommend that readers of this review contact IOGEAR before purchasing this product to make sure, in advance, that it will work with their computers, since IOGEAR says nothing about any possible, potentially serious incompatibility issues in their advertising literature for this product which I read online at their Website and at Amazon.com, and then based my purchase decision on. Note that the printed system requirements on the product's box completely matched both of my computer systems specs.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars No good, February 5, 2006

By 

J. Picco (Costa Mesa, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: IOGEAR 4-Port MiniView Symphony Multi-function KVM Switch with Cables GCS1774 (Personal Computers)

I've been using a Linksys 4 port KVM since 2000 and it's been great. The only problem is that there is no USB sharing and all of the connections for keyboard and mouse are PS2. So, I decided it was time to upgrade. After all the research, this appeared to be the product. I was excited to get the unit delivered and open it up. I disconnected the old KVM and hooked up the new one only to find a few big issues. Port 1 had the keyboard working great, but my Microsoft Optical mouse kept blinking red. On port 3, the mouse worked great, but the keyboard refused to function. I powered everything off and reset the connectors hoping that would fix it. Still no go. I even switched out a few of the cables to rule that out. The manual says to make sure you have the latest firmware found on their web site, so I went to their web site and could not find any firmware listed. I even used their search field looking for 'firmware'. One document came up with the term, but no downloads to be found. I called their support line expecting them to be closed on a Sundy, but amazingly enough a gentleman answered. This is what I find amazing - he told me that they do not support multi-function mice and keyboards. Nor do they support mother boards with the Nvidia chip set. I find that amazing because this is a USB 2.0 sharing device and my keyboards are a Logitech corded keyboard and the mouse is a Microsoft Optical Mouse Blue (typical two buttons and a wheel). Not anything fancy. I even tried my old Dell USB keyboard.

So, I'm assuming two things: the device was faulty and the guy in support either didn't know what he was talking about or Iogear is putting out junk with pretty packaging. I'm going to back Linksys.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Works ok - know your computer's limits, May 22, 2008

By 

Bruce Crawford - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: IOGEAR 4-Port MiniView Symphony Multi-function KVM Switch with Cables GCS1774 (Personal Computers)

I bought this kvm about a month ago and it seems to work quite well.
It is solidly built with a metal housing and plastic guards on the
sides to prevent scratching.

The catch is that the documentation is somewhat limited and
you must know your computer's limits.

The documentation doesn't mention it, but it looks to me like
the usb signal in the supplied cables is brought into the KVM
via the VGA connector. Hence you must use the supplied cables
and the green end must connect to the KVM switch.

Since usb is a serial signal, it is possible that you could
switch in the middle of the info from the mouse or keyboard
and really confuse your computers. It is best to NOT be
moving the mouse or using the keyboard when you switch.

My Mac also gets confused if I switch away from it while it
is booting up or shutting down. Since it does those two things
much faster than my PC, I wait. At the minimum the Mac gives
an error message about being unable to find a bluetooth mouse.
At the max it locks up. A little waiting is a small price to
pay for the reduced clutter and confusion of one keyboard and
screen.

Also, remember that you should attach external drives, including
flash drives, directly to the computer you use it with. Otherwise
your computers will warn you about disconnecting without properly
dismounting these usb devices when you switch. Actually if you are
just going to be attached for a short period of time, you can use
the switch's usb ports, but don't forget to dismount before you switch.
Switching with a usb printer and similar stuff seems to work fine,
as long as I am not in the middle of a print job.

Think before you switch and you should do ok. That should be
true for any KVM, as you are trying to keep your computers from
being confused by fragments of mouse and keyboard data, partially
finished print jobs, suddenly appearing and disappearing drives, etc.

I like the built in network hub as it has allowed me to transfer
data easily from the old to the new computer without yet another
box and attach both to a broadband connection via a single cable
to the router elsewhere in my house. This has allowed me the
luxury of switching to using my new computer one program at a time.

The extra usb ports on the front of the switch also allow me to
hang some usb cables to attach to whatever I want to download or
upload quickly. A convenient feature.

The switch has a mode where if you want to partially change focus
you just press a button for a short time, but if you want to
completely switch over, you hold the switch for a few seconds.
So if you bump a switch and things stop working as you expect,
just hold the correct switch and things will work out. I don't
intentionally use the partial switch feature, but have done so
accidentally. Best to position the switch so you don't bump the
buttons.

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