Customer Reviews

StarTech.com VS415RVGA 4 Port High Resolution VGA Video Switch with Remote

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a dandy VGA 4 x 1 switcher, well built and simple. It has a small footprint, a simple power switch on the front, and buttons and lights on the front. The lights indicate which input is active, and the buttons switch to the indicated input. It is possible to switch to a "empty" input if you want nothing to go to the display device. It uses a "wall wart" power supply (sigh), but this is not a deal breaker.

There are a couple of (possibly) major problems; 1) the switcher beeps when you switch from one input to another. I opened it up and used a soldering iron to remove the small cylindrical speaker, as there was no other way to disable it (I talked to a tech guy at the manufacturer). 2) The inputs on the back are all male VGA. Ugh. WHY?!? AND it has bulky thumbscrew attachments that make it impossible to use a standard F to F turnaround without removing them. Plan on spending additional $$$ on M - F VGA cables to hook this switcher up to any standard device. 2/3 of the way to a great little switcher, but that last 1/3 is a major bummer.

EDIT on 10/19/11: This switcher died completely about a month ago. Less than 1.5 years of occasional use. I had to subtract another star. Try the "Cables To Go 39972 Trulink 4-Port" VGA switcher. Still beeps, but another easy fix if you aren't afraid to open it up.

Not much is needed from a VGA switch, and this does do the job, but I can not use it for what I bought it for because of the loud beep every time you change inputs. For some people it might not matter, but this "feature" which could have easily been left out makes it unusable for a lot of situations.

The StarTech 4-channel switch functions as designed. However, as it has an electronic switching mechanism, it must be receiving power even when "defaulting" to the first position. Further, the remote capability seems to require almost a 90 degree relationship with the switch before recognizing your wish to change channels.

Having said that, I would buy another should the need arise.

Nice switch. It works. Resolution is high enough. NOT Automatic- therefore, I can force it to stay on a specific input even if the machine is NOT powered on (or NOT sending out a video signal). This works well when working on laptops that have bad screens. It also allows you to "mute" the screen.

The unit beeps every time the input is changed. Really? How about when doing A/V for a fundraiser or dinner. A/V techs like to be discrete when possible. This hardly supports that theory. I know when I hit a button. I don't need it to tell me that I hit the button.

Male input connectors? Really? Lucky we have batches of gender benders in our shop BUT who does this? I would expect a surprise like this from a kvm switch BUT NOT just a simple VGA selector or VGA splitter.

I think StarTech messed up with this. NO Male connectors on a switch or splitter AND we should be able to disable the beep (or just not have one.)

Keep the manual selection option, the resolution, the footprint, (even the AC adaptor isn't that bad) but change the connectors and beep!