Customer Reviews

TRENDnet 2-Port PS/2 KVM Switch Kit (Includes 2x KVM Cables) TK-205K (Blue)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I bought this KVM switch and it is working fine for me. Video, mouse, and keyboard are functionning perfectly. I almost spent money on the one sold by Best Buy or Office Max. Their (Best Buy and Office Max) product is certainly good quality but a bit expensive. For now I am getting done what I need with this cheap one from TigerDirect outlet.

I would recommend you try it.

I have a Windows XP box and a Linux box connected to this and switch back and forth pretty regularly. I've been using it for several months without a single problem.

I recently upgraded my system, moving from a very old Win98 PC to a more contemporary unit, I realized I lacked sufficient desktop space for both machines to cohabitate while I made the migration without losing use of the older machine.

Seemed to me the best way to do this would be with a KVM switch. I had not planned to keep both machines on active duty and would not need it after the switch, so it was a delight to find this little unit at an almost disposable price.

Once again, after reviewing as many Amazon reviews as I could before the purchase, I was confident this model would do the job. And it did not disappoint.

As I also read, quite a few advanced features of the wireless keyboard and mouse I use were not available. Unfortunately, this included the scroll lock key, which is the hotkey to toggle between machines. As requested, I checked their websites FAQ before calling, to no avail. Got through to a non-local call center, apparently, who wanted all my information before hearing my question, which seemed odd, so I just cut it short and asked, only to unsurprisingly discover there was no substitute hotkey combo.

But I can reach the box easily enough and the manual buttons work just fine. With no external power pack needed to drive this, it is perfectly compact. It is for PS-2 ports only, I an not sure if it could be made to work with a USB-only device (like my laptop) so that might take some research, or adapters certainly. Another reviewer seems to have had experienced difficulty attempting this configuration

I can't think of a bad thing to say about this unit, so I will endorse it fully with five stars and suggest if your KVM needs are simple like mine were, look no further.

This unit did NOT work for me, multiple problems.

1. On my home desktop PC, when connected to the relay, it wouldn't recognize the keyboard or mouse and the video driver got all messed up so the screen view was bizarre. (This was related to booting up, if I plugged into the KVM "hot" it more or less worked). Problems resolved by removing the KVM.

2. My plan was to use my corporate laptop on my nice home desk/keyboard on weekends. But the corporate laptop refused to boot up on the KVM, apparently finding it an unknown or unacceptable form of peripheral.

3. I found the manual box switch between PC1 and PC2 kind of funky and inconsistent.

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How it works. Isolate your keyboard, video, mouse (KVM). Plug their three cords (Ps2+Ps2+vid) into the blue KVM box. Now, the KVM box has two proprietary 15-pin output sockets. And the TK205K comes with two corresponding free foot cords which terminate in three plugs on short leads, for K,V and M. [Note there are quite a few models, even with Trendnet brand, some seem to have unique outputs for each different K,V,M rather than a combined proprietary cable.]
In order to attempt to use on a laptop, which usually has only usb ports nowadays, I used a Y-shaped converter that sends a ps2 keyboard and ps2 mouse into one usb port. this may have confused the KVM box. However, my laptop runs fine with the same USB relay between the same ps2 keyboard and mouse. Trendnet makes PS2 models and they make USB models. However, more than a few people may have a PS2 desktop PC and a USB-only laptop, like me.

I have two of these switches, I'm running four PCs from two monitors and two keyboard/mouse combinations. I haven't had any ghosting problems at all (using NEC and KDS monitors), although I had another model (TK-206I) from Trendnet (USB rather than PS/2 connections) that I used with a iMac (since retired) and PC that did have some very minor ghosting problems.

This is a great solution if you have limited desk space or just don't want to have multiple monitors running at one time. The switch looks nice and the hot-key switchover is almost instantaneous.

Perfect solution to multiple systems, forget buying seperate k/b, mouse and monitor. THIS IS THE ULTIMATE FIX!!! Simple to set up and a breeze to use!! Love the hot key function too. Works like a charm, multiple systems? GET THIS!!

Unfortunately this product was Dead on Arrival, we do have a second one that does fuction as advertised, but have concerns about quality control.

I bought this as a replacement for a 5 year old KVM that was giving me fits. I based my purchase of this device on price, the fact that it was available with free shipping and the good reviews of those that purchased this. I agree with the good reviews. This is a great KVM for the price. It worked right out of the box and hasn't given me a hiccup yet. I recommend it based on price and performance. It's probably not the best KVM ever, but it's the best one you'll ever buy for 16.55.

Probably one of the most inexpensive KVM switches you will find that comes with all the cables. You do need to be careful and order the switch with the right connectors, USB or PS2, but that's the only catch and applies to any switch that you buy. Switch works perfectly, and with the use of the hot keys to switch between computers, you can hide it behind the desk instead of hitting a button on the unit itself. It's a simple unit but sometimes simple is better!

I got this unit for my home at a great price, hooked right in with the 2 included cables, and now I have my one old computer (purchased in 1997) running windows 95 and my second computer (purchased 2004) running XP on side by side. With one push of the button and I jump between the two units. No glitches whatsoever. I'm even using a wireless mouse and keyboard that was not even thought of when I purchsed my first computer, not an issue. I also have this set up in my office (with a 200k switch), and that works well also. Hope this works well for you also.