6 ms·
Good KVMs, specifically the ones from Level1Tech[1], are smart enough to keep all monitors connected virtually so all your windows stay in place when you switch
by gizmo 3y ago
Good KVMs, specifically the ones from Level1Tech[1], are smart enough to keep all monitors connected virtually so all your windows stay in place when you switch back and forth between machines. There is no delay of plugging devices in because from the perspective of the client PCs the USB/display port devices were never gone. Of course you can connect a bunch of peripherals to a dock and switch the upstream thunderbolt connection, but that doesn't work correctly.
Crappy KVM solutions are easy. Good ones are hard.
[1] https://www.store.level1techs.com/products/hardware https://www.store.level1techs.com/products/hardware (no affiliation)
- rjzzleep 3y agoDoes that impact the time how long the monitor takes from switching between display off and showing something on the screen?
- gizmo 3y agoYou still have to do a handshake (determine resolution, refresh rate, etc) before you get a picture, and that takes maybe 3 seconds. Some monitors can handshake a bit faster, but not by much.
- Tyr42 3y agoStill faster than my monitor. It can take long enough to turn on that my laptop goes to sleep (from the password entry screen). And since I'm using the monitor as the KVM, I can't even mash the keyboard to keep it awake, I got to reach over and keep touching the laptop.
- kirubakaran 3y agoCouldn't you increase the time your laptop waits before going to sleep? - https://askubuntu.com/questions/1042641/how-to-set-custom-lock-screen-time-in-ubuntu-18-04 https://askubuntu.com/questions/1042641/how-to-set-custom-lo... - https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/set-sleep-and-wake-settings-mchle41a6ccd/mac https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/set-sleep-and-wake-... etc
- Hamuko 3y agoI really want one but I just can't justify paying like 800-900€ for a dual-monitor four-computer one when I have a USB switcher and can just switch inputs on my monitors.
- Bagged2347 3y agoI came to this conclusion myself recently. I have the Cable Matters 4 port USB switch and it works just fine for my purposes. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083JKDNRJ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083JKDNRJ I was hopeful and tried using this Monoprice KVM switch (linked below), but it just wasn't worth it in my experience. Despite supporting Display Port 1.4, I could not use my monitor to its full ability with my PC (3440x1400 @165Hz w/ 10 bit color). Dropping the connection when switching inputs was also incredibly annoying; every time I switched away from my Macbook it would go to sleep. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093N1DR8Y https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093N1DR8Y I'm happy to switch inputs on both the USB switch and my monitor separately because it's not actually too large of a hassle, and the monitor doesn't "disconnect" when switching video inputs on my monitor so my Macbook doesn't immediately go to sleep. If anyone is in the market for a KVM switch, consider a USB hub first. You might find yourself satisfied. They're much less of a hassle and cost very little in comparison to a full featured KVM switch.
- jetster735180 3y agoI bought the Level1Tech KVM and they do no support EDID emulation. I switch between a Mac and a Linux box (Gnome): - Mac goes to sleep - Gnome will default back the default monitor configuration and move the windows around They do have a 1.2 DP KVM with EDID emulation, but you loose all the benefits of the 1.4 DP. Its all on their FAQ forums https://forum.level1techs.com/t/official-l1techs-kvm-faq-ultimate-guide-help/186196 https://forum.level1techs.com/t/official-l1techs-kvm-faq-ult...
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- drakenot 3y agoDo you know of any solid KVMs with EDID emulation and 1.4 DP?
- whompyjaw 3y agoReplying to follow (idk if there is a way to follow a thread). I have an Apple Display and would need 1.4 DP
- dfc 3y agoYou can "favorite" a comment and then access your favorite comments from your profile. Replying to a comment with a noop just to "follow" it lowers the snr for everyone else. To favorite the comment click on the time the comment was posted and then on the following page click favorite.
- Narushia 3y agoTIL, thanks. I think they should make that doable in one click, though.
- oooyay 3y agoYeap! This is my setup for MacOS and Linux with display port: KVM Switch Dual Monitor DisplayPort 1.4 8K@30Hz 4K@144Hz 2 in 2 Out,DP1.4 KVM Switch and 4 USB3.0 for 2 Computers,Backnward Compatible DP1.2 with DP+UBS Cables and Wired Controller https://a.co/d/5A3IG5P https://a.co/d/5A3IG5P
- simfoo 3y agoAlso got the Level1Tech one last year, very expensive but worth it imho. I use it to switch between my work and home PC many times a day, and it has worked flawlessly so far with two monitors (4k60hz+2k144hz) using Linux on both machines. USB audio, mic, 4k camera, printer and keyboard+mouse peripherals
- whompyjaw 3y agoHow is the latency with these devices? I produce music as a hobby and have many connections to deal with and as low latency as possible is ideal. I am looking for something I can switch between 3 different devices basically. Work laptop, MacBook Pro, and custom Linux PC. The 2 latter ones I produce on. Would this device work for that?
- simfoo 3y agoI haven't noticed any additional latency, but my workload isn't particularly latency critical (I do sometimes game in the 144hz display and it's as smooth as it was before I got the KVM). They don't have a 3-computer version afaik so you'd need to go with this one probably: https://www.store.level1techs.com/products/p/14-display-port-kvm-dual-4computer-kllrb-mfj5x https://www.store.level1techs.com/products/p/14-display-port...
- sunshowers 3y agoThe added latency, if any, is not noticeable on 120-160Hz monitors. The KVM isn't doing any processing.
- bmitc 3y agoMost newer Dell monitors have built -in KVMs and hubs. It's nice, becuase with wireless peripherals that USB receivers, it's a cableless setup. With a laptop, it's just a single cable to hookup everything.
- jonathanlydall 3y agoI'm a little interested in one of these as an option to eventually replace my Dell WD19 USB-C DP-alt mode dock for my Dell notebook and my Desktop PC which connects by HDMI cables. One question I couldn't see an answer to is whether or not the I can make the network port "sticky" to my Dell notebook (plugged in over USB-C), or will it "move" to my Desktop PC when I switch to it? I read last year how recent standard made higher wattage delivery over USB-C now standard (I think it was the latest Thunderbolt one), so I'm waiting until these monitors can do that.
- Neikius 3y agoBought one such monitor. 2 years later switched from m1 to m2 and it no longer works well enough (may also be the Sonoma upgrade stil gotta verify that). The devices get disconnected and glitch etc. Went to check with dell and monitor is "not supported" on macos. I am at a loss for words.
- loloquwowndueo 3y agoHow about “apple get your act together with those m2s”? :) Disclaimer: meant to be humorous.
- pxc 3y agomacOS has either always lacked (like Display port MST) or later broken/crippled (like DisplayLink support) some important features for multi-monitor setups. I wonder if those things or similar things are somehow implicated in these KVM-enabled monitors.
- bmitc 3y agoI also had hell even with an Intel Macbook Pro. This whole just works thing Apple has been able to project is unfortunate. I have refused using Apple products from work because of how poorly their products integrate. It's not Dell. It's Apple. Any other monitor manufacturer will have the same issues. Apple also refuses to implement a protocol that allows controlling the brightness and volume of a non-Apple monitor from the keyboard or even macOS itself. It's infuriating. The only monitors it works with are Apple's and the two overpriced Apple-sanctioned LG monitors sold in the Apple Store.
- 12345hn6789 3y agoBig+1 to the level 1 techs kvm. Ive had a little over a year and it's flawless. 2 2.5k/1440p monitors both 144hz and it switches every time. Highly recommend. Albeit a bit pricey.
- theideaofcoffee 3y agoI have had great success with a generic KVM I found on amzn [0], but it now appears to be unavailable, which is a shame because I wanted to buy another. Perhaps I can find it somewhere else. It has never failed to switch between sources and the only delay, as some others are pointing out, is the HDMI handshake process inherent to the monitors themselves. I did have a considerably more expensive TESmart [1] but couldn't use it because it had some weird incompatibility between it, thunderbolt docking station [2] I used with it (which also work flawlessly), and the MBPs connected to it. I could never figure out why, even raising the issue to support with no luck. My two cents. [0] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088WGKFZH https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088WGKFZH [1] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08N494N7X https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08N494N7X [2] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HR3T837 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HR3T837
- kevin_thibedeau 3y agoFor HDMI you have lots of options that provide EDID emulation. For DP there's only one game in town and it costs more than most computers.
- Aardwolf 3y agoGiven that GPU cards tend to have more DP ports than HDMI ports, why might that be? Why don't makers of KVM switches follow the same preference as GPU's do? (or vice versa. Why do we have two standards anyway)
- mostlysimilar 3y agoYou don't feel skeptical of products from a company called "GREATHTEK-More Convenient"? I am far too paranoid to plug random technology like that into my computers. It makes shopping for such things on Amazon nearly impossible.
- jnk345u8dfg9hjk 3y agoWhat could they do hypothetically? They don't have network access to phone home, do they?
- RVuRnvbM2e 3y agoThe windows not staying in place bug only occurs with crappy window managers. Decent ones are smart enough to put the windows back where they were when the monitors come back.
- Aardwolf 3y ago> Crappy KVM solutions are easy. Good ones are hard. In this case what's crappy is those desktops rearranging windows when you turn off a monitor. I'd rather have my PC not know whether a monitor is connected or not, like used to be with vga.
- toast0 3y agoVGA always had means for detecting a monitor. Originally, a vga monitor would pull down at least one of the id pins, and edid replaced that. A lot of software didn't really care and just sent signals into the void, but it's possible to do that with DVI or DP, too.