TRENDnet TK-209K 2-Port USB KVM Switch Kit with Audio (Includes 2x KVM Cables)
The 2-Port USB Audio KVM Switch lets you control multimedia PCs with just one keyboard, monitor, mouse, microphone, and a set of speakers. The KVM switch not only allows you to share your monitor, keyboard and mouse but you can also share microphone and speakers. With just a simple press of a button, this KVM switch eliminates the hassle of cable swapping and switching between 2 PCs. With it's Hot-Plug, Auto-Scan and Hot-Key operating features, the TK-209K is the perfect choice for managing 2 PCs.
TRENDnet TK-209K 2-Port USB KVM Switch Kit with Audio (Includes 2x KVM Cables) Accessories
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Belkin USB 2.0 4-Port Ultra Mini Hub F5U407
LogitechInternet 350 Vista Qualified USB Keyboard (Black)
Sabrent SBT-CPS2 USB to Dual PS/2 Converter Cable Adapter
Kingston DataTraveler 4 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive DTI/4GB
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Western Digital My Passport Essential 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive WDME3200TN (Midnight Black)
Belkin 12-Outlet Home/Office Surge Protector with Phone/Ethernet/Coaxial Protection and Extended Cord
Microsoft Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000
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TRENDnet TK-209K 2-Port USB KVM Switch Kit with Audio (Includes 2x KVM Cables) Reviews
My primary gripe about this product is that the mouse and Keyboard freeze very frequently. I'm using this KVM with a Thinkpad T60p and a regular Tower PC. I have reported this to Trendnet tech support and they don't have any idea how to fix this.
This is extremely annoying and disappointing. The green light on the KVM just blinks as if no computer is attached. I primarily use the Thinkpad about 95% of the time through this KVM switch and 4-5 times a day the USB mouse and keyboard make the audio signal as if I had just unplugged them and they are completely dead.
This is not such a big deal, just a minor annoyance. Then, about 30 seconds later the audio signal for a USB device being installed is played and they start working again. Would not recommend this device to anyone.
Switching to the tower is lightning fast, however switching to the Thinkpad is very slow for the Mouse and Keyboard to start working.
NO issues during the set-up. Opened this up and had it set up in a few minutes. Initially, I just wanted a monitor switch and found the whole keyboard/mouse bit more than I cared for but now I am used to it.
Allows easy switching between my Mac mini and Vista pcs. My only disappointment is that it is very small and cables are sprouting out from nearly every direction. All cables are included. I wish I had bought the next larger size.
I hooked it up and it has performed flawlessly. I use this switch with my main monitor and my second monitor has two switchable inputs. With this setup I have one keyboard, trackball, speakers and two monitors instantly switchable, very simple. When I called Trendnet they said this wasn't possible. I went shopping for two-monitor KVM switches $150+ when this arrived. I use this with a Mac Pro and PC. Highly recomended especially at this price.
The build quality is good. I tried different adapters and other solutions to no avail, and ultimately had to go to a USB switch to get full functionality with the mouse. I've been using the TRENDnet 209K KVM switch for about a month now, and like it very well. I think this one works just as well, and at less than half the price. The unloading of the keyboard and mouse drivers has one other consequence relative to PS-2 switches: Each computer has to be started separately, and the switch must be set to the computer that is booting up. It is a small unit, however, and since the wires extend from all four sides, it's a bit ungainly when everything is hooked up. Because it is "pass-through," the mouse and keyboard drivers get unloaded and re-loaded every time you switch between the computers, which takes a couple of seconds each time. Note that this delay would be common to all switches of this type, and has nothing to do with TRENDnet or the quality of the build.
I solved the problem by essentially rebooting it - i.e. These are located on the top of the unit. The switching of the speakers and monitor are instantaneous, but the keyboard and mouse take a second or two.
After I did that the switch started working again, and has worked through the rest of the day. This is the reason I switched to the TRENDnet device. The only problem I've had with this switch occurred just this morning: For some unknown reason, it failed to initialize the keyboard and mouse on either system.
In general, it's a great switch, and I recommend it highly. I mention this because I think one reviewer said that it was cheaply made, but I disagree with this. Although it is about half the price, I like the TRENDnet USB switch much better. by unplugging all power carrying wires to the switch and then reconnecting them.
I've used three different switches on my two systems, and therefore have the experience to say that this switch is constructed very well. Except for the small problem mentioned above, this switch has done very well for me. Note that some Belkin USB switches are >$50.
I taped it to a corner of my desk to stabilize it. Again, this is not a major issue for me, but I mention it because of my previous experience with the PS-2 switch. One thing I really like about this switch is that it has physical switches, which some KVM switches do not. I may sound like a major proponent for PS-2, and perhaps, all things being equal, I would prefer PS-2. But, unfortunately, one of the two computers I am using has no PS-2 port, and I was unable to get a PS-2 mouse to work correctly on it. All four components, i.e. Since each computer can see the keyboard only when the switch is set to the correct position, if the switch is not set correctly when a computer boots up, you will get a keyboard fault (at least I do on one of my two systems).
This switch was a replacement for the Belkin PS-2 switch I had initially. In addition, I think it's a great value for the money. (Actually, this is one advantage a PS-2 switch has over a pass-through USB switch. a double tap on the Scroll Lock), and software is included that allows the user to redefine the keyboard sequence for switching if desired. I don't know if this is indicative of a problem with this switch or not, but if it becomes a pattern or a regular problem, I'll return to this site and leave a note about it. With PS-2, both computers could be started at once, and the position of the switch was not an issue. This delay occurs because it is a "pass-through" USB switch, and not an "emulation" type.
video, audio, keyboard and mouse, are switched very well with this switch. But I found that to be a minor problem. As I discovered with the Belkin switch I had previously, which would only switch on a keyboard signal, the physical switches are much more reliable. Note that the TRENDnet switch also responds to a keyboard signal to switch (i.e. The PS-2 mouse and keyboard drivers are not unloaded each time, so this delay is avoided). For now, however, I'm not worried about it. You get used to it, and it is not a significant problem.
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