KVM's and amiga's

[Ryu]

Just wondering if anyone out there uses one succesfully with an amiga attached? I've heard a few people have problems with ones that are self powered because the amiga doesnt provide enough power or something to operate it... so if anyone out there is using one, could you please reply and let me know how well it works and what the model is please?

thanks in advance.

[Karlos]

Ryu wrote:
Just wondering if anyone out there uses one succesfully with an amiga attached? I've heard a few people have problems with ones that are self powered because the amiga doesnt provide enough power or something to operate it... so if anyone out there is using one, could you please reply and let me know how well it works and what the model is please?

thanks in advance.

I use a LinkSys ProConnect KVM for my amiga/pc. It is powered from the cable, keyboard activated and works a treat with no visible degredation of picture quality.

[Ryu]

what interface's are you using for the mouse and keyboard on your amiga karlos?

[Karlos]

The keyboard interface is a basic eyetech PS2 one that I got when I towered the 1200.

The KVM mouse connector itself isnt connected to my amiga, I use an old amiga mouse directly.

So you could say I'm really using a KV. On the PC side, everything is connected via the KVM.

As it goes, a punchinello PS2 mouse interface should work fine, I just dont happen to have one.

[SyrTran]

Karlos wrote:
As it goes, a punchinello PS2 mouse interface should work fine, I just dont happen to have one.

No, it won't (I have 2 MkIIs).  Current Amiga PS2 mouse interfaces actually read the old AT-style signals on the "extra" pins on the PS2 connector.  Inexpensive  (i.e. less than US$200) KVMs don't switch these pins.

You could try kgrach here. He says his will work with KVMs.

Mr Hardware computers also sells one (maybe the same one?) that is supposed to work.

[Karlos]

@Sytran.

How odd. I have since managed to test it on the machine that GadgetMaster loaned me, which is using a Punchinello (not sure which version). Worked ok there.

[Eco]

I'm using a 4 port Edimax KVM with 2 PCs and an Amiga attached. Amiga has its own mouse since I haven't gotten hold of a PS2 adapter yet (sell me one that will work!)

My A1200 has the Lyra keyboard adapter, the one that clips on top of the keyboard control chip; it works great. I have two video outputs (scandoubler and bvision), which is a bit of a problem, since I have to physically move the cable if I want some AGA goodness.

Is there a good solution to this, for example some sort of an automatic switchbox? I could always get another video cable and utilize the fourth video connection on the KVM, but then I would lose the keyboard whenever that is in use.

[SyrTran]

Karlos wrote:
@Sytran.

How odd. I have since managed to test it on the machine that GadgetMaster loaned me, which is using a Punchinello (not sure which version). Worked ok there.

That is wierd, since my KVM is also a Linksys ProConnect. It's a 4-port Compact switch.  It refuses to recognize the mouse when either Amiga is selected, so I also have 3 mice on my desk.  Bought mine 3 years ago.  Maybe there's different versions?

I had an old-school rotary switch style one for a while, but the glitches when switching occasionally rebooted the Amigas... I now have an electronic one by DLink, the DKVM-4 using it with EZ-Mouse and EZ-Key PS/2 adaptors from Eyetech. Works mostly pretty good, but the EZ-Key doesn't seem to do ctrl-amiga-amiga soft reset or the backslash/pipe key. :/ Reboot ain't that bad as A4000T has reset button on case and I don't use the 3000 so much anymore, but I was annoyed when I recently discovered my backslash key don't work... But the arrangement does make it nice sharing with my PC, and soon to be AmigaOne when I can afford it. (Hoping for a good tax refund this year...)

[kgrach]

Yep I use a SOHO 4 port KVM with Audio.
I have a PC,A1200 tower,AmigaOne, plus a spare I use when I am working on other machines.

The Mouse Adapter is one of mine of course and so is the keyboard adapter. works great use them all day long and every day not one single problem.

you can buy them from me I have plenty in stock and can ship same day.
www.revanchellc.com

Or you can buy them from one of your local dealers. But if you buy from Software Hut make sure Joe sends you a RAKA or a MHK2D keyboard adapter he has been known to substitute.

[kgrach]

@amigabill

the EZ-Key doesn't seem to do ctrl-amiga-amiga soft reset or the backslash/pipe key.

Thats becuase it is coded for European keyboards.
European windows keyboards and US windows keyboards map the keycodes slightly different.

Thats why I make seperate US and European adapters.

You can reset mine with the Ctrl Amiga-Amiga or rapid pause-pause double click.

[kgrach]

@ECO

 I have two video outputs (scandoubler and bvision), which is a bit of a problem, since I have to physically move the cable if I want some AGA goodness.

In the spirit of continuing  my one man Ad campaign

I have just the solution to you problem. I have an Electronic video switcher that is made to fit inside your tower case. It has an internal header that you plug your Bvision into and a internal header for your flicker fixer and a single VGA output to go to your monitor.
There are two other small internal headers one goes to a lighted push button switch that goes onto the front of your case. Push the button and it switches the video. The light gives you the status of the switch. The other goes to a chip socket that you plug onto one of your chips this allows you to switch modes with a single software command.
$80.00

Everything is inside your case only thing outside is a single VGA header.

www.revanchellc.com

[Eco]

@kgrach

Your one man ad-campaign is working out all right. I'll be in touch through your sales email, and I'm also interested in nice cases  :-D

[Karlos]

SyrTran wrote:
That is wierd, since my KVM is also a Linksys ProConnect. It's a 4-port Compact switch.  It refuses to recognize the mouse when either Amiga is selected, so I also have 3 mice on my desk.  Bought mine 3 years ago.  Maybe there's different versions?

Mines a 2-port remote (keyboard activated) one, bought under a year ago, maybe it is a later revision or something.

[amigamad]

I havve a belkin omni cube 2 port it has its own power supply i only use it to switch monitors.

The self powered ones are best avoided caused loads of problems for my mate steven he thought his monitor had gone wrong.