IOGEAR GCS62 2-port KVM MiniView Micro switch - almost perfect

Background

I have a mid tower desktop computer with a Memorex MX5050 (cheap) 107 key PS/2 keyboard and a Microsoft Optical Wheel USB mouse (with a PS/2 adapter) that plug into a Gigabyte motherboard. The graphics card is an AGP ATI Radeon 7500 that is used to control a Sony 18" flat panel monitor. The card and the monitor have an analog and DVI digital connection. The OS being used is Windows XP Home Edition.
The monitor's resolution in XP is set to it's "native" mode of 1280x1024. I am using the analog connection between the graphics card and the monitor. This setup has been used for about 7 months.

I recently acquired a "loaner" Dell Latitude CPx laptop computer that has a 14" screen controlled by an ATI Mobility graphics card. There is no external keyboard or pointer, so I have to use the laptop keyboard and tap screen or knob for the mouse. The laptop OS is Windows 2000 Professional. The laptop is also hooked into a Dell C/Port II APR docking station. So the connections used for keyboard, video, and mouse would be done to the docking station.

Because I am more productive using a "normal" keyboard and pointer, and the Sony monitor has a much larger display, a need quickly surfaced to use my existing keyboard, monitor (video), and mouse, with BOTH computers. To accomplish this, it meant I needed to get a KVM (Keyboard Video Monitor) switch.

In shopping around, I quickly learned that many switches don't include all the cables and could be pricey, once all the cables are purchased. Then I found the IOGEAR GCS62. It was not a bad price (comparatively speaking) and it comes WITH the cables. My question was "will it work?".


Features of the GCS62 switch

- No software required, just hook up to computers to it, and hook the existing keyboard, video card, and mouse to it.
- Supports IntelliMouse and scrolling functions of most devices.
- Auto scan mode monitors computers without having to switch between them. I don't see any real benefit of this feature for my situation, but maybe it will be helpful to some.
- Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock settings are saved in the switch, so you can have a different configuration with both computers.
- Hot swappable, don't have to power off the switch when changing computers.
- Video resolution up to 1920x1440.
- Win and MAC OS compatible.
- supports keyboards and mice with PS/2 connectors (serial mouse not supported, AT keyboard requires an AT to PS/2 adapter).
- Supports analog monitor with HDDB15 VGA connector (no DVI support).
- 3 year warranty (manual provided no specifics).

Note that the user manual includes a disclaimer that the switch generates, uses and can radiate radio frequencies, and when operated in residential areas is likely to cause interference. I noticed no problem when using a 900Mhz DSS cordless phone within 3 ft of the box.

The user manual also has some good trouble-shooting actions if there are problems using the switch.


Details of the switch

The switch is sort of rectangular in shape, smaller than a deck of cards. It's case is hard molded yellow-green plastic with dark gray rubberized molding around portions of it. I don't know if the molding has a purpose or not. There are no moving parts or covers. There is no power cable or adapter (none is required). The switch operates off the power supplied by the computer.

The dimensions of the switch are:

3 1/8"L x 2 3/8"W x 7/8"H (length measurement is to the end of the molded cable outputs)

But, the in-use dimensions are more like:
7" to 8"L x 4" to 6"W x 7/8"H. More on this below.

There are two small green LEDs lights molded into the top of the switch case which are used to indicate which computer is currently being controlled. Next to one of the lights on the case is a raised single dot, which (I assume) indicates computer "1". Next to the other are two raised dots (for computer "2"). Only one LED is lit at a time.

The bottom of the switch has the sticker for the model and serial number of the switch. Lacking were any type of rubber feet that could help keep the switch from sliding around if it was placed on a shelf or table with the top up.

At the one end of the switch's case (the front?) is where two 6ft long molded cables are permanently attached to the switch. The manual states the cables are only 4ft long, so maybe IOGEAR decided to make them longer? They are actually a little too long for my situation; I had to curl them up so they would be out of the way. But I am NOT complaining. I would rather have cables too long than too short! Each cable is actually 3 cables molded into one. The ends of the cables don't have anything to indicate which computer they go to (like the dots do on the switch next to the LEDs), but it didn't matter to me which one was hooked to which computer. If you must know which is which, you might want to wrap a little tape around cable "1" near the connectors.

At the other end of the switch's case (the rear?) is the standard DB15 jack where a monitor with an analog connector is plugged in. The jack is threaded so you can secure the monitor's connector to the switch. Note that this is NOT for use with a DVI cable from a monitor.

On one side of the switch's case are the two color coded PS/2 jacks. One (purple jack) is used to receive the cable that comes from the keyboard. The other (green jack) receives the cable coming from the mouse. Both jacks are the normal press-fit style. Connections to them felt secure.

This layout of the jacks on the switch brings up a minor issue. Once everything is hooked up to the switch, three of the four sides of the switch stick out quite a ways (see the in-use dimensions above). This makes the REAL dimensions MUCH longer and wider than the switch case itself. Consider that if you are thinking you can set this on a desk or shelf. With the keyboard, monitor, and mouse connected to the switch case, the combination of cables coming out at 90 degree angles from each other makes it hard to store or place the switch somewhere. But I don't know how else IOGEAR could have done it, if they wanted to keep the switch so small. The height of the switch is not affected, just the length and width. There are no mounting holes if you wanted to mount it on a wall. I WAS able to use a finishing nail to hold the switch to the side of my computer desk. The molded connections of the two computer cables in the end of the switch's case are made just right for a nail without a head to fit in between them. They are not flexible, so the switch will stay put when slid over the nail without damaging either of the cables. I would have preferred a case that has all the connections at the rear, but I can live with this.

At the free ends of the 2 cables leaving the switch are the following 3 connectors, which go to the two computers:

1) A purple PS/2 connector for the keyboard jack on the computer. It is the standard press fit plug.

2) A DB15 connector used to plug into the graphics (video) card jack on the computer. The securing screws on these plugs have knurled knobs which are large enough in diameter and in length that they can be gripped easily. The whole plug, including the knobs on the screws, is about 2" long. This might be an issue if you are cramped for space behind your computer.

3) A green PS/2 connector for the pointer (mouse or trackball) jack on the computer. It is the standard press fit plug.


The switch in use

There is NO software to install. When the switch was hooked up to both computers, and they were booted the first time, there was no attempt to install drivers or anything. The switch truly was "hidden" to both computers.

When the switch is being used, the LED that is associated with the active computer is lit.

To toggle between the two computers, the [Scroll Lock] keyboard key is pressed twice. There is a couple of seconds delay, and then keyboard, mouse, and monitor display switches (as does the LED) to the other computer.

I have seen no problems with the keyboard between the two computers. I have seen a little problem with the laptop when using the mouse wheel to scroll. It tended to overshoot or go in the opposite direction a few times. It's not a big issue to me. I am using 1280x1024 resolution with both monitors and I have seen NO problems with that.

When the active computer is shutdown, the LED on the switch remains lit for that computer. When the power source to the computer is shut off (its hooked up to a surge protector strip), the LED light goes out a few seconds later. When the power is re-applied to the surge protector, the switch's LED lights up for the same computer that was used before the power was shut off.

There is no heat generated by the switch when in use.

The only real issue I have with the switch is how it handles the Sony flat panel monitor when switching between computers. Actually, it may NOT be an issue with the switch as much as it might be the differences in graphics cards between the two computers. When I switch between the desktop PC and the laptop, the phase changes on the monitor. This shows up as text that looks bold, fuzzy, or with a shadow. A utility program that generates very narrow closely-spaced vertical lines in a gray on white background make it very easy to tune the phase with the monitor's on screen menu, but it has to be done each time I go from one computer to the other. I tried a "happy medium" setting for both, but it just wasn't good enough. Fortunately I don't switch between the two very frequently, so I guess I will just live with changing the phase every time I do switch. Once the phase is adjusted with either computer hooked up, the display is just as good as hooking the monitor up directly to the graphics card. Because the monitor supports two inputs, I may look into using the DVI input for the desktop, and the analog input for the laptop, completely bypassing the switch. It means having to purchase a DVI monitor cable. So before I resort to that, I will continue using the switch and see how it goes.


Summary

For the price, the IOGEAR GCS62 KVM switch packs a lot of value into a very small package. If it wasn't for the monitor display issue, I think it would have been a perfect 10 for my setup. It is WELL worth considering if there is a need for a KVM switch.


Price paid

$40 (purchased locally because I wanted to make SURE it would work and it would be simpler to take back if it didn't).


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