IOGEAR GCS138KIT 8-Port KVM Switch w/cables Kit IOGEAR GCS138KIT 8-Port KVM Switch w/cables Kit

Pros: I LOVE THESE!!!!! Not only do they work well, but both the front buttons, and the CTRL-CTRL hot-key menu allow for switching and selecting computers on cascaded switchers! Even works well when going through to a remote KVM over CAT5 via an extender like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817107412

Cons: None that I have found yet... :-)

Other Thoughts: If you need a basic 8-port KVM with PS2 support - buy his one!

If you need an expandable KVM - buy this one!

If you need an 8-port KVM, with USB, you might still want this one, and add USB to PS2 adapters for each computer that has USB...

Pros: Good video quality to 1800*1440 at 75Hz (I have not tested above this point).

Easy direct switching (tap ctrl, tap alt, tap shift, tap number, tap enter) or use menu (tap ctrl, tap ctrl -- or tap scroll-lock, tap scroll-lock -- according to a configurable setting). [Seems to insist that the ctrl, alt, shift keys for the first method are the ones on the left side of the keyboard.]

Can set names for each connection, as well as make some changes to other aspects (where the name appears onscreen after selection, and how long, for example).

Included cables are great for video quality (best quality over included cables I have seen so far that were not permanently attached to the KVM).

Cables do not seem proprietary (I am using one as an extension for another KVM switch and no problems there).

Includes power adapter.

Cons: Blue power LED is irritatingly bright (I covered mine with electrical tape and can *still* see it!).

Beeps when switching, but can't turn this on/off in the UI. Another user already pointed out the tiny buzzer can be masked to reduce this beep.

Sometimes not responsive (will not switch from the keyboard) if the attached PC has hung.

No sound switching -- only PS/2 keyboard, PS/2 mouse, video. This is not a con for me (I sometimes want to listen to another PC while I work on one), but some people might find it lacking because of this.

Will not allow software programming access to programmable keyboards that have the programming capability on the keyboard itself (instead of as a driver), such as the old Gateway AnyKey and similar. You can program the keyboard directly connected to a PC and then connect the keyboard to this switch and it will work (or you can program directly on the keyboard while on this switch). I would take off a point, but this is an obscure feature.

Other Thoughts: Some KVMs do not include a power adapter and so draw power from the PC. If you have a few PCs always connected and powered (or at least in a state where they apply power to the keyboard) this is okay, but otherwise that might push the current capability of a single PC's keyboard port. This one includes a power adapter so I don't have to worry there.

It seems to work reasonably well with some (not all!) PS/2 to USB adapters (minor glitches in certain software that likes to control the keyboard directly), but I am buying a couple of the ones IOGear recommends to see if they are better.

If the attached PC has hung in certain ways, pressing another button on the switch can switch away, but the keyboard may not respond. Sometimes you can try a few times by the keyboard and the light for that PC on the KVM will blink. I can usually gain control and switch from the keyboard after the light starts blinking.

Pros: This KVM has been perfect for me. The only issue has been the shorter cable lengths but its only a very minor one..(not enough for a con). Map out your rack before installing to make sure your cables will reach. I have one installed in a 42u rack, just 3u down from the top (to avoid hitting buttons by accident), all six of my servers are on the bottom and the cables can still be routed to the side for air flow. The blue led helps if the lights go out too.

Cons: None

Other Thoughts: This is a real good KVM for the money. You could spend more but why.

Pros: SUPER FAST NEW EGG Shipping. Set up fast, decent price, great for PS2 use

Cons: PS2 to USB adapters DO NOT WORK! You MUST be using ONLY PS2 connections on all of your equipmment to have any luck. It did now show up with a warranty card, going to have to go to the website and do it. In the instructions there was no mention of how to set up the KVM to fit in the rack, I didn't need the instructions I just figured it out but something tells me that I should not have had to figure it out. That meant right out of the box I was using a screw driver to take the sides off... good thing I guessed right and unscrewed the proper screws. It should have been in the instructions.

Other Thoughts: I have several servers running and my trendnet KVM died after a year so I decided to give this one a shot. Everything works on the PS2 side. However one of the newer servers only has a PS2 connection for the keyboard... not the mouse. So the mouse does not work on that server, an even newer one is set up for USB keyboards and mouse, no PS2 connections at all... no dice the little converters will not work,

I am going to have to decide if I should scrap this one and get another.

Manufacturer Response:

Thank you for choosing IOGEAR and sorry about your experience. Our KVM does work with USB interface by using our GUC10KM to convert the both PS/2 keyboard and mouse into a single USB connection. If you have multiple USB computers, I would suggest you to get our GCS138KITUP which includes all the PS/2 to USB converters in the package and they will work just fine. Since this unit is backed by IOGEAR’s 3 year warranty, if you have any further question, please feel free to give our 24/7 tech support a call at 1(866)946-4327 and we will be glad to assist you. Once again, thank you for choosing IOGEAR.

Pros: You get it all at a great price baby!

Cables: (4) that are ~ 4 feet long.
(4) more that are 6 or 8 feet long AND does not cause fuzzyness like many "long" cables can - I'm talking desktop computing - not games, movies, or some other visually intensive application.

Never f'ed up even once except as mentioned below.

One physical button per computer and you can switch to any of 8 positions even if no computer is hooked up to that port. Great if you want to "park" on a given port to avoid the mouse waking a pc from sleep or distrubing a critical operation or one pc has "press any key" displayed and you need to switch to another pc without distrubing it.

OSD - You label each computer so you don't get confused: ex "Dell P490 main pc" or Server1, Server2 etc.

Comes with a seperate power plug - but I never needed it.

Cons: Beep is annoying and cannot be disabled by the soft menu (On Screen Display aka OSD) Or by any other method. OSD is generic. We have a Linksys or Cisco kvm in the lab and it uses the exact same OSD. I solved this by opening the unit (the speaker is a small penny sized (but thicker) pizzo pc speaker with a hole in the center. I covered it with two pieces of electrical tape and that worked great. Co-workers can get annoyed otherwise.

Minor/rare: one computer wigged out - video went wacko and this caused the KVM's OSD menu / sofw switching via the keyboard to not work. I had to physically push a different button on the KVM and then it worked. However, if the kvm was physically inaccessible - locked in a server cabnet, etc this would have been a problem.

I was unable to press ctrl+ctrl+#2 or whatever to switch by number. I always press ctrl ctrl then use the arrow keys to select the computer then enter.

Other Thoughts: Heavy ~ 15lbs, comes with rack mount hardware, power plug, 8 cables - 4 4 footers, 4 ~ 8 or 10 feet.

Cables are molded to keep things neat. Back of unit is FEMALE. It accepted another common kvm's cables.

BEST MOST USEFUL PIECE OF EQUIMENT I EVER BOUGHT. I used this 8 hours a day and had up to 8 pc's plugged into it for over a year and never had a problem!! You can't do better unless you are ready to spend over $1000 and up.

Pros: Used this for over a year and this KVM has never given me any trouble.

Cons: none

Pros: We bought this for our small business after we bought a rack and racked our servers. I am using it with a Dell Console station and all Dell servers. Works like a champ. Zero problems. COMES WITH CABLES!! Various lengths so you can keep the mess down too.

Cons: none that I can think off

Other Thoughts: I will be buying more of these as needed.

Pros: Great KVM It just works, not like our old bel*** which was hit or miss, mostly missing. you would have to reboot to get the old one to work.
This one worked with our old cables as well. No rebooting required!

Cons: Blue LED is realy bright

Other Thoughts: You can spend a lot more money but you won't find one that works better than this one.

Pros: I have used many variations at home, in small businesses and in datacenters and this outperforms everything so far, especially at its cost, including cables. Traditionally I HATE buying KVMs, trying new ones to see if they live for more than a few months or have some annoying quirk. Responsive, reliable, cost-effective. It readily keeps ahold of connected hardware. I am planning on buying a second and possibly a third here soon.

Cons: I would like a combo/USB KVM. The cable length mix hasn't been a problem for me yet, so it isn't a con in my case. If I need longer ones I hope that OIGear has them available (I haven't gone looking).

Other Thoughts: The blue light is entertaining in that I have had more fun trying to find creative ways to dim it...

Pros: Fair price, fast switching, good features, high resolution, good compatibility. Easy to hook up, comes with everything you need in the box.

Cons: The KVM cables appear to be a special cable. I bought this switch not only for resolution, but because it has the same input/outputs as the Belkin switch I had. I planned on using the same KVM cables that I had already run for the Belkin. However, I found that the mouse didn't work and even prevented one of the servers from booting. Once I connected two of the KVM cables that came with it, things worked correctly. A bummer you have to use only their cables. The four-foot ones are too short, they should have included 7ft. and 10ft., not 4ft.

Other Thoughts: This KVM is very compatible with most motherboards. The other reason I bought this switch is because it wouldn't work with my MSI motherboards. This one works perfectly. The other is high resolution for a 24" monitor. All others fell way short of the necessary high resolution and the screen looks terrible. This switch is very flexible. NewEgg has some of the fastest shipping around, I got my new KVM very quickly.