DVI-I KVM -- are they sure?

[Jaz]

TRENDnet KVM TK-404KR does not seem to be DVI-I (digital plus analog)
as they say it is.

PC(VGA) -> HD15/DVI-I adapter -> input KVM switch (TK-404KR) ->
DVI-I/HD15 adapter -> VGA monitor. Doesn't work!

Over 2-3 weeks I've tried to setup a KVM switch so that I can feed
both VGA (HD15) and DVI (DVI-D) sources into a DVI-I KVM switch. The
output (DVI-I) is split into DVI-D and HD15(VGA) and fed into a
Philips 200W6 LCD (has separate digital and analog inputs, and auto
switches between them). Not having much luck with TRENDware's TK-404KR
switch, I simplified the cables (as above), just to be sure that
analog is supported, as the specs AND tech support says it is.

Either TRENDware is lying and this switch is DVI-D only, my particular
switch is bad, or the cabling is wrong. A seeminly very knowledgable
fellow at Lindy (they makes this kind of stuff -- KVMs and cables)
said this should work, and TRENDware says "we don't support adapters".
Well, to that I say: I've never seen an analog monitor with a DVI-I
connector, so if your KVM switch supports "DVI-I (analog & digital)",
then it's going to HAVE to support some type of DVI/HD15 adapter.

Does anyone have experience with this or know of a link that lays it
all out clearly?

Thanks!

(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

 

[toronado455]

I've been wanting to do something similar to this. But without the
monitor auto sensing/switching. I want to do that part manually.

My question to you is how or what are you using to split the signal
coming out of KVM?

 

[Jaz]

I've been wanting to do something similar to this. But without the
monitor auto sensing/switching. I want to do that part manually.

My question to you is how or what are you using to split the signal
coming out of KVM?

I cheaped out and bought a Dell 0X2026 splitter on eBay ($10 total),
but I first had my eye on this:
http://www.cbbstore.com/retail/shop/productdetails.asp?pid=5593&tab=1

I spoke to Jeff at Lindy and he said they sell a digital+analog KVM
(PN#32343) to pair with this cable, but it's 3x the cost. So, this
whole project is in limbo.

What really stinks is the problem with booting a box on a non-active
port. This creates a headless PC -- no problem for VGA, but it seems
that DVI cards default to VGA when no digital monitor is sensed. Thus,
I wind up with a PC cabled DVI-D but in VGA mode! Go figure. Seems
like sombody was sleeping when TRENDware's KVM was designed, as it
seems not to provide a low-impedance bus for bridging the DVI monitor
detect pins to all the DVI sources.

Jaz

(Please excuse the 'burp' when replying (b))

 

[toronado455]

I cheaped out and bought a Dell 0X2026 splitter on eBay ($10 total),
but I first had my eye on this:
http://www.cbbstore.com/retail/shop/productdetails.asp?pid=5593&tab=1

Thanks for that. That's something I may look into in the future.

I spoke to Jeff at Lindy and he said they sell a digital+analog KVM
(PN#32343) to pair with this cable, but it's 3x the cost. So, this
whole project is in limbo.

Yeah, I probably would have bought a DVI KVM already if there was one
out there that I really liked and the prices were lower.

What really stinks is the problem with booting a box on a non-active
port. This creates a headless PC -- no problem for VGA, but it seems
that DVI cards default to VGA when no digital monitor is sensed. Thus,
I wind up with a PC cabled DVI-D but in VGA mode! Go figure. Seems
like sombody was sleeping when TRENDware's KVM was designed, as it
seems not to provide a low-impedance bus for bridging the DVI monitor
detect pins to all the DVI sources.

Jaz

Yeah that's lame. Though it's not just a DVI issue. Some VGA video
cards are also unhappy booting headless. I try to make sure to have the
port selected for whatever machine is booting. But you're right, they
should have a better solution than that.