kvm questions

[Tom Haynes]

Okay, I bought a 4 machine kvm switch today.  Seeing as how it was $25
versus the minimum of $100 from other stores, I know it will have some
problems.

I had used a cascaded kv switch before, probably in the same price
range, and I had great success with that. (1 four driving two other
4 machine switches)

In the prior setup, the machines never ran X.  Once in a while, when 
switching consoles, the keyboard would fail to respond.  

I had heard the "cheap" kvm were not very good at handling very intensive
graphics.

I did not have a problem with going with the $25 one based on my prior
experience.

I have a keyboard and I will get a 15" monitor on the used market (nice
thing about living in Sunnyvale, CA).

Until then, I stole the 17" monitor from my main system, which is running
X.

The keyboard seems to not switch when I transfer stations.  It is not
on the old console, but it is not on the new one.

The graphics seem "weaker", both in text mode and in X.  I can
put the monitor directly on any of the machines and I get a nice
crisp display.  If I push it off of the kvm, it has what seems
like different fonts, a ghost image, and is dimmer.

I can live with the graphics since I will push everything into console
mode and keep the one running X off of the kvm, but the keyboard not
responding concerns me.

If it does not work, I might as well take the kvm back.

Any thoughts on what to check?

-- 
Tom Haynes
thomas at netapp.com