StarTech 2 Port Dual DVI USB KVM Switch with Audio (SV231DVIDDU)

I was skeptical of this unit after reading the somewhat lukewarm reviews on this site and others. However, I have had a fair bit of experience with KVMs (smaller Belkin and IOGear products all the way up to big fancy Avocent OSD models) and I'm generally pretty pleased with StarTech so I figured I'd take the plunge and I'm glad I did.The unit it somewhat larger than similar models but it's case is constructed from steel or some other metal and doesn't feel flimsy which is a definite plus. Also, being a little on the larger size makes it much less painful to manage what can otherwise be an untameable octopus of cables that is often associated with KVMs.Included with the unit is only the KVM itself, manuals and software, and an AC adapter for power. Fortunatley, I was able to pull everything but one DVI cable out of my computer bone-yard so there wasn't much additional expense. However, if you do not have ready access to such a quantity of surplus hardware, you will need to purchase the cables for connecting the remotes (the two computers to be controlled) to the KVM.Specifically:2 x DVI male-to-male single- or dual-link extension cable2 x HD15 male-to-male analog video extension cable2 x USB-A to USB-B cable for the keyboard/mouse/USB hub signal2 x 3.5mm microphone/speaker cablesAll of that is in addition to what you are currently using for your monitors, keyboard, mouse, etc. as all of that will be connected to the host or input side of the KVM. Also note, I am not using the audio portion of the KVM so it remains untested but that seems like pretty basic functionality so I doubt it's a problem.I'm using a very simple Dell 104 key standard keyboard and haven't had any of the troubles some of the other reviewers have reported when using lighted, wireless, or otherwise "enhanced" keyboards full of additional functionality. For what it's worth, my regular ol' keyboard and three-button mouse work great.As for hook-up/install, it couldn't have been easier. Making all the connections go where they are supposed to takes a little time just because you're dealing with so many cables but, once I got everything where it's supposed to go, it fired right up.In case it's helpful, the two computers I'm using it with are as follows:Dell Optiplex 380 (with video splitter dongle) running Windows 7 Professional (32-bit) service pack 1Dell Dimension 8400 with a dual-display after market nVidia video card running Ubuntu 10.10I did have to install some additional nVidia software to get Ubuntu going but it wasn't any particular hassle.The long and the short of it is, I'm really quite pleased with this KVM. The software, while not required, adds some functionality which is pretty handy and everything has been working as I'd expect since I installed it. If you don't see any updates to this review you can assume nothing has changed.

I bought this KVM Switch that I could continue using my home laptop computer (DELL XPS 17) and my work laptop computer (DELL Latitude E6430) using the same keyboard and two monitors that I had in my home office.The unit is metal, heavy, and apparently well built. I preferred not having additional cables as I had most of the cables I needed for the installation. There was one DVI cable adapter that I purchased from monoprice. You will need to do very careful review of the connectors and cables required to ensure you have a trouble-free installation. There is quite a tangle of cables and you should consider purchasing some cable ties or Velcro straps to organize your wiring.The setup was a little troublesome but I managed to get through all the video settings without too much hassle. This may be a little difficult for the novice computer user but it’s not too bad.The only technical issue I have is that occasionally if I reboot a computer, the video does not show up correctly on reboot and there is no way to recover other than powering off the KVM switch. It would have been nice to have a power switch to do this but I have to reach around and disconnect the DC source to get the system working correctly. This is annoying and I am not sure why this is happening.Other than that the system works well. I am able to switch between my work and home computer without too much issue.I tend the use the buttons on the module to switch active computers since my Logitech keyboard does not have a SCROLL LOCK key and instead uses a combination of keys. That makes the keyboard switch a little cumbersome to use.I would recommend this to a friend if you have a similar requirement to what I did for my home office. I use this lightly and may not like it as much if I used it daily with the video reset issue that I described up above.

Works perfectly, and easy to setup. I am using this to connect a Lenovo ThinkPad and an Intel NUC to a Dell monitor, both over DisplayPort. I am also sharing a pair of speakers using the 3.5mm connectors, a VOIP headset and an HD webcam. All function perfectly when using either client.My only reason for giving 4 stars is that the device comes without any cables at all (except power). I can understand not burdening the unit with the price of cables when you don't know what video output the customer will use, and it is clearly called out in the description that cables are not included. However in my opinion the unit should come with at least the necessary USB cables, as these will be the same for every installation. Charge a few pounds more to include them, but don't make me order extra cables separately - that's just annoying!Aside from that minor annoyance - can't fault the unit.

I bought this to switch between my macbook (with dock) and desktop PC and it works great! I ordered additional audio jack cables to connect to my monitor with built in speakers but it turned out I didn't need them as display port cable supplies the audio.I had occasional screen flicker but switching one of the display port cables with one that came with my monitor fixed the issue, I'm guessing the other cable i bought for this was of lower quality or faulty.

I purchased this KVM to be able to share the same monitor, keyboard and mouse between two Macs, as it seemed to offer better display capabilities than the KVM I was using. The unit is solidly constructed from steel, so could almost be labelled as industrial-grade. A warning, though: there are no rubber feet on the enclosure, so avoid placing it on something prone to being scratched.A major drawback for some will be that it includes no cables. So if you don't already have suitable items, you'll need to budget for them.Although the unit did work reasonably well, there was little or no improvement over the KVM it was intended to replace, so I returned it.

The item would be fine if all that it required is switching the mouse/keyboard & screen between 2 PCs. I selected this KVM as it also has a further 2 USB ports so other peripherals could be connected and switched between the PCs. This is the setup I had with my previous Avocent KVM and I only "upgraded" to this so that I could move from DVI to displayport.Unfortunately, with the sole exception of a USB 2 flash disk, none of the peripherals would work. E.g. my webcam comes though as Unknown USB device whilst my scanner is recognised but freezes on use. Both worked fine on my previous KVM.To me there is a design flaw in the USB implementation. Item returned.

Eine LED-Tastatur und eine Gaming Maus lassen sich nicht an jedem KVM betreiben. Der StarTech SV231DPUA schafft das! Zumal er über eine 220V Stromversorgung verfügt, wogegen sich Modelle der Mitbewerber auf die Stromversorgung per USB durch die PCs verlassen.Die Auflösung von 2560x1440 funktioniert einwandfrei und schnell. Der Sound mit Bose Boxen lässt keine Wünsche offen. Umschalten per Tastatur Shortcut erfolgt problemlos, einen zusätzlichen Taster gibt es leider nicht. Das Gerätegehäuse ist aus Metall und hat genügend Eigengewicht: nach hinten angeschlossene Kabel ziehen die Gerätefront nicht nach oben. Was noch? Funktioniert und ist günstiger als „der“ Mitbewerber, daher noch einen sechsten Stern hier im Résumé!