TRENDnet TK-209K 2-Port USB KVM Switch with Audio

First of all, the price was the lowest at Overstock which I don't usually find to be the case. Delivery was on time which is also very nice. The switch itself is a bit on the plastic side, construction wise and has wires coming from all sides when fully connected. These physical issues are not a problem for me but could be for others. I replaced a Belkin PS/2 switch with this USB switch to take advantage of a USB-only keyboard that I like. Operation of the switch is good, though slightly slower than the PS/2 one and it makes the little "bah-bump" Windows sound as the PC detects (and the other PC un-detects) the connected mouse and keyboard. I am running with a ViewSonic VA2012wb 21" LCD and it looks great. No issues at all with setup or operation. I have seen the switch become difficult to work with (like not switching, even with pushing the buttons) when one of the PCs is put into stand-by -- not going into stand-by on its own though where that seemed to be OK, oddly. I think it might have to do with which PC the switch was set to when one went into standby. Not sure. Not a big deal for me though since both PC are always on (most of the time anyhow). What I think is a bonus is the software that it comes with. I installed it on only one of my connected PCs (not my work machine) and it is able to control the audio switching independently from the KVM portion. That's very helpful to me. Overall, I'd say this switch is just right for me. I'm happy. Even with some minor quirks, I'd certainly recommend it. And given all that others have said about headaches with KVMs, that's a very good thing.

It's a handy product overall, but it keeps losing the connection to the keyboard & mouse on both computers, forcing me to reboot. I have seen this problem before on lower end KVMs, so if you're willing to shell out serious cash, it may be worth buying a nicer model. It might not be good for a computer in the long run to have to cut its power in order to reboot it because there's no other way to restart it without the keyboard & mouse! It also has so many wires plugged into all four sides, I don't think there's a way to put it on top of a desk without creating a big mess. So I have mine on the floor and have to reach down everytime I want to switch computers. There are other models that do a better of organizing the wires so they only come out of the back of the unit and don't look so unsightly. But you can't beat the price of this KVM!

I bought this switch so that I could get rid of the secondary mouse and keyboard, which I used on my second machine. The switch works great and can either be used with a hotkey or simply pushing a button. There is a bit of delay (about 5 seconds) when switching, but that is because I have a gaming keyboard and mouse which take a bit longer for the computers to recognize and use the proper drivers. Great value for such a handy item.

This unit does come with all cables needed to hook-up two computers to 1 monitor, speakers and a mic. The Overstock description does not fully detail this important fact. The low price may seem like the cables are not included. I had other KVM switches that used ps2 connections. If you have a newer laptop and desktop that your want to use, the USB connection is the only way to go. Unit functions as specified and mouse and keyboard sync-up everytime. Although, you may experience a slight delay when switching between the two PC's. Most of the local office and computer stores stock this unit, but a higher price.