A few months ago, we looked at the IOGear Miniview Extreme series of keyboard, video and mouse switches (KVM's) that can be used to control multiple computers without the clutter of multiple input and display devices. Unlike many KVM's, however, the IOGear unit provided multimedia support — speaker and microphone sharing — in addition to its abilities to share the normal stuff people expect KVM's to work with. Like the IOGear units, Avocent's creatively named SwitchView USB 4-port (Audio) Switch, is one of these new “KVMP” multimedia switches.
These units are so similar, it takes some time for any technological differences to become apparent. Both have the same 2048×1536 maximum resolution. Both have a built-in USB hub that can be switched with the computers. Both use a proprietary cable so that the USB runs through the video port into the switch, meaning that there are only three connectors to connect to the back of the switch rather than four like there is on the computer end. Both work with Macs, Windows and Linux. The SwitchView even has the same failings as the MiniView unit, namely the lack of ability to access OpenFirmware via the switched keyboard on the Mac and static generated on the speakers on all systems (some have suggested that a “Ground Loop Isolator,” which can be purchased for as little as $15 from Radio Shack, may solve the static issue).
So, then, what are the differences? The only practical difference is that the SwitchView KVM appears to be unable to switch the peripherals independently of the keyboard, mouse and monitor. This ability, available on the MiniView units let you switch to a computer and then “leave” the peripherals switched to that computer while you move on to work on a different system. Very convenient.
Warranty wise, we might expect enterprise focused Avocent to offer a longer term plan than IOGear, but again the MiniView Extreme comes out on top. While the SwitchView comes with a two-year limited warranty, the IOGear's line comes with a three-year warranty. Both companies offer support lines and we found technicians from both companies reasonably helpful with our questions, though neither could offer solutions to the few problems mentioned above.
Most other differences are sizably less important, although may be of interest. For example, the MiniView Extreme dimly lights the LED's under a computer's number when that system is powered on and brightly lights it when that system is selected. The SwitchView, on the other hand, does not provide a visual indicator that a system is on using its lights. The SwitchView is also enclosed in a matte finish case that may be harder to clean than the MiniView, should cleaning become necessary.
However, the most important difference is price. While The MiniView Extreme 4-port can be purchased for a price in the neighborhood of $140, as of this writing, including four cables, the SwitchView rings up at $110-$130 without any KVM cables. If you need four of Avocent's six-foot cables, you can add another $100 onto the price tag of the SwitchView, making the switch somewhere around fifty percent higher than the price of IOGear's 4-port offering.
With that in mind, the obvious choice remains the MiniView Extreme, which is why we gave it the Editor's Choice award in April. While the SwitchView is a very good switch, we simply cannot find any reason to recommend it over the MiniView Extreme.
Avocent SwitchView USB (Audio) 4-Port
< font size=”-2”>ALSO EVALUATE: IOGear MiniView Extreme, Belkin OmniView SOHO USB and VGA |