12 Aug
2006
12 Aug
'06
6:48 p.m.
Hi,
In an attempt to cut down on the number of monitors, etc.
here, I dragged out an old KVM (which, unfortunately, seems
to have lost track of his wal wart!).
It doesn't take long to realize that this is a non-solution:
- keyboards are PS2, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- video is Sun's 13W3, HD15, DEC's RGB, apple's DB15, etc.
Does anyone make a *truly* universal KVM (i.e. so that
I can mix and match all of these flavors)? And, how
outrageously priced is it?
Or, do I just have to get used to hiding "not in use"
mice, etc. out of the way?
12 Aug
12 Aug
6:56 p.m.
Don wrote:
It doesn't take long to realize that this is a non-solution:
- keyboards are PS2, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
Keyboards that are USB convert to PS2 with a gizmo
Sun converters can be had on ebay, though not cheaply.
SS10 and 20s and prior are handled well, but the next
up cheapo, the U5/10 motherboard is a pain because
it is sun keyboard and VGA out. they only went half
way till the blades. U2 etc, are 13w3 however but
are not as nice as the U5 because they require scsi
drives.
- mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
meece that are USB can go to PS2.
- video is Sun's 13W3, HD15, DEC's RGB,
apple's DB15, etc.
there is a sun converter for the raritan and for
avocent that converts the keyboard and video.
it requires sun keyboard power tu run the logic, and
is rare on ebay.
there is a mac box from raritan that converts to
ps2, maybe there are other such solutions.
ADB does not ring a bell, so I guess I don't have
them.
The Dec Vax type video and keyboards, as well
as the funny HP's ones are pretty much in the
"hide the keyboard and mouse" class.
AIX boxes that I am keeping must have vga
adapters, and ps2, though they are not w/o problems.
Jim
Does anyone make a *truly* universal KVM (i.e. so
that
I can mix and match all of these flavors)? And, how
outrageously priced is it?
Or, do I just have to get used to hiding "not in use"
mice, etc. out of the way?
13 Aug
13 Aug
2:23 a.m.
jim stephens wrote:
It seems like lots of converters involved. :-(
Presumably the USB based stuff can be self-powered.
Otherwise, lots and lots and lots of wall warts??
Apple Desktop Bus
Don wrote:
Hmmm... my U10 has VGVA and a 13W3. I assume one
overrides the other?
It doesn't take long to realize that this is
a non-solution:
- keyboards are PS2, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
Keyboards that are USB convert to PS2 with a gizmo
Sun converters can be had on ebay, though not cheaply.
SS10 and 20s and prior are handled well, but the next
up cheapo, the U5/10 motherboard is a pain because
it is sun keyboard and VGA out. they only went half way till the blades. U2 etc, are 13w3 however but
are not as nice as the U5 because they require scsi
drives.
Nothing wrong with SCSI... :>
- mice are
PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
meece that are USB can go to PS2. - video is
Sun's 13W3, HD15, DEC's RGB, apple's DB15, etc.
there is a sun converter for the raritan and for
avocent that converts the keyboard and video.
it requires sun keyboard power tu run the logic, and
is rare on ebay.
there is a mac box from raritan that converts to
ps2, maybe there are other such solutions.
ADB does not ring a bell, so I guess I don't have
them. The Dec Vax type video and keyboards, as well
as the funny HP's ones are pretty much in the
"hide the keyboard and mouse" class.
AIX boxes that I am keeping must have vga
adapters, and ps2, though they are not w/o problems.
Sheesh! This sounds like a real mess! :-(
I assume the reason off-the-shelf devices that handle all of
this "nicely" don't exist because most installations are
homogenous?
2:20 p.m.
Don wrote:
other than price and capacity, availability. I wish
SCSI would stay around, but I think it is headed
out in favor of SATA, as will eventually PATA
there is a molded gizmo that seems to adapt the USB
<snip>
really new stuff usually have integrated system complex
solutions that data centers use, and they frequently use
common VGA / PS2 KB/Mouse solutions.
jim stephens wrote:
> Don wrote:
>
<snip>
Hmmm... my U10 has VGVA and a 13W3. I assume one
overrides the other?
The 10 and optionally the 5 comes with a 3D Creator card.
I pulled the one I have and use the ATI vga connector, which
is just fine with anything I need to do on the sun.
way till the
blades. U2 etc, are 13w3 however but
are not as nice as the U5 because they require scsi
drives.
Nothing wrong with SCSI... :> meece that are
USB can go to PS2.
- mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
It seems like lots of converters involved. :-(
Presumably the USB based stuff can be self-powered.
Otherwise, lots and lots and lots of wall warts??
The Dec Vax
type video and keyboards, as well
as the funny HP's ones are pretty much in the
"hide the keyboard and mouse" class.
AIX boxes that I am keeping must have vga
adapters, and ps2, though they are not w/o problems.
Sheesh! This sounds like a real mess! :-(
I assume the reason off-the-shelf devices that handle all of
this "nicely" don't exist because most installations are
homogenous?
3:01 p.m.
On Sunday 13 August 2006 14:20, jim stephens wrote:
other than price and capacity, availability. I wish
SCSI would stay around, but I think it is headed
out in favor of SATA, as will eventually PATA
SCSI may eventually get phased out in favor of Fiberchannel, but it's not
anywhere near "not available on the marketplace" yet.
Larger than 36GB or so capacity drives are still expensive, though.
Don wrote:
If you mean that the Ultra5 can have a UPA-connected framebuffer, that's
wrong. There's a slot on the board, but there's no way to fit a card in
there, and the power supply for the Ultra 5 doesn't have the extra connector
which connects to the motherboard and powers the UPA slot.
Yes, I've tried doing this before. :)
jim stephens wrote:
> Don wrote:
<snip>
Hmmm... my U10 has VGVA and a 13W3. I assume
one
overrides the other?
The 10 and optionally the 5 comes with a 3D Creator card.
I pulled the one I have and use the ATI vga connector, which
is just fine with anything I need to do on the sun. way till the blades. U2 etc, are 13w3 however but
are not as nice as the U5 because they require scsi
drives.
Nothing wrong with SCSI... :> really new stuff usually have integrated system
complex
solutions that data centers use, and they frequently use
common VGA / PS2 KB/Mouse solutions.
Or a DE9 connector for a RS-232 serial port, or 100BaseTX port to connect to a
Lights-Out management controller (or service processor, or whatever you wanna
call it), which can act as the system's console, as well.
Older stuff with framebuffers generally were meant to be workstations, not
servers, anyways, for the most part.
Pat
--
Purdue University ITAP/RCAC --- http://www.rcac.purdue.edu/
The Computer Refuge --- http://computer-refuge.org
14 Aug
14 Aug
12:42 a.m.
Patrick Finnegan wrote:
<snip>
If you mean that the Ultra5 can have a UPA-connected framebuffer, that's
wrong. There's a slot on the board, but there's no way to fit a card in
there, and the power supply for the Ultra 5 doesn't have the extra connector
which connects to the motherboard and powers the UPA slot.
Yes, I've tried doing this before. :)
<snip>
if you put it in a u10 box it will, the mother boards are identical, and
I had to move one
when I recived a 10 box.
Jim
13 Aug
13 Aug
6:18 p.m.
jim stephens wrote:
there is a molded gizmo that seems to adapt the USB
I've had mixed experiences with those. Perhaps the ones
I have used were not intended as "generic" and had
vendor specific hacks in their implementations?
The "killer app" is a video digitizer with a network
spigot on the back end. Plug video, audio, mouse, keyboard
into the box and address it over the wire!
Reasonably trivial to do *except* for full motion video
support :-(
Don wrote:
other than price and capacity, availability. I wish
Capacity seems to be the bigger problem. And, price
per gigabyte *at* those higher capacities!
way till
the blades. U2 etc, are 13w3 however but
are not as nice as the U5 because they require scsi
drives.
Nothing wrong with SCSI... :> SCSI would stay around, but I think it is headed
out in favor of SATA, as will eventually PATA
Agreed.
meece that are USB can go to PS2.
- mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
It seems like lots of converters involved. :-(
Presumably the USB based stuff can be self-powered.
Otherwise, lots and lots and lots of wall warts?? I assume the
reason off-the-shelf devices that handle all of
this "nicely" don't exist because most installations are
homogenous?
really new stuff usually have integrated system complex
solutions that data centers use, and they frequently use
common VGA / PS2 KB/Mouse solutions.
14 Aug
14 Aug
12:48 a.m.
Don wrote:
jim stephens wrote:
<snip>
The "killer app" is a video digitizer with a
network
spigot on the back end. Plug video, audio, mouse, keyboard
into the box and address it over the wire!
Reasonably trivial to do *except* for full motion video
support :-(
I have one of the early Apex IP solutions, which puts a
PCI card in a cheap compaq running Win NT4, and you
export the desktop of the Win NT box when you have the
video viewer app up on on your screen. Not fine, because
the mouse motions have to be tranfered in via vnc, then
when you connect into the viewer application which views
the input from the PCI card that has quirks.
It's cute if you are on the box's desktop, but pretty
much sucked for much else.
I also had experience with a recent box with an integrated
system to do video / mouse / kb on one side (including
automagic USB on one usb B for both USB Mice and
keyboard) and it was better, but still quirky. If you boot
it up and don't change video mode it worked okay, but
was still not as good as VNC into a system.
I'd just like to see a vga card with an extra RJ45 on the
back and VNC and VGA db15 on the back, plus
a connector for the mouse and keyboard for the system.
Jim
5:22 p.m.
jim stephens wrote:
Don wrote:
Yeah, but you have to *open* the box-to-be-monitored
to install the card (?). So, you need to design a
card for each different bus, etc.
The *killer* product is one that sits on the video
(output) -- far more portable (and far more difficult
to design, even with highly integrated video digitizers
since you dont have ready access to the dot-clock). :-(
jim stephens wrote:
The "killer app" is a video digitizer with a network
spigot on the back end. Plug video, audio, mouse, keyboard
into the box and address it over the wire!
Reasonably trivial to do *except* for full motion video
support :-(
I have one of the early Apex IP solutions, which puts a
PCI card in a cheap compaq running Win NT4, and you
export the desktop of the Win NT box when you have the
video viewer app up on on your screen. Not fine, because
the mouse motions have to be tranfered in via vnc, then
when you connect into the viewer application which views
the input from the PCI card that has quirks.
It's cute if you are on the box's desktop, but pretty
much sucked for much else. I also had experience with a recent box with an
integrated
system to do video / mouse / kb on one side (including
automagic USB on one usb B for both USB Mice and
keyboard) and it was better, but still quirky. If you boot
it up and don't change video mode it worked okay, but
was still not as good as VNC into a system.
VNC is "doable" but, again, you have to get *into* the
system to install it. Sitting on the video out would
be great because it would be *just* as noninvasive as
a KVM (though apparently many KVM's are buggy).
I'd just like to see a vga card with an extra RJ45
on the
back and VNC and VGA db15 on the back, plus
a connector for the mouse and keyboard for the system.
There are add-in cards that will give you serial access
to the IPL process. But, I don't think any that will
export the raw video "over the net".
6:55 p.m.
jim stephens wrote:
see above. Only cheap on dual usb/ps2 mice.
--
Tim Riker - http://Rikers.org/ - TimR at Debian.org
Embedded Linux Technologist - http://eLinux.org/
BZFlag maintainer - http://BZFlag.org/ - for fun!
Keyboards that are USB convert to PS2 with a gizmo
or rather, keyboards that are both usb and ps2 can operate as ps2 with a
gizmo. a pure usb keyboard cannot.
Also this does not help machines with no PS2 input port. Assuming your
KVM is switching PS2 you need usb->ps2->kvm->ps2->usb->host which will
not work with the included "gizmos". Now there likely are 3rd party
gizmos that are more expensive that do this conversion.
- mice are
PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
meece that are USB can go to PS2. 
12 Aug
12 Aug
7:44 p.m.
At 23:48 12/08/2006, Don wrote:
Does anyone make a *truly* universal KVM (i.e. so that
I can mix and match all of these flavors)? And, how
outrageously priced is it?
Lindy do one that on the face of it gets
somewhere closer than most to what you want:
http://www.lindy.com/uk/productfolder/03/32/32251/index.php
It's not particularly clear what the connections
are, but there is a manual to download, and their
technical support is usually pretty good if that doesn't help.
Price is indeed outrageous (?375 retail, ~$700,
plus cables ..) but if you can find someone with
a trade account it will be somewhat less..
Rob.
13 Aug
13 Aug
2:08 p.m.
Rob O'Donnell wrote:
At 23:48 12/08/2006, Don wrote:
It still appears PC-centric -- with minor allowances for Sun
(e.g., no ADB support, relies on 13W3 adapters, expects your
shared monitor to be HD15, no serial mice, etc.) :-(
Does anyone make a *truly* universal KVM (i.e. so
that
I can mix and match all of these flavors)? And, how
outrageously priced is it?
Lindy do one that on the face of it gets somewhere closer than most to
what you want:
http://www.lindy.com/uk/productfolder/03/32/32251/index.php
It's not particularly clear what the connections are, but there is a
manual to download, and their technical support is usually pretty good
if that doesn't help. Price is indeed outrageous (?375 retail, ~$700, plus
cables ..) but if
you can find someone with a trade account it will be somewhat less..
Ouch! And, no doubt those "proprietary" cables aren't cheap! :<
Thanks!
--don
12 Aug
12 Aug
8:25 p.m.
Don wrote:
Hi,
In an attempt to cut down on the number of monitors, etc.
here, I dragged out an old KVM (which, unfortunately, seems
to have lost track of his wal wart!).
It doesn't take long to realize that this is a non-solution:
- keyboards are PS2, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- video is Sun's 13W3, HD15, DEC's RGB, apple's DB15, etc.
Does anyone make a *truly* universal KVM (i.e. so that
I can mix and match all of these flavors)? And, how
outrageously priced is it?
Cybex Commander series is as close as you'll get. The ones I've
worked with are a backplane with cards that attach to computers or
console or other KVM units. The computer-conected cards are jumperable
to the type of kbd/mouse/display that system expects, and they make
cables for SPARC (with 13W3 display), ADB/DB15, PS/2-HD15,
AT/serial/HD15, etc. I've not seen USB cables, but that doesn't mean
they don't exist. As an added bonus, they do sound if you buy the right
cables, and allow up to 4 user consoles per setup.
The newer ones are a lot smaller, support USB, and don't have the
mix-&-match backplane.
Fairly expensive, but common on eBay and the cables come up
reasonably cheap.
Doc
Or, do I just have to get used to hiding "not in use"
mice, etc. out of the way?
13 Aug
13 Aug
2:10 p.m.
Doc Shipley wrote:
Don wrote:
This sounds like the approach I would take if *designing* one.
I.e., have the chassis deal with audio/video/mouse/etc.
"busses" which cards could drive and *a* card could *tap*
(to connect to your shared workstation I/O's).
Hi,
In an attempt to cut down on the number of monitors, etc.
here, I dragged out an old KVM (which, unfortunately, seems
to have lost track of his wal wart!).
It doesn't take long to realize that this is a non-solution:
- keyboards are PS2, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- video is Sun's 13W3, HD15, DEC's RGB, apple's DB15, etc.
Does anyone make a *truly* universal KVM (i.e. so that
I can mix and match all of these flavors)? And, how
outrageously priced is it?
Cybex Commander series is as close as you'll get. The ones I've
worked with are a backplane with cards that attach to computers or console or other KVM units. The computer-conected
cards are jumperable
to the type of kbd/mouse/display that system expects, and they make
cables for SPARC (with 13W3 display), ADB/DB15, PS/2-HD15,
AT/serial/HD15, etc. I've not seen USB cables, but that doesn't mean
they don't exist. As an added bonus, they do sound if you buy the right
cables, and allow up to 4 user consoles per setup.
The newer ones are a lot smaller, support USB, and don't have the
mix-&-match backplane.
Fairly expensive, but common on eBay and the cables come up reasonably
cheap.
I will take a look. Thanks!
11:41 a.m.
Hi, Don,
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 12-Aug-06 at 15:48 Don wrote:
<snippety>
It doesn't take long to realize that this is a
non-solution:
- keyboards are PS2, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- video is Sun's 13W3, HD15, DEC's RGB, apple's DB15, etc.
Does anyone make a *truly* universal KVM (i.e. so that
I can mix and match all of these flavors)? And, how
outrageously priced is it?
Yes indeed. I've seen a couple of them at RE-PC in Tukwila (Washington). They were
made by Cybex, and bear the name 'Commander.'
They consist of a mainframe which is configured for different system types through the
use of different plug-in modules. The cables are interesting in that they're all
high-density D-sub shell (D-25 sized, but about 70 or so pins) at the switch end, and the
other end fanned out into KV and M plugs appropriate for the system you were working with.
The mainframe itself accepted a standard PC keyboard and mouse (PS/2 style), and
electronically adapted it to drive whatever was plugged into the switch.
That's in the surplus arena. It is also my understanding that Raritan, Avocent
(formerly Apex) and others make current-production universal switches. However, most of
them seem to have price tags in the low four-figure range.
Happy hunting.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy,
Blue Feather Technologies -- http://www.bluefeathertech.com
kyrrin (at) bluefeathertech do/t c=o=m
"If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped with surreal
ports?"
2:26 p.m.
Bruce Lane wrote:
OK, Doc (?) mentioned these...
Hi, Don,
Greetings and Hallucinations!
[they still haven't made their way onto floppies -- but they
have now migrated onto the machine that will do that! ;-) ]
It doesn't
take long to realize that this is a non-solution:
- keyboards are PS2, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- video is Sun's 13W3, HD15, DEC's RGB, apple's DB15, etc.
Does anyone make a *truly* universal KVM (i.e. so that
I can mix and match all of these flavors)? And, how
outrageously priced is it?
Yes indeed. I've seen a couple of them at RE-PC in Tukwila
(Washington). They were made by Cybex, and bear the name
'Commander.' They consist of a mainframe which is configured for
different
system types through the use of different plug-in modules.
The cables are interesting in that they're all high-density
<grin> You say "interesting" I say "expensive" :>
D-sub shell (D-25 sized, but about 70 or so pins) at
the switch
end, and the other end fanned out into KV and M plugs
appropriate for the system you were working with.
So, there is nothing *active* in the cables? E.g., the
"mainframe" has all of the "adapters" inside (on the
appropriate cards). Does this pose problems if you
plug the wrong cable into a card (i.e. if cable D shell
pins X & Y expect to be tied to a USB mouse and suddenly
find EIA232 signal levels on those pins)?
The mainframe itself accepted a standard PC keyboard
and
mouse (PS/2 style), and electronically adapted it to drive
whatever was plugged into the switch.
So I can't (readily) use a Sun keyboard -- unless I add
an external adapter...?
That's in the surplus arena. It is also my
understanding
that Raritan, Avocent (formerly Apex) and others make
current-production universal switches. However, most of
them seem to have price tags in the low four-figure range.
<frown> Amusing to think someone will spend $125+/node
just to live WITHOUT a keyboard! :-(
Thanks!
--don
Happy hunting.
14 Aug
14 Aug
6:53 p.m.
Don wrote:
OK, Doc (?) mentioned these...
So far, not really. Granted, I have a nice Raritan that's OK, so
I've been accumulating Cybex pieces on the cheap. I've spent about $30
on what amounts to a fully poplulated chassis - 12 system cards and 2
console cards, and around $15 apiece for 2 SPARC cables with sound, a
very long console cable, a couple of standard PS/2 cables, and one
AT/serial cable for my BeBox.
And, yes. I have an Imperial crapload of money in my toys - Macs, an
Alpha, the BeBox, and RS/6000s mostly, and I simply don't have room for
the machines and separate HID. I don't mind spending $300-400 on
consolidation that gets me good graphics and, as a bonus, even switched
sound.
BTW, in answer to another question in a different post, the console
cables do come in several flavors, including mini-din-8 and 13W3 for
your Sun keyboard, mouse, and monitor.
They consist of a mainframe which is configured
for different
system types through the use of different plug-in
modules.
The cables are interesting in that they're all high-density
<grin> You say "interesting" I say "expensive" :> So, there is nothing *active* in the cables? E.g.,
the
"mainframe" has all of the "adapters" inside (on the
appropriate cards). Does this pose problems if you
plug the wrong cable into a card (i.e. if cable D shell
pins X & Y expect to be tied to a USB mouse and suddenly
find EIA232 signal levels on those pins)?
As far as I can tell, all the logic is "in the box". The cables are
just cables.
Doc
10:30 p.m.
Hi, Don,
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 13-Aug-06 at 11:26 Don wrote:
So, there is nothing *active* in the cables? E.g.,
the
"mainframe" has all of the "adapters" inside (on the
appropriate cards). Does this pose problems if you
plug the wrong cable into a card (i.e. if cable D shell
pins X & Y expect to be tied to a USB mouse and suddenly
find EIA232 signal levels on those pins)?
As far as I know, from a cursory examination, there is nothing active about the cables.
They're just wire.
As for plugging the "wrong" cable into a card, I'm not sure if that would
pose a problem. I think Doc mentioned that each card is a 'universal' interface
which is jumper or DIP-switch settable for the machine type it's dealing with.
So I can't (readily) use a Sun keyboard -- unless I
add
an external adapter...?
I'm pretty sure not, though I could be wrong. Look at the bright side: The IBM
'Clicker' keyboards are still pretty nice.
<frown> Amusing to think someone will spend
$125+/node
just to live WITHOUT a keyboard! :-(
Oh, you'd be surprised! Look at big companies with big pockets, like my former
employer (Boeing). They would happily spend five figures on switching equipment to put
Lord only knows how many systems in the data center into one or two KVM combos.
Keep the peace(es).
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy,
Blue Feather Technologies -- http://www.bluefeathertech.com
kyrrin (at) bluefeathertech do/t c=o=m
"If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped with surreal
ports?"
15 Aug
15 Aug
12:27 a.m.
Bruce Lane wrote:
<grin>
Oh, I've seen many server farms -- but usually they don't
bother with consoles and rely on serial consoles instead
(or other "management" functionality over network).
On 13-Aug-06 at 11:26 Don wrote:
So, if you strapped the "mouse pins" for USB and then
erroneously plugged a cable into the "universal" D connector
that had a SERIAL mouse attached...?
I.e. are there any easy/mindless ways to toast things?
So, there is nothing *active* in the cables?
E.g., the
"mainframe" has all of the "adapters" inside (on the
appropriate cards). Does this pose problems if you
plug the wrong cable into a card (i.e. if cable D shell
pins X & Y expect to be tied to a USB mouse and suddenly
find EIA232 signal levels on those pins)?
As far as I know, from a cursory examination, there is nothing
active about the cables. They're just wire.
As for plugging the "wrong" cable into a card, I'm not sure
if that would pose a problem. I think Doc mentioned that each
card is a 'universal' interface which is jumper or DIP-switch
settable for the machine type it's dealing with. So I can't
(readily) use a Sun keyboard -- unless I add
an external adapter...?
I'm pretty sure not, though I could be wrong. Look at the
bright side: The IBM 'Clicker' keyboards are still pretty nice. <frown>
Amusing to think someone will spend $125+/node
just to live WITHOUT a keyboard! :-(
Oh, you'd be surprised! Look at big companies with big pockets,
like my former employer (Boeing). They would happily spend five
figures on switching equipment to put Lord only knows how many
systems in the data center into one or two KVM combos. 
14 Aug
14 Aug
3:40 p.m.
Bruce Lane wrote:
Hi, Don,
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 12-Aug-06 at 15:48 Don wrote:
<snippety>
>It doesn't take long to realize that this is a non-solution:
>- keyboards are PS2, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
>- mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
I thought the whole idea behind USB was a "Universal" serial bus.
>- video is Sun's 13W3, HD15, DEC's RGB,
apple's DB15, etc.
Sun/PC/AppleDB15 are all just VGA with different packaging. I read the
manual for my Apple 15" Monitor, and it has a pinout in the back
describing that it was basically VGA on a different connectior.
--
The real problem with C++ for kernel modules is: the language just sucks.
-- Linus Torvalds
5:33 p.m.
Segin wrote:
[plese don't Cc cctech on cctalk posts :-( ]
Well, *all* video is basically just differences in connectors.
But, some connectors also encode information about the monitor
for the host (static or dynamic schemes). Some like to
put sync on separate pins -- others like SoG, etc.
And, having all these "adapter plugs" on the ends of cables
doesn't help signal quality -- nor does it make things any
*cheaper* or more reliable! :-(
Bruce Lane wrote:
Doesn't matter -- if the equipment to which you are connecting
ISN'T usb! :>
Hi, Don,
On 12-Aug-06 at 15:48 Don wrote:
> It doesn't take long to realize that this is a non-solution:
> - keyboards are PS2, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
> - mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
I thought the whole idea behind USB was a "Universal" serial bus. > - video is
Sun's 13W3, HD15, DEC's RGB, apple's DB15, etc.
Sun/PC/AppleDB15 are all just VGA with different packaging. I read the
manual for my Apple 15" Monitor, and it has a pinout in the back
describing that it was basically VGA on a different connectior. 
6:41 p.m.
you might try here for some gender changer parts
http://www.vfxweb.com/index.php?maincateg=18
On 8/12/06, Don <THX1138 at dakotacom.net> wrote:
Hi,
In an attempt to cut down on the number of monitors, etc.
here, I dragged out an old KVM (which, unfortunately, seems
to have lost track of his wal wart!).
It doesn't take long to realize that this is a non-solution:
- keyboards are PS2, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- mice are PS2, Serial, Sun, USB, ADB, etc.
- video is Sun's 13W3, HD15, DEC's RGB, apple's DB15, etc.
Does anyone make a *truly* universal KVM (i.e. so that
I can mix and match all of these flavors)? And, how
outrageously priced is it?
Or, do I just have to get used to hiding "not in use"
mice, etc. out of the way?
6557
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22 comments
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participants (10)
-
classiccmp.org＠irrelevant.fsnet.co.uk -
doc＠mdrconsult.com -
halarewich＠gmail.com -
jwstephens＠msm.umr.edu -
kyrrin＠bluefeathertech.com -
pat＠computer-refuge.org -
segin2005＠gmail.com -
teoz＠neo.rr.com -
THX1138＠dakotacom.net -
Tim＠Rikers.org