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StarTech.com SV221MICROUA


Date
: 02/7/06 – 02:53:10 PM

Author
:

Category
: Input Devices

Page 1 : Index

Manufacturer:
StarTech.com

Price:
$57.99 USD (MSRP)

I am back with another KVM and again it is courtesy of the fine folks across town at StarTech.com. StarTech.com is labeled as "The Professionals’ Source for Hard-to-Find Computer Parts". Not only are they the place to go for hard to find components but they are one of the best places to go for anything. StarTech.com has been supplying computer components from cables to power supplies to IT departments and consumers alike for some 20 odd years.

You may recall a few months ago I had the pleasure of taking a look at a 4 port heavy duty KVM that provided switching capabilities for a PS2 keyboard and mouse alongside audio and microphone switching. I received many emails asking about KVM switches that were offered for USB devices and not just PS2. I found that my wireless mouse worked perfect going from USB to PS2 through the supplied adapter from Logitech but today I won’t have to use the adapter.

Today I will be reviewing the SV221MICROUA KVM switch from StarTech.com. This KVM switch is a bit different from the previous one (SV411KA) as it has integrated cables for ease of use and setup, and is a little more compact. All the functionality of it is there with built in audio and microphone switching but the biggest difference is the fact that it will only accept USB keyboards and mice. Let’s have a look…

Page 2 : Package

The package that the SV221MICROUA comes in is a bit more of an updated package than the last StarTech.com KVM switch that made an appearance here at O2.

This box looks like it received a face lift and belongs on store shelves here in 2006 where as the last one seemed dated and more at home in an uber geeks warehouse type environment. This is an indication that this 2-Port KVM switch is more for the home user.

The front of the box does a real good job of getting information to the buyer. There are logos dictating that the switch is PC/MAC compatible and the main features are listed just below here on the left side of the package.

On the right side is a nice big photo of the unit , the StarTech.com logo, and a 1 year warranty proclamation. You will notice across the bottom of the last two photos that StarTech.com advertises 24 hour online technical support and provides a link to receive that support. I have called their tech support number and received fast courteous help in the past.

The ends of the box bear no new information or anything of value but do maintain the same design theme with an image of the switch on the right and some info on the left.

Again, there is nothing exciting on the sides of the package either. This doesn’t really surprise me because there isn’t a whole lot to be showing off. After all, it is just a KVM switch.

Flipping the package over to reveal the underside does provide a lot of additional information about the switch. In fact, it reveals any and all the information anyone would need about a KVM switch. On the right hand side is a list of specs which I will list in the specifications section. On the left is a list of features and our first photo of the integrated cables that this KVM switch features.

It is definitely compact and with the size of the box we already knew that. The feature list describes the KVM that is inside quite well. Overall, I think StarTech.com has done very good with the box. The design and information it provides is very welcome to a consumer looking for such a device. We will now look at a few specifications before opening the package up.

Page 3 : Specifications

A KVM switch is not a complicated device for the end user. Well, it better not be anyway. If it is, then get yourself a new KVM switch. Be that as it may, there is still a small list of specifications to cover and I will gladly be nicking them from the StarTech.com web site as my wrists are starting to burn from what appears to be working too hard. I am not sure how that has happened seeing as I have been fairly quiet on the review front but I digress.

As I have stated a couple of times and the specifications above list, there are two integrated cables so the beauty of this design is that there are no cables to lose, replace, or buy. The downside of this design is that it is tougher to use the cables to tie down a couch on the roof of your 1982 Rabbit Diesel when moving. StarTech.com also has a little bit to say about their neat little SV221MICROUA KVM switch:

The additional feature list is not big but this KVM does offer audio switching, customizable hotkeys, and those aforementioned integrated cables that save space and expense. At this point I think we are all well aware of what this KVM is capable of so let’s get to some pictures and then hook this little guy up.

Page 4 : Package Contents

Upon lifting the top flap we are greeted with…you guessed it, a KVM! "Notice the smooth almost polished finish on the back of this beauty while this native IT device sleeps in her cozy self made habitat." Okay okay, I’ll stop with the Crocodile Hunter impression.

My first impression of the unit is that it is a very attractive piece. The box appears to be quite organized with the main switching unit on top and all the cables tucked underneath the cardboard firewall.

By lifting the said cardboard, we can see that the two cables are tied off neatly below with the manual and CD tucked into the very bottom of the package. There doesn’t appear to be anything else inside and why should there be? It’s an integrated KVM with everything we need right here.

The manual is only a few pages as expected and the CD that comes with it is for software control of the KVM. The two little black pads we see here are actually velcro pieces that have sticky backs. They can be used to help secure the KVM switch while still being able to move it by way of velcro.

With the cables tied up there isn’t a whole lot to the KVM. It is small, compact and looks to be well designed. The cables are thick and integrated throughout the majority of their length providing easy setup and layout as there won’t be a bunch of cables to run to the computers.

The main head section of the KVM is encased in a granite black looking plastic shell. It is light but feels durable and looks to be very well made. The cables that connect at the rear are extremely solid and I don’t expect them to become loose or have problems after any amount of use. The "Select" button on top allows for switching without a keyboard and each side is labeled "I" and "II". Being clear, I am assuming these will light up indicating which computer is in use.

The front of the KVM is where we will connect the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Everything is labeled quite well with the universal language of pictures. The most important aspect of this KVM is its use of USB devices as there is no way to hook up PS/2 peripherals into those slots.

The side is designated for the audio and microphone cables. Standard 3.5mm stereo jacks are what the unit will accept and they are color coded for easy identification. The universal standard is green for audio and pink for microphone.

The underside is just flat with the safety standards certification sticker and serial number. This is where one side of the velcro patch would be stuck and we are given a very smooth clean surface to mount it on.

The last components of a KVM switch with integrated cables are the cables. The cables on the StarTech.com SV211MICROUA are integrated into one long sleeve up until about 10 inches from the end where the USB cable splits off. The audio and microphone cables then come out of the VGA connection and are given enough length to reach the appropriate ports in pretty much any setup. That about sums up the physical unit and we can now begin to set it up.

Page 5 : Physical Setup

We are now ready to start hooking up some cables to get the SV221MICROUA functional.

Since the two cables are integrated there is even less to setup than a stand alone unit. In my setup, the computers I will be using are on opposite sides of my desk which is about 5 feet wide so positioning the unit in the middle of the desk is the obvious decision and should work out well with the 4 foot long cables.

From here it is just a matter of unwinding the cables and running them through the mess of other cables to each machine on either side. The way the cables are designed makes this ridiculously easy. It is essentially just running a single thick cable to the machines, nice and tidy. As thick as the cables are, they are still soft enough to manage, bend, and manipulate to get where you want them.

Once at each machine, we are faced with connecting the VGA cable and then pulling the USB, audio, and microphone cable to the other end of the computers rear and plugging them in. The USB and audio cables are lots long enough to reach to the USB port and audio connections on any motherboard without a lot of excess causing bulkiness. The setup really couldn’t be any easier.

All that is left is to hook up the monitor, keyboard, mouse, audio, and microphone cables to the unit. Every connection is labeled well with an image so there is no mistaking any of the connections. The manual gives step by step instructions on setting up but isn’t really necessary as the switch itself is so clearly marked. The one thing you will notice about the image above is that it is not the tidiest setup. If you recall the SV411KA setup, it is much cleaner looking despite having more cables. The small footprint is to blame for this as cables need to be inserted in almost every side.

If you wanted to mount the switch on the desk, or even a wall, you can use the included velcro piece to do so but with my desk I have a spot underneath it where the switch will sit and work well. I did test the velcro and it holds well, real well. Just clean each surface you are sticking the pieces to and it will definitely hold it in place. I will now boot up the machines and get to testing the StarTech.com SV221MICROUA out.

Page 6 : Testing

You might be asking yourself, "how does one test a KVM switch?". The answer is simple…you use it. This section will basically be my thoughts about the switch after having used it for some time, a few weeks to be vaguely exact. These are the following two machines I used during that time:

As soon as the machines came up they both recognized the new USB keyboard and mouse. Within a few seconds both devices were ready to use.

After my last review of the [url=/index.php?page=articles&num=328SV411KA[/url] from StarTech.com where the repeat rate of the keyboard was slowed down, the first thing I checked after plugging this one in was whether it would also kill the repeat rate of the keyboard and much to my surprise it didn’t. The key repeat was as fast as it is without a KVM. The repeat rate was not a big deal for me anyway but this was a nice little surprise and the SV211MICROUA was off to a good start.

Once I satisfied my curiosity with that little test, I could get down to the business of doing some switching. The instructions state that the SV211MICROUA can be used without installing the software by using the standard key combination of [scroll lock] – [scroll lock] to change ports and sure enough, it worked. The monitor switching was instant and crisp but the keyboard and mouse took a couple seconds to kick in. I was expecting it to be instantaneous like the SV411KA but this certainly wasn’t the case. Perhaps the install CD will get things up to speed.

I dropped the included installation CD in the drive and fired up the setup. Three screens and about 25 seconds later the software was installed and the program settings popped up on the screen.

We can see that there is the option for changing the hot-key sequence to jump between machines and it gives us four computer options. The manual states that #3 and #4 are obviously disabled. It is nice that we can choose the last key but I would like to be able to change the entire key combination. [Ctrl + Alt + #] works fine but I like the method on the SV411KA of [Ctrl - Ctrl - #]. It just allows single hand switching instead of having to use two…yes, I am that lazy. In the end I changed the switching keys to [Q] and [W] for #2. This effectively gives me single hand switching and shouldn’t interfere with any Photoshop key combos I use. Plus the double [scroll lock] still works so I can just switch that way as well.

The advanced options below the key combination look quite nice as well. Being able to fix the audio port is a welcome addition and setting the scan time might be handy at some point but locking the audio is peaked my interest. With the 4-Port SV411KA I wished I had the ability to lock the audio so I actually bypassed the KVM all together and that effectively does the trick. Except when I want the audio on a machine other than my number 1 rig, I have to manually move cables. This KVM will give me the ability to do so with the click of a button, very nice!

There is however one missing line in the advanced options that is listed in the manual. That is the ability to turn on and off a buzzer indicating a port change. Missing that check box does not bother me one bit as it would always be disabled.

The other option for switching active ports is by way of a taskbar icon. A simple right-click and we are given the options that can be seen above. This is also how you can initiate and disable automatic scanning. Whether switching by way of the taskbar icon or key combinations, the switch is nice and fast. No delays present itself at any time and the mouse cursor never lags behind even during intense gaming at high resolutions. Another aspect I needed to check right away was the keyboard function during POST and in the BIOS. Sure enough everything works fine. I thought perhaps being USB there would be an issue but one did not present itself on either machine.

For the final bit of testing during the last few weeks I again rounded up willing participants at various times to check the audio and microphone switching capabilities. With a friend or family member on each machine in either Skype or MSN chat, I was able to jump back and forth without any type of interference, distortion, or loss of quality. The audio switches were nice and fast and pretty much instantaneous. Much like the SV411KA, the audio and microphone actually switched faster than the monitor by 1/100 of a second and very predictable so it was quite easy to switch back and forth between conversations. I then realized the most important aspect of being able to lock the audio to one of the two ports.

That is right, not only is the audio locked to a port, but the microphone as well. This allows one to start a conversation on computer #1, lock the audio to computer #1, and then switch to computer #2 while maintaining the ability to communicate clearly in the chat session that was initiated on computer #1. I do not own a phone and the only way to talk to me is either through Skype, MSN chat, or showing up at my place so I rely on the first two plenty. This was the biggest surprise that the StarTech.com SV211MICROUA gave me and I must say, a very much welcomed one. As for quality, the audio and microphone acoustics were indistinguishable from when they are bypassing the switch to both me and the people I was talking to on the other end.

Page 7 : Conclusion

In short, the StarTech.com SV211MICROUA is pretty impressive with the features it offers over the 4 port big brother, the SV411KA, but the lag in mouse and keyboard switching really detracts from the overall appeal. Although the size is not important, the compact footprint of the SV211MICROUA is impressive and the design of the integrated cables is near perfect. It does not setup as neatly as the 4-Port SV411KA, having all connections on its backside, due to the SV211MICROUA’s small design, but it is quite acceptable.

The most important aspect of the SV211MICROUA is the software that it comes with. When I first saw that there was a CD I almost cringed. I initially figured that if the unit allows for switching without the software that I would probably not use it for anything other than testing. Boy was I wrong. I am now left here wishing I could use the software with the 4-Port switch, which I of course tried, but to no avail. The ability to lock the audio and microphone to one computer is pure genius. I never thought it would be so useful but it turned out to be the most used feature over the last couple of weeks.

Advantages:

• Small and very compact
• Integrated cables means no extra cost
• Locking the audio/microphone to one port is priceless!

  Disadvantages:

• A little bit messy in setup due to small design
• Keyboard/mouse delay is disappointing

  Overclockers Online would like to thank StarTech.com for providing the review sample.