Home > Consumer Reviews > IOGear 2-Port MiniView Micro PS/2 Audio KVM Switch with 2 Cables GCS612A

Buyer beware:
Keyboard, Mouse and Video quality - 5 stars
Audio quality - 1 star

If audio quality is important, do not buy this model. The sound level is scratchy and tin-like. I tried from 2 different computers (both Red Hat 9 and Windows XP) and the result was still the same, very *poor* audio quality.

I do not know why a company which manufactures and sells computer hardware would include a feature that does not work. I have come to expect this practice from software companies where it is common practice to sell a product that is broken out of the box. For some reason this is not acceptable on hardware products.

In sum, I returned my unit and bought the equivalent belkin model instead. It was worth it despite being $10 more cause the audio works great on it.

Iogear tech Support delayed responding to a known defective audio chip in the unit with two weeks of emails and then insisted that I FAX my serial number to get permission to pay for returning it to them. Instead, I returned it for the $20 cheaper Cables to Go 2PT Authority2-Micro KVM with Audio that has worked flawlessly.

Maybe IOGEAR has come a long way since those last reviews from 2004, but I LOVE this product. If you can plug in a keyboard, you can hook this up in 2-3 minutes. I hooked it up to a new HP and a 5 year old Dell, the former running Vista, the latter running XP. I have a set of external Altec Lansing speakers. The sound is just as good as before, the hookup is responsive and switching back and forth between the 2 PCs couldn't be easier - just tap the SCROLL LOCK button twice. Like magic. I wanted to move tons of files from one PC to the other. I plugged in my Flash Drive to my Dell PC, copied the files to it, moved the Flash to the HP PC, hit SCROLL LOCK twice, and 'dragged' the files from the Flash to the HP hard drive. I use ONE monitor, ONE keyboard, ONE mouse, and ONE set of external speakers for both PCs. I need to log on to one website with 2 different IDs at the same time, so 2 PCs are the perfect solution to that dilema for me. (I have them both connected to my DSL jack with ethernet cables) It's a WHOLE lot less expensive than purchasing a 2nd monitor for the other PC. Takes up a LOT less space than a 2nd monitor would. I couldn't be happier with this IOMEGA switch. Recommend it highly.

If you are playing PC game, don't use it. You can never win the game with it due to the slow response. Sometimes it freezes your mouse. After a few days, I put it aside.

It should be said first that I like this switch for what it is.

First the technical side of the review, I'll list the features and functions of this KVM switch.

The GCS612A accommodates two computers via keyboard switching with audio support. This means you are able to use one keyboard, mouse, and set of speakers for two separate computers.

The GCS612A has two modes of switching. Manual switch via the SCROLL LOCK key and auto-switching via Left Shift & Right Shift. You can program the auto-switch function to a set amount of time. Note during auto-switch you can not use the keyboard / mouse unless you press the spacebar key, so it's strictly useful for monitoring computers automatically. It's also a backup just in-case you somehow don't have a SCROLL LOCK key or your SCROLL LOCK key is broken.

The Iogear GCS612A is essentially a budget KVM switch meant for use on some older hardware. It's relatively compact and small, and the cables are high quality. It is very basic and has no programmable options, no remote controls, and no other bells and whistles.

First and foremost for KVM people is the compatibility with adapters and converters. PS/2 to USB is the first thing that comes to mind, and I have successfully gotten this switch to work with such adapters. Like others, I felt it was the KVM itself being faulty when I couldn't get my 2nd computer to recognize the mouse or keyboard. It turns out the adapters I were using were of poor quality, so when I had switched to a better brand of PS2 to USB adapter, it worked without a hitch there after. So there's a lot of room here for trial and error, I would advise those having similar issues to take a good look at your adapters rather than the KVM switch itself.

The GCS612A does not have button switching. This means you are strictly dependent on keyboard switching using the SCROLL LOCK key. Logitech people - be warned. Some keyboards produced by certain manufacturers omit the SCROLL LOCK key, and you will not be able to switch between computers without resorting to the auto-switch function with the left shift + right shift combination.

My biggest issue with this KVM switch is the video resolution reset. Should your computer reboot at any time while the switch is active on the other monitor, there's a good chance the switch will default your other monitor to VGA basic (640x480 or 800x600) resolution. It's a minor problem, but for those who have to reboot often or work in situations where reboots are required, it's a very big issue and can be frustrating. Apparently the switch sticks to the resolution during boot-up (Bios load) and doesn't auto sense to switch when Windows (or your OS) loads. The quality of the output signal isn't also the sharpest, so those who need high fidelity or color rendition should definitely avoid using this switch. Think of the GCS612A as pure practicality in terms of KVM switches.

You should be able to find this switch today under $20 at most electronic stores. Due to the aging PS/2 format and the increasing move over to DVI / HDMI video outputs, there's not much life left in this KVM switch outside of aging hardware. At the end of the day however, the GCS612A KVM switch works as intended and there's little else to criticize outside of that. If you are looking for something that just fits the bill enough for regular work usage, go ahead and take the plunge.