In hardware jargon, you have probably read about KVM switches , devices that are used more frequently in the professional field, but in recent times they are also used by streamers, especially those who stream with dual PC configuration. In this article we are going to tell you what a KVM is , what it is for and how you could use it with your PC.
A switch is a switch, and although as a general rule we associate this word with the network environment, in reality it is also extrapolated to any type of switch that allows us to select between several devices connected to it. A KVM switch works in a similar way, although instead of doing it in automatic mode like a network switch, we will have a choice. Let’s see it.
What is a KVM switch and how does it work?
The functional basis of these devices is to allow a user to control multiple PCs using the same monitor, mouse, keyboard and audio device. The basis is that two or even more PCs can be connected to the same KVM (the video signal, the audio signal and the USB peripherals are connected), and to this the keyboard, mouse, audio device and monitor that you want to use are connected . You can see it more clearly in the following two diagrams (one simplified and the other more complete).
In this case, the KVM must have a toggle button that allows us to select which of the connected PCs we want to activate and therefore have its image displayed on the monitor, and that we control it with the mouse and keyboard. Most of these switches have a physical button on the device itself to switch from one PC to another, but some more advanced models have their own software, which we will install on all PCs and will allow us to switch between one and the other by pressing a combination of keys (usually ALT + SHIFT + 1, 2, 3, etc.).
What are the benefits of using one of these switches?
The advantages of using a KVM are obvious, since it allows you to use several PCs with the same monitor, keyboard, mouse and audio device. For example, there are many Twitch / Youtube streamers who use a PC to record and broadcast while they are actually playing on a different PC, so that the recording and broadcasting does not affect the performance of their gaming PC. With a KVM they can switch between one PC and another without having to have multiple monitors, keyboards and mice.
The first and main advantage of this is a considerable saving of space in the workplace, as well as greater comfort when using several PCs physically speaking. However, this also has certain disadvantages, and the first of them is that an advanced and modern KVM – especially since it has an HDMI interface, because VGAs are many and quite cheap – is quite expensive and sometimes even difficult to find.
There are many different models on the market (you just have to search for “HDMI KVM switch in Amazon, for example) and with reasonable prices, but the quality of these usually leaves a lot to be desired. For example, most of them that are advertised as compatible with 4K resolution limit the refresh rate of the monitor to 30 Hz, making them no longer valid for gaming without going any further.