Aten CS1782 KVM DVI Switch

Testing:

The first system that was connected to the Aten CS1782 switch was made up of an Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 processor, Intel 945G motherboard with integrated graphics, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, and 200GB Serial ATA hard drive. Loaded on this system was Fedora 9 with the Linux 2.6.25 kernel and X Server 1.5 RC1. The second system consisted of dual AMD Barcelona 2356 processors, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, ATI FireGL V8600 1GB graphics card, Tyan Thunder n3600M motherboard, and 160GB Serial ATA hard drive. This system was running Ubuntu 8.04 with the Linux 2.6.24 kernel and X Server 1.4.1. The monitor used during testing was an Acer P243W 24" LCD monitor with a native resolution of 1920 x 1200. When it comes to the keyboards, mice, and USB peripherals, we had used a variety of different devices. For the mice we had mostly used different Razer-brand devices and with the keyboards were Logitech. For the surround-sound audio, we had used a Logitech 5.1 surround sound system. The USB print we had used for testing was an HP LaserJet 1020.

We have been testing the Aten CS1782 KVM DVI Switch over the course of several weeks and many different hardware configurations. On the software side we had been using the GNOME desktop and running a variety of applications from OpenOffice to Firefox. We also ran the universe-x test suite from the Phoronix Test Suite that runs a variety of different open and closed-source games.

The firmware on the CS1782 supports different emulation technologies for better handling a wider variety of input devices as well as the monitor. The display emulation technology allows the monitor to still be detected by the client when it's booting, even if switch is set to the other port. This will eliminate any issues of the monitor's EDID not being able to be read by the other system, which would likely cause it to default back to 800 x 600. With both Linux systems we had tested this and the X server had properly set the mode to 1920 x 1200. With this high-end KVM switch we had experienced no Linux compatibility issues.

Conclusion:

This is our first time dealing with an Aten KVM switch, but we are very impressed with the CS1782. We were pleased with the switch since looking at its build quality and this excitement continued through setting it up and using the switch. The CS1782 isn't just any normal KVM switch but it has support for dual-link DVI, HDCP support, 7.1 surround-sound audio, upgradeable firmware support, and no noticeable signal degradation. On top of all these features, the Aten CS1782 is backed by a seven year limited warranty. The only issue we have with the unit is the serial port requirement for firmware upgrades and its price tag. The Aten CS1782 is a high quality KVM switch, but that is also reflected in its price tag of approximately $240 USD. We have found the unit retailing for a bit less than that, but this is certainly one expensive peripheral device if you are just a computer enthusiast or gamer. If you are after a two-port KVM switch that fits these requirements and the price doesn't discourage you, we have no problems recommending the Aten CS1782 KVM DVI Switch.