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OT-KVM Extension
We are moving! Yay!
Since we have the opportunity, we are going to try and wire up our two main suites together in a central location. Ideally, I would like to keep all machines in that location (computers and all) and have only the necessary audio/video monitors and keyboards in the suite itself. Does anyone have Gefen KVM extenders and do they work with Apple monitors?
I have been doing some research, but can’t really come up with the fool proof way. Can KVMs handle 30″ monitors? Which model do I need?
Fortunately, the cable run is not long (no more then 20 feet from each suite to the central locale).
Also, does anyone have a line on a small cooling or a/c system that doesn’t need external venting?
Trying to get all the ducks in a row before we move. Thanks all.
Jeremy
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21 Replies
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Gefen makes rock solid products. We’ve got their USB over cat 5 extenders throughout our studio.
You’ll need an extender capable of Dual Link DVI for the 30″s. I don’t know if any of their Cat 5 products is capable of that?
They have these booster boxes that turn DVI into fibre optic (over thin cables) and back into DVI… but those are REALLY expensive. For a 20′ run I’d just buy DVI cables that have fibre optic built in:
https://www.gefen.com/kvm/cables/fiberextreme.jsp#dvifo
less wiring, less mess.
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Thanks!
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I always get into trouble, and here I am doing it once again. CharlieX is misrepresenting Gefen. Gefen’s products are NOT rock solid. I install Gefen products on a weekly basis, and have been doing so for many years, back to early AVID days. I have a love/hate relationship with Gefen, and know their crew very well.
The product you want for the MAC Pro or MAC Quad or MAC G5 is the Gefen CAT 5 5500HD. This product will support Apple Cinema displays up to 23″ (NOT 30″), and will also run the Dell 2407WFP monitors, and many others (including HP). This product is $1399. It has USB 1.1 support (not USB 2 in case you need it). It requires 4 CAT 5e cables, and works very well when it works. You may find that the USB port may occationally fail. Some people find that purchasing seperate components from Gefen gives them a little more peace of mind.
For example, if your USB port dies on the Gefen, you just replace the Gefen USB port for about $100 (or the single DVI port for $499), and not the entire $1399 box. But what about warantee support, you ask. Gefen is not AJA. Gefen will not advance ship you a unit if yours fails. You send the unit back to Gefen, they fix it, and send it back to you. Impossible, you say – you have to stay in business. You buy another Gefen directly from Gefen, they send you this unit, and when you send back your unit for repair (within 30 days), and they send it back to you, they will credit your credit card, provided you return the “replacement” unit. This is not AJA.For 30″ monitors, there is no CAT 5 solution for Gefen. Gefen makes an excellent DVI-DL dual link cable booster, which works very well (it works with both Apple and Dell 30″ monitors- I never tried it on the new HP 30″ LCD). HOWEVER, you MUST MUST MUST use the Gefen expensive cable that they provide for this application. The cables will cost you as much as the extender. I have tried assorted DVI cables, and could never get this product to work, without having to always go back to Gefen for the exact cable for thie product.
I have done much research on alternates to Gefen, like Magenta Research, Avocent, Hall Research, Extron and others.
Many companies like Chyron and Pinnacle use Avocent for extenders, but I have never had luck with them for AVID/FCP systems. Companies like Magenta and Hall have just started making DVI extenders, and they cost DRAMATICLALLY more money than Gefen. Many of the extenders that you see in mail order catalogs are VGA/PS2 extenders, and not DVI/USB extenders. You can get cheap USB extenders (like from Hall) but the Gefen is not expensive either for a stand alone extender.Dont’ think that you should get the Gefen USB2 extender for your keyboard and other USB2 applications in your edit room – you will have trouble. You want the USB1 extender – either built into your Gefen CAT 5 5500 HD , or your Gefen Mini USB-1 extender stand alone unit.
Of course, the question is “why can’t everyone be just like AJA”.
Bob Zelin
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Thanks, Bob.
Jeremy “SMPTE N10” G
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I wouldn’t say I’m misrepresenting Gefen – but perhaps we’ve been blessed to never get a lemon. But it sounds like you have much more history with them.
FYI: Avocent DOES make a DVI with integrated fibre optics that Autodesk ships with it’s Flame systems. Works great – about 100′ runs. Personally I’m all about DVI over fibre versus the Gefen DVI booster with their “special grade” copper. Less things to plug in, less clutter, happier world.
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We purchased a pair of the fibre DVI cables from Gefen. Both cables stopped working shortly after the warranty expired. We’ve used some other Gefen products and have had great success with them. So my experience has been both up and down.
In the coming months we’ll be expanding and we’re definitely going to be getting the 5500HD for those rooms. I really like the fact that you can customize the length and if a cable goes out, it’s easier to replace.
-Russ
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Thanks for the excellent insight everyone.
I guess I have to go talk to sales now and see what they have to say.
If anyone else has any experience (good/bad/indifferent) please chime in.
Jeremy
PS Bob, let me ask you this. If you were deciding to go WITHOUT the extenders and keep the computers in the suites, all you have to do is string more cables to the machine room, right? Pros and cons?
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[JeremyG] “PS Bob, let me ask you this. If you were deciding to go WITHOUT the extenders and keep the computers in the suites, all you have to do is string more cables to the machine room, right? Pros and cons? “
I know it’s a specific question for Bob, but here’s my experience.
We have four systems connected by a SAN. All of the computers are located in one room with extenders going to the editing rooms. It’s worked really well for us because we can change any computer to be in any room. I also connected two computers into one room using dual monitors (1 computer per monitor) so I can keep an eye on a compression job, export, etc. I just have a little usb switch so I can switch the keyboard between either computer.
This has worked really well for us because each one of our computers has different capture cards in them.
-Russ
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[Russell Lasson] “It’s worked really well for us because we can change any computer to be in any room.”
See, now that’s sweet.
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Russell is correct. The ideal way is to use KVM extenders and keep all the noise, heat, and trouble in the machine room. If things go wrong, you have all your gear in the racks in the machine room, where you can easily get behind them (instead of crawling around on the floor in your edit room in front of your clients).
If you decide to keep the MAC’s and AJA’s and drives in your edit room, you will run ALL the wires from your AJA to your machine room patch bays anyway (cable costs a lot of money).
No matter what, someone is going to have to do a lot of wiring for you.
Bob Zelin
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