KVM switch with Dell Monitor and Mac mini

[jbackus4]

mac,

This is off topic but would it be ok to contact you via email to ask you more about your Windows system?

John

[Mark Hoffman]

Instead of using a KVM, why don't you buy Timbuktu? It is installed on both computers and allows you to control either one from the other. That way, you can run the Mac headlessly and control it from the PC. The only issue, as I see it, is if you are running Vista on the PC, because Timbuktu doesn't play well with that.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look as if Motorola, who bought Netopia, is going to continue development of the software.

[jbackus4]

Mark,

I agree that Timbuktu is a useful piece of software and I do have an old copy of it somewhere but it�s been years since I've used it. I was using it to connect to my work computer from my home computer. (Work = Mac, Home = PC) The program is great for getting work done from home without having to purchase a Macbook. I think I'll reserve that solution for what I originally used it for, to get a little work done from home when necessary.

Thank you for you input.
John

[Mark Hoffman]

Hi John,
Just as an illustration; one of our companies has a five person prepress department, all Mac. Most of the work coming in has been created on Macs. But maybe a job a day comes in from a PC user. We prefer to keep the work in the original app/platform until we get to PDF. So, we have one PC workstation that everyone can get to with Timbuktu. It is as if they are sitting in front of it. All the work is on a server, so they never have to get up and go to the PC. They don't have to switch back and forth between screens. There is no "virtualization" of the OS. And you can have both computers on the screen at the same time.
For our situation, it works well.

Good luck!

[disbellj]

It's always the user's choice. I use a KVM switch here, and there are times when I wish I didn't have to use it now that I have it. If something happens and I have to restart and hold down certain keys to get the Mac to boot into safe mode or boot from CD, the KVM never works in this situation. I have always had to use my original Mac keyboard and mouse to do these rare tasks. Not saying KVM's are bad, or that Windows is bad. Just saying virtualization is where I've been looking for a while, and if the company ever decides to upgrade these old Macs, I'll be getting Mac Pros and doing virtualization of 2-3 of the Windows machines in my room (the proofing rip and the production rip because these systems are portable and only require USB dongles for the programs I run in these, maybe virtualizing my production WinXP machine, but not virtualizing the Windows machine driving the platesetter, for the obvious reason of a fat cord going from it to the platesetter). Just depends on what one wants. Me, I want one machine where I can get back up and running quickly if something goes wrong, and I want that machine to be a duplicate of another machine. So two Mac Pros will give me every machine (and a backup of each one) in my room available except the one driving the platesetter (which if it went down, we'd need tech to come out and fix anyways).

Don

[disbellj]

And if you're virtualizing an existing system, you shouldn't have to buy another copy of Windows, but just move (virtualize) the existing Windows machine and not have to set up anything really. The first time you boot the virtual machine, Windows starts asking to install drivers for new hardware. Cancel all those. Then while the virtualized OS is running, install VMware tools (if running VMware). Installing VMware tools will take care of driver issues for the most part (unless it's for a camera or printer maybe in which case a specific driver may be needed).

Any other questions, see VMware Fusion website (also see VMware Converter to make a virtual machine from an existing physical Windows install, for use in Fusion):
http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/
or Parallels Desktop for Mac website (which also shows Transporter, which makes virtual machines from existing physical Windows installs):
http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/

Note: Although Parallels was out first, I've read users say VMware Fusion is much faster than Parallels.

Don

[disbellj]

Mark,

I hope when I say virtualization, you know that the guest OS (the VM, or virtual machine) is using the physical hardware of the machine, right? There is no emulation going on (because both OS's run on the same processor type - x86). Virtualization is the same as running it on it's own hardware, except that it's sharing the hardware (and with new Intel Macs, or new Windows machine running on the new Intel chips that allow virtualization, there's no problem with that). When I use a program in a virtualized OS, it just the same as using it when running on a physical box all by itself. And I can see and use both OS's at the same time on-screen if I want to. The VM has processor(s), RAM allocated, mouse, keyboard, ethernet, same as the physical mahine. But with VM, there are no physical parts to maintenance on the machine. Only have to worry about maintenance of one physical machine (the host).

Having said that, I agree Timbuktu is a great program. It really all depends on which way the user decides to go. There's more than one way to do it is all I'm saying. For your situation, having multiple people connect and use the same Windows OS, I can see why you went with Timbuktu. If it were just one user that needed to use both Mac and Windows, I would go with Virtualization myself. Even if me and my co-worker had to both use Windows, I could set up a scheduled backup of my VM image on my Mac to get copied/overwrite the VM image on my second (backup) Mac Pro. That way we'd both be using the same Windows install, and only have to start up the VM when needed. To me, it's as much about disaster recovery as anything else.

Don

[jbackus4]

Andy,

Where did you pruchase your IIYAMA and do you know of other monitors that perform the sme tasks? Also, if I do search out other monitors that can accomplish this, how do I tell if they can? What would I look for in a monitors spec's?

John

[jbackus4]

Andy,

Great suggestion and after talking with Dell, their UltraSharp 2407WFP-HC monitor has the ability to switch between to systems in a setup like you suggested. Using seperate keyboards and mice etc, and sharing one monitor. The Dell monitor only has one DVI-D input but this system will only be calibrated on the PC and not the Macmini so I should be ok there.

My Art Dept does not have the budget for a Iiyama monitor, wish I did, but using one monitor between two systems with out having to use a switch does help.

Thank you for your input.

John