I have a custom requirement for a KVM switch and I haven't seen a commercial one that can do what I want, so how could I go about building a custom KVM switch? Here's what I'd like to have:
-Two consoles, one with 15-pin DSUB, one with 24-pin DVI
-Eight computers, depending on which console is selected, it would switch between the one with the DVI or 15-pin output (i.e. the old server would connect to the 15-pin, the Radeon DVI to the DVI output; this can be controlled with a microprocessor or PIC)
-Same kind of thing with PS/2 and USB keyboards/mice
-Sound switching to selected console (stereo and mic, maybe Dolby digital?)
I have a basic knowlege of electronics (i.e. I can solder) and have several PIC's at my disposal for controlling the switch, but my problem is, how do I switch so many data lines with so many other data lines? I mean, this is like a 25-pole switch here. Serializing the data is a possibility, but given my limited experience, I doubt this is feasible. Would a network of transistors work? I realize that the VGA signal quality would degrade, but that isn't a concern right now. Is there an IC I can use for this kind of application? I found one that I thought would work, but it was a one-to-four data switch and it cost like $3.00. I'd need quite a few of those, so at that price, it's not cheap. I'm not looking for a schematic or "this is how you do this," but more of a pointing in the right direction. Thanks for any help you have, guys.
-Two consoles, one with 15-pin DSUB, one with 24-pin DVI
-Eight computers, depending on which console is selected, it would switch between the one with the DVI or 15-pin output (i.e. the old server would connect to the 15-pin, the Radeon DVI to the DVI output; this can be controlled with a microprocessor or PIC)
-Same kind of thing with PS/2 and USB keyboards/mice
-Sound switching to selected console (stereo and mic, maybe Dolby digital?)
I have a basic knowlege of electronics (i.e. I can solder) and have several PIC's at my disposal for controlling the switch, but my problem is, how do I switch so many data lines with so many other data lines? I mean, this is like a 25-pole switch here. Serializing the data is a possibility, but given my limited experience, I doubt this is feasible. Would a network of transistors work? I realize that the VGA signal quality would degrade, but that isn't a concern right now. Is there an IC I can use for this kind of application? I found one that I thought would work, but it was a one-to-four data switch and it cost like $3.00. I'd need quite a few of those, so at that price, it's not cheap. I'm not looking for a schematic or "this is how you do this," but more of a pointing in the right direction. Thanks for any help you have, guys.