Have you ever wanted to connect two PCs to a single
monitor, keyboard and mouse and easily switch
between them? While the concept may sound
strange, it can save desktop space-you only need
a single monitor to support two PCs. And the other
benefit is that if you have more than one PC, for
example, one for the grown-ups and the other for the
kids, you can fit and use both PCs in one
computer workspace.

For this, Fujitsu's two-port FS-102ATL KVM switch
connects a single keyboard, monitor and mouse to
two PCs and lets you quickly switch between them.
By simply pressing a button on device's front panel,
your keyboard, monitor and mouse immediately
switch between running PCs and let you view and work on either. You can also use the switch to share a set of speakers, as well as USB (1.1) peripherals that can include scanners, printers, and storage devices.

The switch worked flawlessly in our test with two PCs and we were impressed with the way that we could immediately and seamlessly switch between two running PCs. We also liked the intuitive LEDs on the front panel that showed us which system was on and operating.

The device came with all of the necessary cables to connect two PCs to a single monitor, keyboard and mouse. While there were lots of cables and connections to deal with, the installation and setup process was fairly straightforward. While we tested the switch with PCs, Fujitsu says that the device can also switch between and control desktop or notebook PCs, as well as Sun or Mac systems.

The device is rather pricey at $250. But Fujitsu says that it's available for around $200. Admittedly, the Fujitsu FS-102ATL KVM switch is a specialty item. But if you're trying to cram two PCs, monitors, keyboards and mice into a single workspace, or using two computers by reconnecting the monitor and other cables, the KVM switch can be very useful.

3/19/03 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff

peripherals - Fujitsu FS-102ATL KVM Switch