Video DynaSync™ A Key Technology for Switched Sharing of Modern Monitors 2009 ATEN
Executive Overview Keyboard/Video/Mouse (KVM) switching has come a long way over the years. The solution category has proliferated into a group of four core segments. All have a few characteristics in common. Beyond that, they diverge into well-defined groups of products with shared characteristics.
Video DynaSync™ Table of Contents Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................2 Background - The Evolution of KVM Switches .....................................................................................................3 Trends.................................................................................................................................................................
Video DynaSync™ Background – The Evolution of KVM Switches KVM (Keyboard-Video monitor-Mouse) switches are a mature feature in modern data centers and now are common in the SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) desktop environment.
Video DynaSync™ How EDID Works EDID is now used by many computer graphic cards and monitors. EDID is defined by the international video standards group VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association). EDID involves a ROM chip in the video display which stores pertinent video data about that monitor in such a way that it can be “read” by a connected computer’s graphics card via a DDC conductor in the video cable. This scheme works quite well with a single video display and a single computer.
Video DynaSync™ ATEN Video DynaSync™ Patent-pending ATEN technology relies upon EDID to facilitate a video resolution “handshake” between the monitor and the computer graphics card output even when the monitor and computer are isolated from one another by a KVM switch or extender. ATEN calls this technology Video DynaSync™.
Video DynaSync™ ATEN solves the switched EDID dilemma by adding specially configured EDID memory to its Video DynaSync™equipped KVM switches. When such a KVM switch is connected to an EDID-enabled monitor and turned on, the switch reads the monitor’s EDID and stores it in non-volatile memory. This memory is made available at once to all the computers connected to the Video DynaSync™ equipped KVM, and these computers are able to use DDC sensing to instantly read out the KVM switch’s stored monitor EDID.
Video DynaSync™ Summary Without a switch that correctly handles EDID signals (via DDC and suitable memory registers) end users will continue to experience slow switching, fuzzy displays when computers don’t set themselves properly, or the user will have to reboot or manually reset each computer once it’s brought up on the switch. Sometimes computers will lose their EDID when the switch moves on to another channel, necessitating yet another round of manual resolution resetting or rebooting.
Video DynaSync™ The CS1642 and CS1644 are, respectively, 2- and 4-port USB 2.0 DVI Dual-View KVMP™ Switches. These CubiQ™ line switches represent a revolutionary new direction in KVM switch functionality by combining a 2- or 4-port KVM switch with a 2-port USB 2.0 hub at the same time as providing dual-screen support for two DVI monitors, making them ideal for graphic designers, banking and fi nance consultants, medical applications, and gamers. These switches also support 2.
Video DynaSync™ The CS1708A and CS1716A are, respectively, 8 and 16-port switches that support multiple platforms (PC, Mac or Sun hardware with Mac, Windows, Solaris, Linux or Free-BSD operating systems). Hotkeys or a powerful menu-driven OSD can be used to select computers, and auto-scan capability is included. High density SPHD connectors save rear panel space allowing a single rack unit switch to accommodate 16 computer connections.
ATEN Technology, Inc. 19641 Da Vinci Foothill Ranch, CA 92610 888-999-ATEN (2836) ATEN New Jersey 155 Pierce St.
