Item: ATEN CS1782 - the perfect two-port multimedia KVM?
Author: Michael Harries

Review: ATEN CS1782 - the perfect two-port multimedia KVM?

Conclusion, awards, and HEXUS.where to buy

The ATEN CS1782 is a simple-to-use, intuitive KVM. The bundled cabling means that you can run the KVM right out of the box, and the included instruction manual makes its simple operation abundantly clear.

Its ability to independently switch the KVM, audio and USB connections is a pleasant and welcome surprise, and it's immensely useful in practice.

If we had to criticise any aspects, it would be that the front panel could have been made even more user-friendly and functional by providing independent buttons for video, audio and USB focus, but that's only a small matter.

With the exception of the requirement to have focus on a system while it boots when paired with the Dell 3007WFP, we couldn't find any compatibility or image-quality issues.

Costing around £80 the ATEN CS1782 isn't cheap, but the quality shines through.

The ATEN CS1782 two-port KVM is a rare thing in computing; a device that simply works as expected.

HEXUS Awards

ATEN CS1782 two-port KVM

HEXUS Where2Buy

The ATEN CS1782 two-port KVM is available for just north of £80 from either Lambda Tek or ILGS.

HEXUS Right2Reply

At HEXUS.net, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If ATEN chooses to respond, we'll publish its commentary here verbatim.

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Just thought it was worth noting that there's a 4-port flavour too, the CS1784 (surprise surprise) which is currently findable at under £140 , which looks like an awesome solution for people who need a more complex setup. I'm still using a 4-port PS/2 Aten Masterview and it's an absolutely brilliant little piece of kit.

Did you test analogue display quality?

In general I would not expect any blurring or other artifacts on a DVI connection. It either works or it does not. But in the past the difference between good a bad KVM switches has often been in the display quality when running windows at high resolutions on an analogue display. You could have tested this by putting a DVI to VGA adaptor on the DVI out of the KVM switch, and then connecting that to your test monitor.

Shame there doesnt appear to be a digital audio connection :( That would of been the iceing on the cake!

chrestomanci
Did you test analogue display quality?

In general I would not expect any blurring or other artifacts on a DVI connection. It either works or it does not. But in the past the difference between good a bad KVM switches has often been in the display quality when running windows at high resolutions on an analogue display. You could have tested this by putting a DVI to VGA adaptor on the DVI out of the KVM switch, and then connecting that to your test monitor.

We'll be testing this today and adding it to the review. :)