K70 and KVM

Hi guys... my apologies if this is an obvious question, but I've searched the forums and not really found an answer to my question. I've got a K70 Vengeance running through an Iogear DVI KVM... it works as expected, but if I enable the keyboard's backlighting I will get a whining/continuous beep feedback through my system speakers (only with the backlight on). Running it in BIOS mode will somewhat disable the feedback, but it also disables the whole purpose of buying a new backlit mechanical gaming keyboard. I was hoping updating the firmware (to 1.09) would solve this, but no dice... I wanted a backlit mechanical keyboard for gaming, so I upgraded from a Logitech that never had full capabilities while running through a KVM, but at least its backlighting never caused any audio feedback. Is there something blatently obvious I'm missing here? Or did I just drop $130 for nothing? Any (useful) advice will be much appreciated. Thanks!

I was finally able to get rid of the annoying beep/buzz/whine - it could've been related to the old case my gaming unit was in, I don't know. To be clear, one must run the keyboard through the KVM peripheral USB rather than the keyboard USB. I still have full functionality of the keyboard (multimedia keys, all LEDs, etc.) and I'm running the BIOS switch at 1, but that'd probably be different for a keyboard that had memory profiles and macro keys, etc. (such as my old Logitech). The updates to firmware and BIOS probably didn't hurt to be updated, but I can't say any of that made a difference to my particular problem. The bottom line is I was able to get the keyboard to function as expected through my KVM. I obviously had an unknown problem within my old case, but by the grace of Zeus, God, or Buddha that's all been fixed. Best wishes to the forum!

Thanks for the update.

Hey Texjam, what brand of KVM switch you have. I have to replace my old iogear ps2 kvm switch for a usb one to work with the new corsair rgb keyboard. I wondering which one to by? There are a lot of model and bad review, so I would make the right choice. Thank you.

I mean the model and not the brand

I'd sure like to know too, if you're still around.

Hi again guys,

 

Yeah, I tried an Iogear KVM with my K70—but in addition to the audio problem, my laptop's internal display kept coming on when I switched away from it. Iogear's tech-support wasn't much help, except to suggest I try one of their (much) more expensive models.

 

I've now found an inexpensive KVM that works perfectly with the K70. It's called a StarTech 2 Port Black USB KVM Switch Kit with Audio and Cables. (Don't ask me why KVMs always have such goofy long names.)

 

It doesn't even require the K70 to be on its BIOS setting for compatibility. It retails for around $50, but you can get them for under $30 online. Cheers, A.

Sorry to bring a fairly old post back from the dead, but in a search it deals the best with what I want as well.

 

I'm dead set on a K70 RGB when I built my new computer, but will be running new and old side by side. (Old system will be server/storage and drive my 3D printer, new system gaming and CAD.) Would go KVM except the new monitor is going to be a 34" 3440x1440 - no KVMs handle that resolution that I've found yet. So the plan right now is to just use the monitor's different inputs to switch between screens, and a USB 'peripheral' switch to switch the keyboard, mouse, etc. between computers as needed.

 

Looking at both this and the 4x2 version (only difference is the # of 'upstream' connections). http://www.iogear.com/product/GUS434/?src=PP_GUS432

They support DC-in 5 v via micro-USB so they're not just drawing power from the computers. Supposedly when you switch 'away' from one machine it appears as if the device has just been unplugged (and plugged into the other).

 

Think I might have problems with this? I'd have to run Cue on both machines obviously (or accept just 'default' lighting stored on the keyboard for one of them).

 

Although this is a USB 3 version, if people are still having better luck in general with 2xUSB2 cables to the K70 vs. using USB3, I could plug the 'power only' USB2 into one computer directly (will be on all the time), and then have only the 'interface' USB2 swapping with the switch...I think I/O gear has a USB2 only version of this as well (might even be a tad cheaper). Now that I think about it...not sure my old system has USB3 so I guess even using the USB3 hub the keyboard will only see USB2 level when switched that side...hmmm....