Most newer models have it figured out, and all you need is a cable, but if your laptop is old or is a variant from another country, you might need some extra checks. In today’s collaboration environments, it is key that the technology offers flexible and versatile ways for participants to unlock the full potential of a collaboration space and to not be limited by the default options offered by their meeting rooms.

The diagram below shows example block diagrams of the flip feature when connecting a host through a full-featured, non-marked cable to a direct-connected downstream device. The market is medium-sized, with several local and international power electronics companies producing these. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. It means the switch will draw power from your laptop, so the adaptor hasn’t vanished as much as it has moved to a different device.The device utilizes the USB-C connectivity for a simplified transmission of 4K video, audio, control signals, and power, and allows data speeds of up to 5 Gbps under the USB 3. The included computer-to-KVM cords are multi-headed, with an HDMI on one side that plugs into the KVM. For some of rack mount products, please note that the standard physical dimensions of WxDxH are expressed using a LxWxH format. In that sense, you’re just constantly accessing two computers, but you have the ability to switch between one system on two monitors, or two systems (each one on its own monitor). It is software programmable with four bi-directional channels selectively connecting to one bi-direction channel.

It provides the power that matched to USB-C Windows or Mac laptops with PD Profile specifications of 5V, 9V, 15V, and 20V. There are small LEDs on the top of the Dock Switch that indicate if port 1 or 2 has the focus, helpfully. When combined with an Acroname Universal Orientation Cable (also known as Vconn pass-thru cable), the USB-C-Switch can emulate a cable flip to connected devices with software control. Once you have StemTool running, you will find all attached BrainStem devices attached to your system in the left hand pane. So, in the end, in our brief survey of low-cost KVM switches, the main differentiators come down to the number of PCs supported, the number of USB ports for peripherals, the cables/ports required, and the physical switching method.While there aren't many USB-C based KVM Switches currently available, you can use simple readily available USB-C docking stations or USB-C video adapters to connect USB-C based PC, server, phone, tablet, or workstation sources to KVM Switches based on other video standards such as HDMI.

The switch supports dual 4K monitors at a 60Hz refresh rate, which you can connect using two DisplayPort. Lightware’s universal matrix switcher that exploits the USB-C connectivity for a simplified transmission of 4K video, audio, control signals and power, providing meeting participants with easy host switching as well as comprehensive and secure Ethernet features accompanied by Dante/AES67 audio capabilities. If this kind of teleportation magic sounds like something your home setup needs, here’s a guide to finding the right KVM switch for you.You should now have a BrainStem connection to your USB-C-Switch, indicated by the flashing BrainStem heartbeat LED.