Making a Belkin DVI-KVM Switch work w/iMic?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but why do you need the iMic? Can't you run a mini stereo cable from the headphone port of the KVM switch to the Sony?

(Regarding terminology, I believe when you are referring to "jack", the correct term is "plug".)

Just to be clear, you are outputting the sound to the Sony and its speakers -- not inputting sound from the Radio to your Macs. Correct?

I can think of at least two possible explanations why the stereo cable(s) didn't work before:

1) perhaps you plugged into the microphone "in" port instead of the headphone port of the Mini?

2) 3.5 mm stereo mini plug cables sometimes are not completely standard in size. You might have gotten a set that was slightly different from what the Mac wanted to see. Additionally, the sound out port on the Mini is both analog and optical. If you insert the plug in a little too deeply into the port, sometimes it triggers the optical circuit to turn on, instead of the analog circuit. Pulling the plug out just a tad will general fix this

There are two types of DVI - DVI-I and DVI-D. Basically they are the same except that DVI-I carries both digital and analog. Thus the back of the mini has DVI-I because it outputs both digital and analog (or the VGA adapter wouldn't work). Most displays and adapters, and I suspect KVMs which support DVI have DVI-D

If you look at the link at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DigitalVisualInterface it explains the differences - which basically man that DVI-I cables have extra pins (the analog lines) that may not correspond to DVI-D ports. Possibly therefore what you need to resolve your problem is nothing more than a DVI-D cable. I'm not familiar with your KVM however, but it's worth checking to make sure!

Do you have a model for the KVM so we can look it up and check?

If the Belkin has DVI-D, then a DVI-I cable won't plug in, because where the DVI-I cable has pins for analog, the Belkin has no sockets to accept them.

Thus I think you need simple DVI-D single link cables. DVI-D cables will work with the minis because all that does is eliminate the analog, which you aren't using anyway. (I use inexpensive DVI-D cables with both my 2005-vintage minis when they're driving DVI displays).

I don't think dual link cables are needed unless you have an unusual display that would require a high pixel clock setting or higher resolution than the minis can actually go! The fact your minis are very different models should not matter - they both have the same connector and output the same signal. However, the 2005 model may not be entirely compatible with the display (some combination of early minis and displays gave less than perfect results, with DVI sometimes giving colored 'sparklies').

I can't see any detail on exactly what the DVI connectors are on the cables that would connect to the two minis, nor anything that seems to describe the specification particularly clearly. However, the mini's DVI connector can accommodate both single and dual link connectors (the difference being that single link plugs have a bank of 2 columns of 3 pins each missing in the main block while dual link has all pins present).

Are you saying that your minis both have DVI ports that have those two columns of pins blank?

If your DVI cable has the little patch of empty space where pins ought to be in the middle of the main block, that's a single link cable. The fact the Belkin has a dual link connector doesn't matter - your cable will fit it and should work - the only reason it might not is if your display actually requires dual link! Even then, you'd get some output to it, though either distorted or at lower resolution than native if it's a large display. You won't cause any hardware failures or do damage by connecting your single link cable however.

ON EDIT - and the slowness in Apple Discussions is currently not you or the internet connection but the Apple Discussions servers!

I think 24 may be the biggest you can go in digital displays with the mini due to resolution limitations in the system (the mini can do 1900x1200 maximum via DVI, 2048x1536 via VGA), still that's pretty big!! And larger displays are increasingly affordable (relatively speaking) as the technology becomes solidly established and the pressure on panel manufacturers caused by uptake of LCD TVs keeps pushing prices down. Larger is certainly well worth it - though it's easy for me to say that, sitting at a 24" iMac screen with is a delight to use!

Hi.

I just stumbled upon your topic and thought I might be able to help.

I have the exact Belkin KVM you mention, working between a Mac Mini (intel) and Power Mac G5. All DVI and connected to a 24" Dell DVI monitor. It isn't here (it's at home, i'm at work) so I will double check the model number, but from your link it looks like the same unit.

I had no issues connecting it together, and I did run audio though it for a while, but then connected it directly to the mac, as when your switch computers, you switch audio, so no sound.

I'm in Australia, so bear with me as I have a look. It might be a 2 day turn around due to time differences etc.

Ok, no idea why my previous post arrived 3 times (maybe I wanted to make a point) 🙂, so apologies for that.

What is interesting is, you have the exact same model as me.

So, let me understand this correctly. Can you get the image on the screen, and switch successfully between the 2 computers, seeing each desktop (one as the orange, the other as the green computer)?

One tip, don't plug your mouse into the keyboard, and then the keyboard into the KVM. This didn't work very well at all. With each plugged into the KVM, I was set.

Also, make sure that you turn on 1 mac at a time, and have the KVM set to that mac's color. Then switch to and start the next mac. I do have a problem where the mac can't find the mouse or keyboard unless I do this, but after the mac's are both on, I can swap at will. Not ideal, but not a deal breaker.

Do you have the AC adapter plugged in, so you can see a light on the base unit (the thing with the hard wired cables)?

The KVM has a DVI-D connector, and is D shaped, so it only goes in the one way around (not trying to tell you how to suck eggs, but it is a common error).

Let me know some more details on how you are plugging it all together.