KVM extenders, like dual head KVM are devices designed to increase the distance between a keyboard, monitor and mouse, shortly known as KVM station and a computer. Since PS/2 and USB keyboard as well as mouse protocols are only designed to run a distance of about 5-10m, and digital video signal quality is typically starting to deteriorate beyond about the same cable length that totally depends on the kind of cable as well as interface.

It goes without saying that dual head KVM extenders play an important role in overcoming bandwidth limitations of traditional VGA, high definition multimedia interface and DVI cables, and distance limitations of the PS/2 and USB protocols.

Dual head KVM extenders are used for a range of applications such as:

•    It enables the remote PC access with the high-speed KVM access to a single computer at HD display resolutions

•    It is effective for multi PC access because it controls multiple remote computers with a single set of
peripherals for an extended desktop experience.

•    A dual head KVM improves the workspace ergonomics: reduce noise and clutter at the work place.

•    It is seen that a secure computer in safeguarded locations work better and it protects them from damage, technical failures or major power outages.

•    If you are planning for data access protection then you should use it without any doubt. It prevents content theft or unauthorised network access by limiting software or hardware access.

How does a dual head KVM extender work?

Actually, a dual head KVM extender consists of a transmitter and receiver pair, and the transmitter unit is located next to the PC. A receiver unit resides at the remote user station. The units start communicating with each other over copper, like CAT5e or fiber optic cabling.

The dual head KVM transmitter unit captures the input or the output signals from the computer system, whilst the most common signals are audio, video, and USB for control, but some models also extend RS232 as well as infrared signals.

The KVM extender dual head encodes these signals and uses either proprietary or IP i.e. internet protocol to transport them to the KVM receiver unit that helps decoding these signals and powers with the remote peripheral devices, like displays, keyboard, mouse, and speakers, to name a few. With IP KVM dual head extenders, the info is transported as network packets over standard networking infrastructure.

Choosing Dual Head KVM Extender: The Key Elements Explained

Here are the most essential things to take into consideration when you decided to buy a dual head KVM extender. You need to identify the video, USB and audio requirements. As a general rule, the KVM product specifications should closely follow the needs of the peripheral devices, and at the same time you need to access from a distance, such as the displays, keyboard and mouse, and other USB or audio devices.

When you choose a KVM extender, whether it is a single or dual head, you need to see the accessing point of the video connectivity and resolution. Therefore, the early Analogue KVM extender models supported analogue video signals. Moreover, these models have limited resolution as well as distance support. Digital KVM extension solutions feature digital visual interface, HDMI and display port connectivity to overcome the limitations of earlier analogue models.

Finishing Lines

Last, but certainly not the least, dual head KVM extender enables you to locate your critical computer hardware in a secure environment. It helps you extend the user workstation away from the CPU, whilst maintaining the user desktop experience. The best thing is – plug-and-ply. The extension distance is up to 150 m for a single 1920 x 1080 screen, depending on cable type.