KVM Switch Query - USB-B

[mark seeker]

I have an M1 Mini Mac and my work HP Laptop, I'm very quickly tiring of having to keep unplugging the monitor and USB Hub cabling every time I want to switch between 2, I was planning to buy a KVM switch (something like the below) however I keep coming across switches with a USB-B cabling, can anyone recommend an alternative, I'm really only looking for a USB-A input and my HDMI cables.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GHT-Switcher-Backward-Com...

Does anyone foresee any issues I might have by using a USB hub in the mix?

Thanks in advance

[xeny]

I think I'm missing something in your post - the B ports are for the USB connection from the computer using a normal USB A->B peripheral cable.

You then plug your normal USB A accessories into the cluster of 4 ports on the other side of the switch (there are two units shown in the photo, stacked with the top one rotated).

Edited by xeny on Tuesday 27th December 08:20

[colin79666]

You might get on better using a usb-c dock. Then it’s just one cable to unplug and plug between devices and everything else will be plugged into the dock. I do this between a MacBook Air M1 and work HP laptop. It has the advance of also charging the laptops when connected.

[Sporky]

As xeny says, the USB-B ports are where you connect the hosts (Mac and HP), the USB-A ports are where you connect the peripherals.

How many USB peripherals do you have? If there are lots, and/or they're high bandwidth, you may end up needing more than USB 2.0.

[Mr Pointy]

OP, as others have said the USB-B connectors on the KVM are normal & you use A-B cables to connect the PCs. The particular KVM you have linked to has some limitations though - some reviews mention marginal video performance at 60Hz & you can only switch using the button on the front, not using a hotkey which is much easier to use. It's also not clear if the supplied cables are A-B although they should be.

[mark seeker]

Thanks for everyone's feedback, I currently have a USB Hub with 4 USB connections going into it, so maybe I'm overthinking it. So 4 into 1.

Would it be better just to buy a Video switch so I can switch between the Mac and the laptop and manually move the usb cable (from the hub)? The issue is that I only have 1 mouse / keyboard / screen.


This is my USB hub, it currently has a mouse / keyboard / headset / wireless charger into it.

https://www.monotaro.sg/p/49327976.html?gclid=EAIa...

[xeny]

So you plug the 4 devices straight into the 4 ports on the KVM, and run an HDMI and USB A->B cable from both the laptop and the Mac Mini to the KVM.

Nothing to stop you plugging the USB hub into the KVM, but my personal preference is to keep USB cabling as simple as possible.

Does that make sense? Keep in mind normal USB to USB cables aren't A->A but A->B