Pem’s Tech Blog

Turning it on with a KVM

VGA: So the next thing I wanted to do is plug it into my KVM and hope it works.  Unfortunately my KVM is VGA, and the Mac Mini only comes with a mini DVI to DVI adapter, and the DVI output on this adapter does not include the analogue pins, so a DVI to VGA adapter won’t help.  So I went to Best Buy and got some mini Display Port to VGA adapter, and it worked with my KVM.

Mouse: I have an $80 wireless Logitech MX 1100 mouse with a pretty awesome scroll wheel, and a less exciting but reasonably functional USB wired mouse.  It worked, but it was way too sensitive, and the + – button to adjust sensitivity did not work immediately, so I initially used my backup mouse.

Keyboard: My Logitech G15’s advanced features (hardware macros, multimedia keys, mini display) does not work so great with KVM’s.  You have two options: the normal USB device plug/unplug which has a noticeable delay when you switch, or the standard emulated keyboard input which causes the keyboard to lose the advanced functionality.  My desktop (which I should admit was refurbished, which is probably why it’s broken) has some issue where it freezes/crashes when I do lots of USB plug/unplug.  Kind of off-topic, but I use a G15 even though I have it plugged into the KVM’s keyboard port instead of a USB port, so it has limited functionality.  In this mode, the Mac Mini detected it and it just worked.

Tweaking display, mouse, keyboard

Display: the default resolution was 800×600, but no big deal seeing as Windows does this too, so I changed it to 1280×1024 (ahh much better).

Mouse: Logitech’s website had a download for Mac OS-X for the MX 1100, so I downloaded/installed Logitech Control Center.  Even after installing this, the + – buttons still did not work.  Logitech Control Center said “No Logitech Devices Found”.  So far this is a disappointment, and I am using my backup mouse.

Keyboard: I tried my Logitech G15 with advanced functionality, and after I downloaded and installed Logitech GamePanel Software for Mac OS X (from Logitech’s website), this worked too.

So the only disappointment so far here is the Logitech G15 mouse is not useable for me, because the sensitivity + – buttons don’t work.

Pem (Admin) :: Jul.10.2009 :: Operating System focused: Mac OS X :: No Comments »

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