Does the normal Spectrum (non-OLED) have a KVM built in?

Products Spectrum ES07D03 | General Discussion
1

Hello,

Noticing that the upcoming switch OLED has a dedicated KVM button built in. I have a glossy spectrum, and just wondering with the integrated hub…does it have the ability to be a KVM? If so, how do I ensure they will switch between inputs?

Cheers

2

There is a basic KVM function available in the non-OLED Spectrum models.

The Spectrum has the following USB ports available:

  • Upstream (to computer):
    1. 1x USB type C. Can also carry DisplayPort video and provide 100W power delivery.
    2. 1x USB type B 3.0.
  • Downstream (to devices):
    1. 2x USB type A.
    2. 1x USB type C. Can also provide 15W power delivery.

The upstream connection can be manually set to either of the 2 ports. You can also choose “Automatic” mode, which uses the type C port if it’s also carrying the video signal, or the type B port for any other video input. You can change the input either via the OSD, or by pressing up on the control stick on the back of the monitor.

This KVM functionality isn’t perfect. The USB hub resets every time the Spectrum does a video signal handshake. There are multiple places where this can happen, including:

  • When the Spectrum wakes from sleep.
  • When starting an application that runs at a different resolution to the desktop. (e.g. desktop is 4K, game is 1080p/1440p)
  • When exiting this type of application.
  • When alt-tabbing back and forth between this type of application and the desktop.

When the hub resets, all of your devices disconnect and then reconnect a few seconds later. It’s annoying for a keyboard and mouse. It’s unusable for things like USB network adapters and removeable drives.

2 Likes
3

Ah I see, thanks for that breakdown!

I probably will do without it as it’s not a necessity right now. Should they release the OLED model @ 4k / 144HZ - then I may explore that as the new KVM system seems more robust.

4

As has been mentioned above, there are limitations with the current USB hub which makes it a hassle to use on certain setups.

Maybe in the future once we have a better selection of OLED panels!

The currently developed Spectrum OLED does not have a 4K panel, but we have feedback from the non-OLED models, which creates some sort of “guideline” of what needs to be done. One of which is to make sure that the USB hub does not reset aside from turning on/off the monitor.

5

Could this be fixed via a firmware update?

6

There have been extensive discussions about the USB hub issues and what can be done. Unfortunately, the fault lies with the circuit board design and there’s no way for a firmware update to fix things.