( 15 reviews )
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Posted: Apr 16 2009
I wanted to like this product. It did hook two computers up to a printer for me, and it works as a manual switch (as others have noted, automatic switchers are impractical for USB, because there is no defined start or end to a USB transmission). But the unit has some big strikes: The "in" and "out" cables are on different sides of the device, which makes for awkward cabling no matter how you use it. The software driver does not mitigate the dreaded "you have removed a USB device unsafely" Windows error message, which happens each I switch the switch. Beyond that, the software driver status regularly gets itself out of sync with the switch. In part to solve that, the manual goes to great lengths to tell you to disable all your energy savings settings in the operating system. That, quite frankly, is unacceptable in a world with global warming.
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Posted: Mar 28 2009
This device is very easy to install and works great, just as advertized. Yes it is a manual switch, but it is very simple and easy to use. I highly recommend this switch.
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Posted: Feb 14 2009
This is used in a professional (rental) audio visual environment. We need to share a printer with up to four laptops and cannot install software on the computers. This of course mandates Windows XP minimum and that the shared printer appear in that OS. This is the ONLY application we have used for the device. Not perfect because it doesn't auto switch, but we've never found a USB switch that does (the older Centronics switches did). Still, all things considered, the hot key toggle (enabled with NO software install) is a good compromise, you do not need an external power supply (important), the unit works well and it's as good as any device for the purpose we've found...
