Belkin Flip for Mac mini

[admin]

Product: Belkin Flip for Mac mini
Category: KVM Switches

Summary:
Two computers. One monitor. No problem. Belkin Flip for Mac mini lets you share one monitor, keyboard, and mouse between your Mac mini and another PC or Mac computer. Keep your old computer for access to financial records, games, email, and more. Use your new Mac mini for music files, photos, and other multimedia. You can easily switch access from one computer to the other with a simple press of the button. [List Price: $84.99]

[ophelia174]

I just bought a flip and i love it--its ingenious.

Except for one problem-- my flip spontaneously switches back and forth between my two computers without me touching anything. Sometimes I have to switch to one computer 3 or 4 times before it will stay on the computer for any length of time...

And the other touch buttons spontaneously act on their own too. (the volume, eject button, etc.) Thats not too big a deal, but the switching computers on its own is getting annoying.

Is this a common problem? or is my unit defective?

[rich_jtg]

Don't know if this make you feel any better, but I have a Belkin KVM switch (non-Flip) and it does the same thing.

I find I have to shut down both machines and start again and that sorts it.

[jasonyasment]

I bought a flip and it had a mind of its own as you guys have said. I returned it. Now I'm using an older PS2 Belkin 2port KVM with a PS2 > USB adapter with the mini.

To actually switch I need to power off both machines and power up the 1 I want to use.

I'm looking for a good 4-port KVM now in the US$100-$300 price range. I figure for the cost of another 19" LCD display I'm still ahead of the game and have more ports available for when I get the "Will you fix my computer?" call.
_________________
Jason Yasment
Easton NY
1.5Ghz G4 1GB Superdrive 80GB 5400RPM

[Idlehand]

Well I just picked one of these up for the size factor. I was having the same problem of it haing a mind of its own. So I decied to do some trouble shooting. After going though all the motions i found out that is was the touch buttons. They seem to be too close to the front case or way to sensative. I pulled the board off and it works like a dream. i have called belkin they are suppose to get back to me with either a replacement or another solution so the Tech Support Rep said. Ill keep you all posted

[NorthCoastAnne]

I had all that random switching too. Belkin suggested swapping the cables. (Put the Mac mini on cable #2, and the second computer on the shorter first cable set.) It worked for me. 3 days of ablsolutely trouble free operation so far.

Now I can say that I really like this KVM.

[maphead]

My new (hours old) Flip is flipping out as well.
Scouring online fora for answers shows up this cable swap work around in several places...
So that begs the question:
Why purchase this unit for form factor and then sacrifice the 'beauty' by swapping cables?
Besides swapped they won't reach in my set up .... Belkin seems lame on this issue.

[maphead]

Perhaps a better name would be the Belkin FLOP.

Called Belkin support (since the webpage on their 'read me first' note in the Flip box is 404!).

After 36 minutes on hold it appears that Belkin is still poking about randomly to solve Flip problems. No indication was given that they are addressing the issues product-wide instead of case-by-case.
The techie directed me to a download page that offers an older version of the switching software than came in the box. This is another indication that Belkin is not really of one mind about this product.

While you are on hold, they do take time to play a recorded msg about how great it is to buy a Flip, though. Yippee skippy.

If they get back to me before I leave for the big city to return said Flip - I may entertain helping them continue to develop their product. Right now it looks like this Flip is headed back to the store shelf for some other unsuspecting guinea pig to install, troubleshoot and do R&D for Belkin.

Sucky thing.

search on belkin+flip to see that this is not an isolated complaint...

[maphead]

Due to the underwhelming response from support AND the out-of-the-box malfunctioning of the Belkin unit we are happy to report that the retailer had no problem with our return. Too bad Belkin let this product out of their shop before it was ready to do what they advertised.

The Belkin site states that Flip units are not available due to consumer demand. Perhaps they are just sitting on another release until they get the units functioning. email from support states that another patch is due out next week. (that would be 17APR06) sheesh.

Try iogear or Avocent for useful alternatives.

[rmbaron]

I been through two of these Belkin Flips with the same result. Totally haywire on the touch sensitive buttons. It switches between the mac mini and the PC at random, and turns the volume up and down. I tried moving it away from the mini to see if there was some sort of interference, but that didn't help.

The first one also couldn't handle the standard stereo mini plug for the powered speakers I have, so it generated an unpleasant buzzing sound when the speakers were plugged into the Flip.

I bought this thing because I really imagined I'd use both the PC and the Mac when I bought the Mini. But now that the Mac is up and running and all my data has been moved, I don't miss the PC at all. I'm going to send the second one back.

[mikeyboy]

well, i found a hack to let me use the darn thing, even though it makes the touch-sensitive buttons on the front useless.

like Idlehand, i deduced that this is a hardware problem (one that could be fixed in software possibly, but belkin hasn't updated it yet).

so, if you wish to VOID YOUR WARRANTY and agree to not hold me or the owners of this forum responsible for your foolish actions, you can proceed to do the following to disable the front panel buttons.

the case on the flip comes apart surprisingly easy. i managed to do it simply by inserting my thumbnail between the two pieces of plastic that comprise the top and bottom of the case. make sure to unclip the clips on the sides and front this way -- you'll know when they pop out. (easier than replacing an iPod battery, that's for sure).

there's a secondary small circuit board attached to the front of the top half of the case. this holds the touch sensitive 'buttons'. it's connected to the main circuit board via a small ribbon wire, with a press-in connector. you can pull this connector from the main circuit board, snap the case back together, and hook everything back up.

of course, now, you rely 100% on the switching software in order to use the product. this has pitfalls, too, like if you switch to your 2nd machine, and your 2nd machine isn't turned on, you're stuck. (or if your machines go to sleep!)

i've found that unplugging the power from the KVM and plugging it back in make it go back to machine #1. so make sure #1 is your primary, if you want to have a failsafe plan.

but at least you can get work done until belkin releases an update or agrees to recall these. when there's an update, you can plug the connector back in and do the 'official' fix.

[michaelharris]

Hi guys,

Hmm.......that's really wonderful....! I appreciate with that.


Thanks


Regards
~~Michael~~

Miniature Flip Flops

[ez061111]

4 year necromancer. Oh and most likely spam.
_________________
2.0 GHz i7 Mini 8 GB RAM, OWC Merc Extreme SSD & Samsung Spinpoint
2.6 GHz i7 Mini 16 GB RAM, Samsung 830 & Hitachi
15" 2.3 GHz i7 MBP 16 GB RAM, OWC Extreme Pro 6G SSD & WD Black

[JohnnyBoy]