ATEN ACS1208 - Manual (Page 13)

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Chapter 1
Introduction
This chapter introduces you to the ACS1208 / ACS1216 KVM Switch. Its
purpose, features and benefits are presented, and its front and back panel
components are described.
Overview
The Master View ACS1208 and ACS1216 KVM Switches are control units
that allow access to multiple computers from a single console (keyboard,
mouse, and monitor). Before the development of the Master View, the only
way to control multiple computer configurations from a single console was
through a complex and costly network system. Now, with the ACS1208 /
ACS1216, you can easily access multiple computers in a cost effective manner.
A single Master View ACS1208 or ACS1216 can control up to 8 or 16
computers. As many as 31 additional ACS1208 / ACS1216 switches can be
daisy chained to each other, so that up to 512 computers can all be controlled
from a single keyboard-monitor-mouse console.
A custom ASIC (patent pending) provides an auto-sensing function that
recognizes the position of each station on the chain, eliminating the need to
manually set the position with DIP switches. A seven segment front panel LED
displays each Station's position for easy identification.
For further convenience, the ACS1208 / ACS1216 features high density 15 pin
connectors instead of the usual 25 pin connectors. This space-saving
innovation allows a full, 16 port switch, to be installed in a 1U system rack.
Setup is fast and easy; plugging cables into their appropriate ports is all that is
entailed. Because the ACS1208 / ACS1216 intercepts keyboard input directly,
there is no software to configure, so there is no need to get involved in complex
installation routines or be concerned with incompatibility problems.
Access to any computer connected to the installation is easily accomplished
either by entering Hotkey combinations from the keyboard, or by means of a
powerful menu driven OSD (On Screen Display) system. A convenient Auto
Scan feature also permits automatic scanning and monitoring of the activities
of all computers running on the installation one by one.
acs1208-1216.book Page 1 Friday, April 27, 2007 3:23 PM