Extender sends serial over Cat5

A Minicom Advanced Systems product story

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Jul 17, 2006

The KVMS Extender allows users to operate keyboard, video, mouse and serial devices up to 300m from a computer using a single Cat5 UTP/FTP cable.

New from Minicom Advanced Systems, the KVMS Extender allows users to operate keyboard, video, mouse and serial devices up to 300m from a computer using a single Cat5 UTP/FTP cable.

In addition to adding tremendous flexibility to KVM applications, the new, long range solution is highly suited to the digital signage market - delivering real-time, high quality video media to plasma/LCD screens at greater distances than ever before.

"KVMS represents an unprecedented leap in potential for production lines, clean-rooms, banks, schools, museums, training centres, and digital signage installations", said Amir Ginossar, Product Manager for Minicom.

"To eliminate the risk and impracticality of exposing valuable PC's and players at the site of the plasma screen or KVM workstation, our customers can now connect them 300m away - keeping their PCs and players in a secure, environmentally controlled operations room".

KVMS Extender is an easy to install, plug-and-play hardware solution that requires no software and creates no network conflicts.

It is compatible with virtually any operating system and an extensive range of KVM switches.

The system consists of a transmitter and receiver connected by a single Cat5 cable.

The transmitter connects directly to the computer or media player and the receiver connects to the extended keyboard, video, mouse or plasma/LCD screen, its small form-factor making it ideal for desk or flat-panel mounting.

An additional user can be added at the transmitter end, creating a dual-user system.

Full serial communication via bidirectional RS232 facilitates touch-screen and additional serial device applications.

For digital signage applications, the system facilitates high quality video transmission, and allows the IT administrator to power on/off and query the status of the extended display installation from the player.