Synergy is vastly better than any KVM. The only caveat is that it works ~98% of the time, and it's that 2% that can be a PITA. Having *some* kind of hardware fallback means you don't have to avoid changing a BIOS setting because it'd otherwise mean having to crawl behind the massive pile of computers.

Socket grid box

TODO: buy a bunch of USB extension cables (from here, or one of these). Then, glue their female sockets into a large grid/box. Then, provide a label area for each of them. (to use it, just plug a keyboard+mouse into a hub, then move the free end of the hub-cable around to different locations on the grid... voila... cheap USB switch!)

(note: the grid/box would be laying down flat on the table... each socket would be resting straight upwards. Yes, this means you have to bend the cables 90-degrees near the end unfortunately)

(what's the best way to affix each socket to the box-top? If sheet metal were used, would it be at all possible to solder the two peices of metal together? (while avoiding soldering the flexible friction-tabs, of course))

Or, use a 1/4" board, and glue the long flat plastic section to the wood? That would leave the sockets sticking up, but that's fine...


Also, using a 1/4" board would mean it would be sturdy, have a reasonable amount of weight (to keep it from flopping around), and wouldn't really need any more "sides"... rather, just mount four bolts, one on each corner, and screw rubber feet onto the ends of them. (making it more along the lines of a "table")

BETTER YET, buy a ~$8 plastic kitchen cutting-board, and use plastic solvent to bond the USB socket sheath to the board. (the plastic will also be more durable and higher-tech looking than wood)
(here's some plastic-milling suggestions)
(cutting boards are made of HDPE or polypropylene, vinyl, olefins)

Important point: ARRANGE THE GRID in the same way that the monitors themselves are going to be arranged. That is, no higher than 3, and possibly as wide as 6 or 8. Then you may not even need labels, if each is identifiable from their spatial relationships.
• eg. have one socket be clearly bottom-center
• and the rest arrayed radially

And put the following label at the top:

synergy2.sf.net
No other KVM makes you forget they're separate computers.
No other 18-port KVM costs $35.

TODO: once I have the above built, post instructions / pictures online, and post a link at the Synergy mailing list. (no, really... I think it's a great idea, but some people may not quite understand it until I post a picture of it online.)