Chapter 1

Introduction

Overview

The Master View ACS1208A / ACS1216A 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 ACS1208A / ACS1216A, you can easily access multiple computers in a cost effective manner.

A single Master View ACS1208A / ACS1216A can control up to 8 or 16 computers. As many as 31 additional ACS1208A / ACS1216A 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.

Acustom 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 ACS1208A / ACS1216A 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 ACS1208A / ACS1216A 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.

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