Good BF deals on Sonnet Echo 5 and 11 TB4 docks thru Nov. 27.

[theorist9]

For those needing a TB4 dock with a generous number of downstream TB4 ports (in this case, three), and that is principally designed to work with Macs, there are good deals available on both the Echo 5 and Echo 11. Available on AZ, and directly from Sonnet. With AZ you get a longer return window (Jan 31, 2024), which is nice in case you get a failure that happens between months 1 and 2.

Echo 5: $120 (last year was $200, this year $150)
Echo 11: $160 (last year was ~$300, this year $200)

I'll probably pick one of these up myself. I can't vouch for them personnally, but Sonnet is an established US company with a long history in the pro market (though there have been complaints about its customer service when things go bad) (and some have complained they don't get the full 1 Gb/s speed thru the ethernet port on the Echo 11). I don't know if the discounts mean Sonnet is planning to replace these; but that's not important to me, since both seem like they would do the job.

 

[fischersd]

I keep waiting (not so patiently) for a TB4 KVM (ideally with 3 powered inputs)

The Sabrent Thunderbolt 4 KVM has some issues (not great reviews).

I have a Dell WD22TB4 dock that I bought back in April. Works fine, but I have to keep plugging my computers in to use my two 4k displays.

 

[theorist9]

I just looked into KVM's, and it seems they are all finicky. I assume you currently have both of your displays, plus your KB and mouse, plugged into the Dell dock, so you can switch everything by moving just a single TB cable.

But since that's still manual, have you considered either of these options?:

1) If your displays have automatic input switching: If you only have one computer on at a time, you could have both displays connected to both computers. Then when you turn one computer off and the other on, the displays will automatically switch to the input of the computer that is active. You'd still need a USB switcher for the KB and mouse.

2) if your displays don't have automatic input switching, or you have both computers on simultaenously: Again, have both computers connected to both displays. Then when you want to switch computers, switch the input on both displays. Normally this would be inconvenient, since you'd need to go into the on-screen menu on each display. However, most displays have DDC (Data Display Channel), which allows you to control the displays from your computer. You could try to find software that would allow you to conveniently switch the inputs from your computers (ideally, you'd want to do this via a shortcut). As a starting example: https://johnstonsoftwaresolutions.com/2019/02/09/tip-switch-monitor-inputs-with-command-line/

 

[fischersd]

I just looked into KVM's, and it seems they are all finicky. I assume you currently have both of your displays, plus your KB and mouse, plugged into the Dell dock, so you can switch everything by moving just a single TB cable.

But since that's still manual, have you considered either of these options?:

1) If your displays have automatic input switching: If you only have one computer on at a time, you could have both displays connected to both computers. Then when you turn one computer off and the other on, the displays will automatically switch to the input of the computer that is active. You'd still need a USB switcher for the KB and mouse.

2) if your displays don't have automatic input switching, or you have both computers on simultaenously: Again, have both computers connected to both displays. Then when you want to switch computers, switch the input on both displays. Normally this would be inconvenient, since you'd need to go into the on-screen menu on each display. However, most displays have DDC (Data Display Channel), which allows you to control the displays from your computer. You could try to find software that would allow you to conveniently switch the inputs from your computers (ideally, you'd want to do this via a shortcut). As a starting example: https://johnstonsoftwaresolutions.com/2019/02/09/tip-switch-monitor-inputs-with-command-line/

What you're suggesting, I'd have to have another docking station, or some sort of a TB4 switcher (I tried getting a USB-C switcher previously to see if I couldn't use it with the Dell dock to toggle between - no dice - tried a couple of them).

I have 2 4k 60Hz displays - so I need the full bandwidth to drive the two displays.

 

[theorist9]

What you're suggesting, I'd have to have another docking station, or some sort of a TB4 switcher (I tried getting a USB-C switcher previously to see if I couldn't use it with the Dell dock to toggle between - no dice - tried a couple of them).

I have 2 4k 60Hz displays - so I need the full bandwidth to drive the two displays.

Sorry, not following. My suggestion assumes your displays each have at least two video inputs, each capable of driving the display at full bandwidth--say TB + HDMI, TB + DP, HDMI + DP, etc. Let's suppose each has TB + HDMI. Then you would connect computer A to the TB inputs of each display, and computer B to the HDMI inputs of both displays.

I.e., computer A would be continuously cabled to both displays 1&2, and computer B would likewise be continuously cabled to both displays 1&2.

If you have auto input switching, then when you turn computer A off and computer B on, the displays should automatically change their active inputs from TB to HDMI (thus switching from taking input from computer A to taking input from computer B). If not, you can use DDC to change the active input on each.

You'd get full bandwidth, and no TB4 switcher would be needed.

That's exactly how I have my home projector set up--it's got an HDMI cable from my computer going into one input, and from my A/V receiver going into another. When I want to play a movie from one or the other, I simply switch the input.

 

[fischersd]

Sure, if I wanted to have two keyboards and mice on my desk as well. That's better how?

 

[theorist9]

Sure, if I wanted to have two keyboards and mice on my desk as well. That's better how?

Nope. As I clearly stated: "You'd still need a USB switcher for the KB and mouse."

How about you actually read my posts before responding with snark? And particularly towards someone who (a) has been nothing but polite towards you; and (b) has been taking his own time to try to be helpful?

 

[fischersd]

And c) suggesting something more clunky than what I'm doing now.