HKS401-E23(FAQ)

1.How do I connect my devices to the KVM?

When connecting your devices to the KVM, each computer requires one KVM cable (each consists of an HDMI cable and a USB cable) . Each monitor requires an HDMI cable.
In such case, there are four KVM cables (each consisting of an HDMI cable and a USB cable) in the product package for all PC-to-KVM connection, while the HDMI cables for KVM-to-Monitor connection need to be purchased separately.
Regarding the length of the HDMI cable, we recommend that:

4K@60Hz not more than 5 meters;

4K@30Hz not more than 10 meters;

1080P@60Hz not more than 15 meters

2.What refresh rates does this KVM support in 4K, 2K, 1080P resolutions？

This KVM at 8 Bit colour depth supports

1) 4K@60Hz backwards compatible;

2) 2K@120Hz backwards compatible;

3) 3440X1440@100Hz backwards compatible;

4) 1080P@240Hz backwards compatible.

Currently HKS401-E23 doesn’t support 5120X1440 resolution for the time being, if your monitor features this resolution, we recommend you to buy another alternative model HKS401-M23.

3.What keyboards are compatible with your KVM?

Our KVM is compatible with most keyboards. Considering our KVM's keyboard and mouse dedicated ports are equipped with special hotkey chips, there are some typical reasons that may cause compatibility issues:
1. Some keyboard models use proprietary protocols that are temporarily incompatible with the dedicated ports on our KVM.
2. Certain keyboard models, when plugged into the dedicated ports on the KVM, consume excessive bandwidth, leading to compatibility issues such as keyboard lag or key sticking.
3. To address these compatibility issues, we recommend customers connect keyboards that encounter problems when plugged into the keyboard and mouse dedicated ports on the KVM to the USB 2.0 ports on the KVM. The USB 2.0 ports do not have the built-in special chips found in the dedicated keyboard and mouse ports. Plugging your keyboard into the USB 2.0 ports effectively treats it as if it were directly connected to the computer.
Due to the wide variety of keyboard models available in the market, our R&D department cannot conduct compatibility tests on every keyboard. Below are some keyboard models that have been reported as incompatible by customers: Dell KB813 (and similar keyboards with a card slot), Logitech MX series (some of which cannot manually switch between Windows and macOS modes), Roccat, and certain Microsoft keyboard models.

4.How to change the hotkey trigger keys? Can I change it to any key?

There are two kinds of hotkey trigger keys for this product. The default is the [Right-Ctrl] key, and the alternatives are the [Scroll Lock]. However, HKS401-E23 does not support customizing the hotkey trigger key to any other key, whereas HKS401-M23 does support this function. You can switch the hotkey trigger keys to others by:

1)10 seconds after powering on the KVM, press and keep holding the [Select] button on the front panel until you hear the buzzer beeping and the control hotkey is switched.

2)Press the keyboard hotkeys to cyclically switch the control hotkey.

5.Why does my keyboard and mouse not work at all?

Please make sure your keyboard and mouse are wired type or with a USB receiver. Our KVM does not support keyboards and mice that can only be connected by Bluetooth.
Please check if each computer has a USB cable connected to the KVM, the USB cable is used to transfer USB data between the computer and the KVM.
If all the cables are connected, please check if your keyboard and mouse are plugged into the dedicated keyboard and mouse port on the KVM; and whether you can't use the keyboard and mouse normally no matter which input source you switch to.
If so, please try plugging it into the USB 2.0 ports.
If the keyboard and mouse do not work when plugged into the dedicated keyboard and mouse ports, but work normally when plugged into the USB2.0 ports, there may be compatibility problems between the keyboard and mouse you are using and the KVM or the dedicated keyboard and mouse port may be damaged. Please contact our customer support center via the contact information in the widget in the bottom right corner of our official website and send your keyboard and mouse model number to our customer service, and we will make further confirmation for you.
Importantly, as there are so many models of keyboard and mouse on the market, we may need more time to accumulate cases and test. On our website, we will provide a list of compatible devices from our customers' real cases for your reference. At the same time, our professional R&D team will try our best to upgrade to make more types and models compatible, in order to provide you with a better experience.
Here are a few scenarios where incompatibility may occur for your reference:

1)Some keyboards and mice function need to rely on the control software to use, which may lead to compatibility issues when the keyboard and mouse are connected on the dedicated ports. You can directly connect the keyboard and mouse to your PC and enable the control software to set up the settings, and then save to the on-board mode; then, exit the control software and connect them to the dedicated ports to operate.

2)Some keyboards and mice are more professional with some powerful features. Limited by the processing power of the hotkey chip, our KVM may be incompatible with them as well.

3)For above situations, you can try connecting it to the USB 2.0 port. However, this may result in the loss of certain special functions, including hotkey switching, keyboard and mouse pass-through, and keyboard and mouse seamless switching.

6.What is Passthrough Mode?

The pass-through mode is a built-in function of the KVM, which can improve the compatibility of the keyboard and mouse and enhance the user experience. In Passthrough Mode, the keyboard and mouse function as if they are directly connected to the computer. This allows for the utilization of additional features and special functions that may not be supported by traditional KVMs.
However, due to the wide variety of keyboard and mouse models and functionalities available on the market, our KVM may not be compatible with every single one. Here are the reasons for this limitation:

1） Some keyboard and mouse functionalities may rely on control software, leading to compatibility issues when used through dedicated keyboard and mouse ports on the KVM. To address this, you can configure the settings using the control software prior to usage, save them to the keyboard and mouse onboard memory, and then connect them to the KVM's dedicated keyboard and mouse ports for operation after exiting the control software.

2）Certain keyboard and mouse functionalities, being more robust, may face compatibility issues due to limitations in the processing capabilities of the hotkey chip. In such cases, you can connect the keyboard and mouse to USB 2.0 ports for usage, although certain hotkey control functionalities may not be available.

3）Below is a list of keyboards and mice that have been tested for compatibility by our R&D department. Additionally, we will provide a list of compatible devices based on customer usage cases on our website for your reference. Moreover, our R&D team continually strives to provide targeted compatibility upgrades for incompatible keyboards and mice to enhance your overall user experience.

7.Why can't I use hotkeys?

Please check if your keyboard is plugged into the USB 2.0 port on the KVM. If it is, plug the keyboard into the dedicated keyboard and mouse ports on the KVM instead.
Try pressing different key combinations to see if the hotkey trigger has accidentally been set to another key. The default hotkey trigger for HKS401-E23 is right-ctrl. Please try pressing scroll lock+scroll lock+1 to check if it works. Additionally, HKS401-E23 supports changing the hotkey trigger to scroll lock, right-ctrl.
Check if your keyboard has a [Fn] key. If it does, press [Fn]+[right-ctrl]+[right-ctrl]+1/2 to see if it allows normal operation.

8. Why are my monitors displaying a black screen when I connect my devices to the KVM?

Connect the PC directly to the monitor, bypassing the KVM switch, to check if they work properly. If not, the issue might be with the input device, the monitor, or the cables. Try replacing the monitor and the cables connected to the KVM.
If a specific input source is not displaying, swap this input port with other working input sources to see if this input source displays correctly.
If the above steps do not resolve the problem, please contact us using the contact information below.

9.When I connect my device to the KVM, why are the monitors flickering?

Try replacing the cables connecting the monitors to the KVM.
Attempt to disable HDR and lower the resolution to see if it resolves the issue.
The quality and length of the cables may be causing the flickering. Consider replacing the cables with higher quality ones and checking their length. Cable length directly affects the output resolution.

For HDMI cables:

1. When using 4K@60Hz as the input source, the HDMI cable at the input end should be less than 3 meters, and the HDMI cable at the output end should be less than 5 meters.
2. When using 4K@30Hz as the input source, the HDMI cable at the input end should be less than 5 meters, and the HDMI cable at the output end should be less than 10 meters.
3. When using 1080@60Hz as the input source, the HDMI cable at the input end should be less than 10 meters, and the HDMI cable at the output end should be less than 15 meters.