I purchased this product from Amazon.com to provide a working shelf for my Startech 25U 4POSTRACK25. Rather than
use a traditional all-in-one KVM shelf with keyboard, touchpad and monitor, I decided to build my own setup using
this rackmount shelf and other parts. I'm building PC's instead of servers, which those other prebuilt KVM shelves
are oriented toward. Those cost about $500 for a basic model to well over $1000 depending on mfr. and features to
use with servers.
This allowed me to pick and choose every component, and change them as needed, at much lower cost. I can standard-
ize on any keyboard, mouse and monitor I want, and switch any one at any time. I built around the TRENDnet TK-802R
PS/2 VGA KVM 8 port rackmount switch.
This shelf from Startech is very nice, quite sturdy and well-made. To assemble it one should be mechanically adept
because the instructions are rather sparse, giving almost no direction. Even the pictures only help somewhat. The
first thing to do is attach the drawer slide rails to the sides of the draw, after separating the slides releasing
the black latch lever. The tapered end of the slide faces toward the rear of the drawer. Screw heads are inserted
from the outside, and the washer, lockwasher, and retaining nut are then attached and secured from the inside of
the draw.
The stock picture on this product page is for mounting onto a 2 post rack. My pictures will make very clear what is
the correct order and position of each part to install in a 4 post rackmount like mine. The smaller brackets then
are attached to the outer rail. The holes only line up in one end to do this. The black drawer backstop inside the
outer rail is towards the rear. Attach each outer side rail to the front using the screws into M5 cage nuts in the
frame. Next attach the rear rackmount brackets at the same height in the rear of the unit, placing the outer slide
into this bracket. Once the rear bracket is secured, you can insert 2 screws through the bracket and outer rail to
mate this outer slide assembly. In all cases the screw heads are mounted INSIDE the bracket and rail, reversed of
how the drawer screws are mounted. The washers, lock washers, and nuts face outside the sides of the slides. This
is done in both instances because there is a ball-bearing slide assembly inside the outer rail, for clearance of
the draw to move inside the slide mounts.
Last step is to attach the handle to the drawer front as pictured, then insert the drawer into the slides similiar
to a desk or file cabinet drawer. The handle is easily reversed to hide-away and exposes a flush flat side. I still
have some cable management to do. The drawer was placed under the KVM to keep it exposed, and allow clearance for
the mouse and keyboard wires, because the draw has no cable management. Some cable clamps after connection to the
KVM will tidy all my AC, DC, printer, KVM, telco, USB and network cables once routed neatly in bundles.
For less than $300, I built a flexible standard PC KVM rackmount system for up to 8 computers, and cascadable if I
ever need to expand by using this Startech rackmount shelf drawer.
| Standing screen display size | 24 Inches |
|---|
