Manual keyboard/mouse switch (KVM)?

I have a situation where I need to share one keyboard and mouse between multiple computers, but NOT THE VIDEO!!! It's a home-office trading environment with 4 monitors which all must be monitored simultaneously, so replacing what's displayed on a single monitor isn't useful.

Newer electronic KVM switches are no good because most only have one connector on the box side instead of seperate video/mouse/keyboard inputs, so they don't work at all when the video cable isn't connected.

I need something like the old manual data switches from 10-15 years ago, but ideally with buttons to select which computer is active, instead of a dial to turn. There will be lots of switching throughout the day, and the dial/knob versions seem like a recipe for repetitive wrist injury.

I'd like one with 4 buttons so I can select a system quickly with a single press, rather than cycling through.

Anyone know of a brand/model KVM switch that has 4 distinct buttons like this? Thanks!

I have a KVM attached to my PC without the monitor going through it, as I often use it when working on a laptop on desk at same time, and I simply switch input devices, if NO VIDEO goes throught the KVM it should still work fine as the video is a simple electronically controlled switch.

If you're not sure, check out www.blackbox.co.uk they do a whole stack of KVM switches and the like, so probably have bare KM switches. They're not the cheapest, but if you need a reliable switch (and it sounds like you do) they are good VALUE.

Try using VNC, it allows you to control your computers over the network from any other computer allowed by the security settings:
http://www.realvnc.com/
It doesn't work well for stuff like watching videos but the basic version is free! They also sell a KVM that works over the network, so your monitor connections are open for each computer to also have it's own monitor.