As stated in a few other posts, the SB-TB4K KVM Switch doesn't supply power to both connected Thunderbolt devices, because that's against the TB4 certification. Complying with the certification is a Good Thing.
But, I have two laptops, which I switch between on my Apple Studio Display. Having to separately power the inactive laptop is a bit of an irritation. I'm hoping I have a solution, but I want to check and see if it's a supported and safe configuration.
I would like to plug each laptop into a CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub, and then connect those hubs into the SB-TB4K. So each laptop would have a dedicated hub, and the KVM switches between the hubs, not the laptops directly. See simplified diagram for what I mean.
Will this work? Is it supported? Is it safe, in terms of electrical connections and data connetions?
@Michael Alderete I've asked if this was the case sharing your post and it was affirmed with a 'yes' but if you want to be double sure you can also submit to our technical support where it will get routed to our local testing and verification team.
I had a similar multi-device setup and found that keeping the hubs separate from the switching layer made it much easier to isolate connection issues. I also ended up simplifying how I managed different displays and found https://mac.eltima.com/tvrem-universal-tv-remote/ while looking for a way to control a TV screen from my phone, which became a convenient backup when switching between different setups. The main thing I would verify is whether the hub maintains proper Thunderbolt functionality when placed behind the KVM, since that tends to be where compatibility issues appear.
