A single ip kvm can easily cost $500.00

When I saw this gumstix product I thought someone either has or will eventually make one.

Guided from the cost (+overo com) of the hardware above you can probably use for such a project it seems you will be spending just as much and cost you more for something you aren't guaranteed will work as desired.

So, I was wondering if anyone ever ran across comparable hardware or a solution, my first impression was ip kvm's are grossly overpriced.

You always have the option of using xrdp, but you have to remember that it's security isn't just questionable, it might as well not have any. You can also use many VNC applications for this. Obviously you'd want to use an ssh tunnel for accessing anything outside of the local network (and maybe even from inside the local net.) You still need a keyboard/monitor to get everything setup for each server, but the price point is quite nice.

Most of that stuff is geared toward enterprise level and they do charge a lot and users expect it to work. Many offer encryption and other software to sell as a package.

Intel has or had some support cards to do video and power one and such.

Ncomputing has a unique way of sharing input.

2X and other nomachine type of ways exist along with all sorts of remote desktops. They all suffer from having the hardware work to some degree. The KVM solution will remote even a locked up server or a server with bad nic and one can trouble shoot it that way.