Two computers ...

[Neos]

My wife and I share a PC. I keep messing up her stuff by upgrading and piddling. Space is a problem in the house.

Can I build a pc for her and hook up her pc to the main 19" LCD? We would share Keyboard and mouse. If yes, please give a general overrun.

One other added option could be an extra remote mouse and keyboard. Could that fit in the mix?

Thanks.

 

[Bobthelost]

Yes, it's called a KVM swtich.

What you do is plug your keyboard, monitor and mouse into a box with a big button on it. The box is then plugged into the two computers, when you want to swtich the monitor etc. to the other computer you press the button and it switches over.

That's it.

However you'll have to use a VGA switch as DVI ones cost a fortune and don't work all that well.

 

[Dman877]

In my experience, the video quality of a display hooked up to a kvm switch is garbage. YMMV though.

 

[Bobthelost]

When i've done it it works fine the image quality has been a touch lower but only noticable if you switch back and forth quickly, but i have had problems with macs and VGA switches, in the end i just wired it up so the apple uses the DVI input and the backup PC uses the VGA.

Which is another way to do it if you've got dual input on your monitor, most middle to high end ones do.

 

[Doctorweir]

Well, if the monitor has two inputs just get a switch for keyboard and mouse...
...and put the wife's comp on the analog input...but shhhh... :evil:

 

[cKGunslinger]

KVM switches are one option. But, as memntioned, DVI is an issue. Another option is RemoteDesktop or VNC, if the machines are networked together.

Try TightVNC, for more info.

 

[Neos]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
When i've done it it works fine the image quality has been a touch lower but only noticable if you switch back and forth quickly, but i have had problems with macs and VGA switches, in the end i just wired it up so the apple uses the DVI input and the backup PC uses the VGA.

Which is another way to do it if you've got dual input on your monitor, most middle to high end ones do.

This may be a good option, as the monitor does have DVI and analog. Are you employing a KVM switch in this setup? Give me a bit more detail on your hookup, if you would.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Splinter000]

I think it depends on what desktop resolution that you are using, my brother's PC and the family PC are connected to an VGA KVM and the quality looks the same with or without using the KVM.

However, 1024*768 is being used on both (highest the monitor can go), heard it can be an issue with anything much higher than that

 

[cleverhandle]

There are a few DVI KVM switches out there now, though they may be a little expesive or hard to find. As far as video quality, I've been running my main machine through a KVM for years now and have never noticed any quality issues in games and such. But I've still got a CRT monitor, and maybe it's more of a problem for LCD's.

 

[acole1]

I use a KVM and I have never noticed any quality issues, so it should be fine.

 

[Bobthelost]

Originally posted by: Neos
This may be a good option, as the monitor does have DVI and analog. Are you employing a KVM switch in this setup? Give me a bit more detail on your hookup, if you would.

Thanks for all the replies.

Right now i've got my display connected to my two computers, and a KVM to switch the mouse and keyboard, works well. I rigged the same for my dad and his Mac and PC because the Mac had issues with working with a KVM for some reason.

To switch the monitor over you press a button on it, then press another button on the KVM to switch the mouse and keyboard over. It's much simpler to use the KVM but i prefer it this way.

 

[Neos]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost

Originally posted by: Neos
This may be a good option, as the monitor does have DVI and analog. Are you employing a KVM switch in this setup? Give me a bit more detail on your hookup, if you would.

Thanks for all the replies.

Right now i've got my display connected to my two computers, and a KVM to switch the mouse and keyboard, works well. I rigged the same for my dad and his Mac and PC because the Mac had issues with working with a KVM for some reason.

To switch the monitor over you press a button on it, then press another button on the KVM to switch the mouse and keyboard over. It's much simpler to use the KVM but i prefer it this way.

Make sure I understand. You have one pc to the AVI plug on the monitor - and the other pc to the analog plug. Then you use any KVM switch to control the keyboard and mouse??

You mentioned pressing a button on the monitor. Mine has an auto position (in addition to analog and avi). If I set it there, then it should work with whatever pc I turn on. Sound right?

Thanks again for all the help on this. Getting me back into good graces with the wife.

 

[AzNPinkTuv]

you can find a spliter of sorts for the keyboard and mouse and other perifferals.. much like a hub i guess

the old sony trinitrons i remeber had 2 imputs and a button on the physical monitor would switch from input 1 to 2.. i used to do that to box stuff in EQ lol... beyond that i dunno