Monitor Switch laptop & desktop

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kiwis

832 posts

Ultimate Geek

#302681 11-Dec-2022 17:21

I have a monitor which i use for a laptop and decktop system. Climbing under the desk and plugging it in & out of PC case is a pain, can I plug my monitor into a switch which split into 2, one of laptop, one for PC... maybe a switch to toggle between which output you use..

MadEngineer

4278 posts

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#3008542 11-Dec-2022 17:42

Look for a kvm that has common inputs for both the laptop and the pc.

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timmmay

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#3008736 11-Dec-2022 20:30

I plug each computer in with a different interface - home on DisplayPort, work on HDMI. Whichever is active is shown on the monitor. This may not work if you have both turned on at the same time.

Alternately if it doesn't auto switch you could use the monitor controls to switch inputs.

I use a USB switch with one button so my keyboard / mouse / USB audio switch between computers.

Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#3008774 11-Dec-2022 21:30

What interface do you use? I do it with a simple HDMI switch from Aliexpress, but of course that requires HDMI connections.

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concordnz

472 posts

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EMT (R)

#3008888 12-Dec-2022 11:11

My mate has recently sorted the same setup you have,

He solved it nice and tidy with a monitor with built in KVM.
(switches everything quite nicely) - these monitors are getting more and more common.

I'll try and find out what model screen he picked up.

C

gehenna

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#3008890 12-Dec-2022 11:14

Yeah like timmay i have both devices connected to the monitor via HDMI and DisplayPort. When I want to use one or the other, I just press the required input on the monitor settings. Not much different to having multiple inputs connected to a TV and just changing the source to switch between them.

concordnz

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EMT (R)

#3008923 12-Dec-2022 12:48

After a lot of research,
My mate got a Philips 346B1C
Which is a screen with an inbuilt KVM,
It works perfectly for a desktop/laptop setup.

johno1234

2804 posts

Uber Geek

#3008947 12-Dec-2022 13:08

I'm looking for one that supports two HDMI monitors. IOW it has two USB ports for connecting keyboard and mouse, then 4 USB ports to connect keyboard+mouse to two computers, two HDMI outputs to monitors, and 4 HDMI inputs from computers.

It gets confusing looking at PBTech, to find the right one!

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Handle9

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#3008957 12-Dec-2022 13:46

timmmay:
I plug each computer in with a different interface - home on DisplayPort, work on HDMI. Whichever is active is shown on the monitor. This may not work if you have both turned on at the same time.

Alternately if it doesn't auto switch you could use the monitor controls to switch inputs.

I use a USB switch with one button so my keyboard / mouse / USB audio switch between computers.

I use this setup but with three computers. Monitor has display port and two HDMIs and the usb switch supports four PCs. It works pretty well