2 computers to one monitor

Top dog · 17 Jun 2011 at 14:44

Hi

Been having some trouble here. A relative of mine is now working from home and wants to connect their laptop to the home pc screen. This we can do but we would like both PC attached at the same time so that if the laptop is switched on the laptop screen shows on the home PC screen and if the home PC is turned on it shows on the screen.

They bought an adapter which comes out of the monitor and has 2 connectors. (don't know the name) These can connect to cables coming from each PC. If one is attached (i.e laptop to home pc screen) it works fine. If both are attached (home-home and laptop-home) the screen goes off regardelss of if the laptop is switched off.

The was difficult to explain and came out slightly confused. What I really want to know is how to connect two computers to one monitor. Do I need a switchbox? Thanks for any help you can give.

cmndr_andi · 17 Jun 2011 at 15:07

Hi there,

It sounds like you got a splitter there. These aren't great as they have issues when both devices are connected.

May I ask what the make and model of the monitor is and what input connections it has. Also, what video output connections do the laptop and PC have?

Top dog · 17 Jun 2011 at 15:33

The monitor is an LG flatron. The only cables going into are the splitter and the power cable. The laptop is an older HP model but I don't recall the exact spec.

What do you mean by video output connections?

The graphics card is an Ati 2900, PC has 3gb RAM and i think it is around a 450W power unit.

The laptop has no outgoing connections other than the splitter cable.

AshenShugar1873 · 17 Jun 2011 at 16:38

If the monitor has a VGA AND DVI connection at the back and one computer has a VGA output (blue connector usually) and the other a DVI output (white usually) then you can connect both computers up to the monitor using the two connectors and switch between computers by changing the monitor between analog and digital using the monitor front panel buttons. If you don't have these connectors on the computers and monitor and the splitter doesn't work then a simple KVM switch will do the job.

Edimax EK2U2C 2 Port USB KVM Switch with cables

paradisiac · 17 Jun 2011 at 17:06

easiest way if you only have VGA on the monitor is a usb kvm switch. OCUK dont seem to have any though.

AshenShugar1873 · 17 Jun 2011 at 18:11

Is that not what I linked to above or are you thinking of something else?

paradisiac · 17 Jun 2011 at 18:17

AshenShugar1873 said:
Is that not what I linked to above or are you thinking of something else?

yeh thats it, but its out of stock. i must have missed it when i read your post

AshenShugar1873 · 17 Jun 2011 at 21:00

and I missed it was out of stock.