2 PCs, 2 monitors, 1 keyboard and 1 mouse - sharing solutions.

413x · 23 Apr 2020 at 10:31

Edit.. I forgot about my work laptop. 3 machines

Looking for a sharing (likely KVM) Solution.

I have (or will have soon) 2 monitors and 2 windows PCs (laptop and desktop) that I want to share.

Ideally I'd like to be able to have both on, 1 screen each, one on, both screens.

I'm not sure how capable KVMs are. Is it more all or nothing? Ie you would need just have a KVM for the peripherals and switch monitors on the screen itself?
Both screens will have multiple at least 2 DP/usbc connections.

I'm assuming a kvm only for keyboard and mouse (and speakers) will make it faaaar cheaper

FYI. The laptop is a surface book so has a magnetic connector to a hub with all the ports so cable unplugging isn't an issue to move it

413x · 23 Apr 2020 at 12:55

Biz.Kid09 said:
I would connect keyboard and mouse into a simple USB switch, plenty on the rainforest that take a couple input and then you have a cable going out to PC and cable going out to laptop. I would then connect laptop and PC to the display using their own cables.

Or is there a potential you might want PC/Laptop to be on both displays?

Ah. I'm an idiot. I didn't realise there were usb switches.
I've been looking at KVMs and it looks like all our nothing in regards to both monitors.

Id need to connect the machines to both screens. Which is fine as the screens have enough ports.

413x · 23 Apr 2020 at 13:03

Biz.Kid09 said:
Yeah do that, be simple. The Surface dock is really nice piece of kit if you wanted to use one of them for your surface book but a simple usb will do the job.

Yeah I have one. It's amazing. I just pick my surface book up and it's detached!

413x · 23 Apr 2020 at 13:05

Struggling to find a usb3 switch for more than 3 machines

413x · 27 Apr 2020 at 16:58

I'm assuming these solutions need both machines to be running?

If so that's not an option as only be using one machine at a time

413x · 24 May 2020 at 00:58

HouR said:
Yes the main "server" PC that actually has the mouse/keyboard etc plugged into it.
So not great for the electricity bill but simple. I always worried about input lag using a KVM 24/7 when I am not working and just gaming but I imagine that's probably not actually an issue.

Going to get a kvm and mot use the M I think.

I don't want to have one machine always on. Defeats the purpose.