Splitting a PC

k++

k++

k++

Associate
Joined
5 Oct 2004
Posts
585
Location
London
Hi

I need to find a way to split a PC into two. Therefore having two monitors, two keyboards and two mice but one base unit and both monitors displaying it's own desktop.

Is this possible, I really have no idea what to search for. lol

Cheers

Karl
 
Lost-Prophet said:
So you wont to have two computers using one keyboard/mouse/monitor etc? Or one pc with two keyboards/2 Mice/2 screens?
Click to expand...

1 base unit, 2 keyboards, 2 mice and 2 monitors. However each monitor should have a different desktop and not interfere with the other one. Like having two users logged on.

We have a PC at a Subway I work at, we want to allow two people to use the pc but obviously without interfering with the other user.

Karl
 
k++ said:
1 base unit, 2 keyboards, 2 mice and 2 monitors. However each monitor should have a different desktop and not interfere with the other one. Like having two users logged on.

We have a PC at a Subway I work at, we want to allow two people to use the pc but obviously without interfering with the other user.

Karl
Click to expand...

I think I understand but I don't think it's possible m8 from how I understand it. Having one PC act like two will make it slow and I don't think it's even possible. You'd be better off buying a second cheap Pc I'm afraid :(
 
It is possible to do, but I would not suggest doing it. If you have to ask you wont have anything you need to do it.

Get two PC's, easiest and cheapest option.
 
Yewen said:
It is possible to do, but I would not suggest doing it. If you have to ask you wont have anything you need to do it.

Get two PC's, easiest and cheapest option.
Click to expand...

is it possible to do that? Two people logged on at the same time using different inputs etc? Out of interest do you have a link?
 
it is possible, i remember reading awhile back about a motherboard that was released with a special piece of software that allowed you to do this(think it was foxconn), but im pretty sure you can also obtain whats called a reverse KVM...
 
In regards to the speed, the computer is for internet explorer only, nothing else. Even the below par celeron can cope with a few IE windows.

The keyboard, mouse and keyboard will go next the current one, that is also not a problem.

I am asking because I would prefer not to buy another PC. There is no room for another base unit in the cupboard.

Karl
 
I guess what I'm looking for is some sort of USB connection that will have connected to it either an extra set of input devices and and output to video or the usb connection is connected to both monitors, keyboards and mice. Obviously software would be required to drive this somehow and allow each user there own desktop.
 
Two thin client machines using terminal services to log onto the main PC... Sorted:)

Edit: Or one thin client machine using terminal services, and the other user logged directly onto the server..
 
haha some interesting ideas there.

My boss has a Dell, despite we wanting to build him a pc, but you can't beat dell for price and it really is just for IE. He would cry if I started building another computer inside the Dell and voiding the warranty :p

Competitor removed

I have found that so far, but not sure it's what I'm looking for to be honest.

I'll keep looking.

Edit: It's so expensive though, if if it did work a new pc would be cheaper. lol.
 
Running two PC's of one set of hardware is many times more demanding than just one system.

The hardware will have completely random access like in a server situation, no way would a celeron offer anything near reasonable performance, a Raptor hard drive would be running slow with two users on it.

And you can do it with HyperOS and then remotely connect to it, you just run a window in the background of the main pc, run a dual screen system and hide the start bar for both people.

Only user 1 has the start button but you can have shortcuts on both screens. This will work with an awful lot of messing around as I did it a few years back with XP and a 98se, although on a 120gb Caviar raid setup, it ran so slowly it was unuseable.

It is possible, but your looking at £900+ for the software to do it, and then you need two windows liscences.... Cheaper to buy a mini ITX system and mod it into the same case really.
 
This is the sort of thing that you shouldnt do if you need to ask about it. It also shouldnt be done except for the hell of it, there is no good reason to do this. Every other option will be cheaper, faster and easier.
 
There were motherboards that allowed 2 users to use the same computer, it had 2 VGA ports. One of them was in the PC Format magazine a while back, I doubt it exists anymore though.

Update: These motherboards in question were both made by Jetway, One was the "Jetway PT800TWIN" and the other was the "Jetway N2VIEW". The N2VIEW is the newer model, I don't have any idea if they still exist, they used software called "MagicTwin". I think this is what your after if there is a product to suit your needs.

Update 2: Found it, they still exist and there are more versions availiable. http://www.jetwaycomputer.com/magictwin_board.html (not a competitor link)
 
Last edited:
I belive this is possible with a bit of hardware that is like a KVM switch but the opposite way round.

I cant for the life of me remeber what its called off the top of my head. I was shown it back in the late 90s when i was still at school.

Maybe someone will remeber?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom