# Does such a computer device exist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2002, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-such-a-computer-device-exist/122049 "2002-08-02T17:56:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-such-a-computer-device-exist/122049/1 "2002-08-02T17:56:02Z")
I’ve inherited three different computers of varying vintages. Is there any doohickey that I can plug the monitor cable into that would then have outlets on the other side going to the various computers. I have only one monitor, and it’s a pain to switch. This way, whichever one I fired up would display without a single hitch. Any ideas??? ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-such-a-computer-device-exist/122049/2 "2002-08-02T18:03:43Z")
blackbox.com probably has something. Call their ordering line and describe your situation to them. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-such-a-computer-device-exist/122049/3 "2002-08-02T18:09:25Z")
I’ve seen these. check out [tigerdirect.com](http://tigerdirect.com) ---
**Author:** ![buckgully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@buckgully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buckgully)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-such-a-computer-device-exist/122049/4 "2002-08-02T18:11:09Z")
They’re called KVM switches, which stands for Keyboard, Video, Mouse. Belkin ([http://www.belkin.com](http://www.belkin.com)) makes nice ones that I like, but there are also a lot of others out there. ---
**Author:** ![dublos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f08c70/32.png) [@dublos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dublos)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-such-a-computer-device-exist/122049/5 "2002-08-02T18:11:50Z")
Sure… they are used all the time. Though they get more expensive with the number of boxes you’re hooking up to them. [CompUSA.COM](http://CompUSA.COM) poped one up right away when I keyed in the search term “Monitor Switchbox” ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-such-a-computer-device-exist/122049/6 "2002-08-02T18:50:59Z")
There are good ones and there are bad monitor switches. The cheap ones that are just a mechanical switch don’t work very well. The one I tried corrupted the signal so that I had ghost images of everything just a little to the side of the real image it was useless try to get a good powered one. Unfortunately they are about $100. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-such-a-computer-device-exist/122049/7 "2002-08-02T19:08:42Z")
I second what was written above on KVM switches. We just installed one at work for 3 different servers, and it works great. Before buying your switch, make sure it has the right connections for your computers (e.g. the one we’re using at work only has PS/2 connectors for mice and keyboards, so if one of the machines is expecting a serial mouse, it won’t work. This would only be a problem for ancient computers). Also - if your computers are of different types (e.g. a Sun machine, Mac(?)) you will need a more sophisticated KVM switch. Another solution would be to network the machines then just use one as the “master”, and remote control the others using some software solution like [VNC](http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc/). I find 99% of what needs to be done can be done with remote control - only things like installing hardware and operating system require you to have physical access to the computer. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-such-a-computer-device-exist/122049/8 "2002-08-02T20:55:08Z")
I’m using a 4-port Starview KVM switch, and it’s great.