I currently use three monitors with one computer. I will be getting a new computer, and would like to hook them up to the same monitors. I will never use the two at the same time, so I am looking for some type of switch to plug the computers and monitors into so that I can easily switch from one to the other.
You want a KVM. It switches the Key board Video and Mouse allowing more than one computer to share the major human interface parts. If you look on amazon there are hundreds of them. Some even switch the audio.
Also a lot of monitors have more than one input allowing you to plug in two computers and switch between the different input sources with a button on the monitor.
yes a KVM switch is needed. you can get ones that handle 2 or 4 computers. there are ones that do audio also.
there are many brands and models. some less expensive ones use a mechanical switch (push button) for you to pick which computer you are looking at. more expensive ones will use a key combination (hitting three keys at the same time) from your keyboard.
This.
What you want to do is set up the monitors so they switch inputs automatically. Then if you power down computer A on input 1 and power up computer B on input 2, the monitor switches from input 1 to input 2 automatically.
Haven’t looked at them for a while, but AFAIK good KVM switches get expensive fast. You could still get a cheap switch to switch the keyboard/mouse.
I have the same setup, and here’s what I’ve found:
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A KVM switch is handy, but you risk some degradation in the video itself. This is not a big deal if you are using the monitors for mainly work type stuff, but if you’re doing anything graphics-intense you might not like it.
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KVM switches for big monitors are pricey. Like, $300+ pricey, if you want high-resolution.
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As others have said, many monitors have multiple inputs. That works well for the monitor, and a keyboard/mouse switch is cheap.
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The best solution in my mind is to set up one machine to remote desktop into the other machine. You need the higher-end versions of Windows to do that, though, and some tech knowledge. It’s more complex than a hardware solution, but it lets you seamlessly work on either computer without having to worry about switches. If you’re only using one computer at a time, it might not be worth the hassle.
Another option: set up synergy or something like it. This will let you work on multiple computers using one keyboard/mouse. The normal way to use it would be for each computer to have its own monitor and then you simply move your mouse from one monitor to the other like you would with one computer hooked up to two monitors. But you can combine this with the switch input on display sleep thing.
OK, I have to ask -
Why do you need two computers each running three monitors that are close enough to share the monitors?
KVM switches that can hande three DVI or VGA monitors are stupid expensive. At the cheap end, they go for about $700 and they go sharply up from there.
With digital video, you shouldn’t have much image quality trouble, but if you’re still running with VGA, don’t be surprised if the image gets a bit fuzzy due to the combined insults of cheap switches and cables plus the overall extra cable length.
Interesting question. I interpret medical imaging. One set up is for a direct link into the hospital PACS, the other is a system developed by an independent company. The hospital setup only works with a specific OS. The other only works with a different OS. Each place will not allow segmentation of the drive into virtual drives, or in fact modification of either system in any way. So, two systems each using three very high res screens which, as far as I can figure, must remain separate.
How annoying!
I think using multiple-input monitors and just manually switching them is the way to go - I don’t know of any consumer multi-monitor KVM switches.