On 12/03/2015 03:18 AM, Jeff wrote:
Ken Hart wrote in
:

On 11/30/2015 08:35 PM, charles wrote:
On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 20:10:58 -0400, Bill Baxter
wrote:

I recently upgraded my monitor and I would like to allow not only use
of my desktop, but my laptop as well. All have standard VGA ports.
What would be a decent, cheap switch to use? Once upon a time, I used
a mechanical switch that rotated 4 positions to enable use of any 4
computers with one monitor, but over time colors would change as there
started to be intermittents since it was mechanical, so hoping there's
a cheap electronic switch these days. Thanks.

Try a google search for KVM switch tom's hardware. There are several
threads on Tom's site, stuff there always seemed believeble to me.

Prices vary alot.

Some time ago, I had two computers that I wanted to use with one set of
monitor, keyboard, and mouse. I used a KVM ("Keyboard, Video, Mouse")
switch with good results. In my case, one computer was running Win95,
the other Win98 (I did say "Some time ago"!).

The switch was activated by a key combination. You will want to make
sure that the required key combination is not something you already use.
IIRC, mine used CTRL-PrintScreen.

I had one like that until I replaced a PC with one that had only USB for
the keyboard and mouse. I replaced the KVM switch with one from IOGEAR
with a wired switch that sits on the desk and still use it. It did have
an issue with a hum in the switched audio which I solved by using two
speaker sets plugged directly into the PCs to bypass the switch.


The system worked well, and the gadget cost around $40.

In your case, since you want to switch only a monitor between two
computers, I don't think a KVM switch would work. But anyone who sells a
KVM switch probably sells a monitor switch, so starting your search
there will probably work. Surely there is an electronic version of your
mechanical switch.


There should be no reason a KVM switch would not work for just video. The
signals are independent.



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Ken Hart