VGA screen switcher

irishgrizzly

macrumors 65816

Original poster

• Oct 30, 2007

• #1

Hi, could anyone point me to a cheap way to switch quickly between my xbox and Mac using the same screen. In my local shop it's €60+. I'm thinking there must be somewhere cheaper. Here's a diagram to illustrate better what I need...

 

Sesshi

macrumors G3

• Oct 30, 2007

• #2

Cheap switchers invariably degrade the signal. I'd suggest investigating whether it's possible to plug both into the screen using one of the alternative inputs. If you're trying to plug in both I'm presuming it's a TV with a VGA-in option. Could you for example use Component on the 360 -> TV connection?

 

irishgrizzly

macrumors 65816

Original poster

• Oct 30, 2007

• #3

Sesshi said:

Cheap switchers invariably degrade the signal. I'd suggest investigating whether it's possible to plug both into the screen using one of the alternative inputs. If you're trying to plug in both I'm presuming it's a TV with a VGA-in option. Could you for example use Component on the 360 -> TV connection?

Click to expand...

It's a 19" Dell widescreen (1 year old). It has loads connectivity options, but not component 🙁

 

Sesshi

macrumors G3

• Oct 30, 2007

• #4

What's the Mac and what is the monitor model?

 

irishgrizzly

macrumors 65816

Original poster

• Oct 30, 2007

• #5

I've got a iBook, but am getting (fingers crossed) an updated Mac Pro soon. The Pro is what I'll mostly be using this way.

I'm in work now and don't have the Dell details to hand, but it has DVI, VGA and another connection that I can't recall.

 

Sesshi

macrumors G3

• Oct 30, 2007

• #6

If you'll be using a Pro, you've got no issues - you can plug the Pro into the DVI port and the 360 into the VGA port, and use the monitor input switching.

 

irishgrizzly

macrumors 65816

Original poster

• Oct 30, 2007

• #7

Sesshi said:

If you'll be using a Pro, you've got no issues - you can plug the Pro into the DVI port and the 360 into the VGA port, and use the monitor input switching.

Click to expand...

Good stuff, thanks.

Is there a quality difference between VGA & DVI. I don't know much about the difference, thought DVI was slightly better?

 

TEG

macrumors 604

• Oct 30, 2007

• #8

I would suggest a DVI KVM w/USB. While you don't really need the keyboard and mouse support (unless you want to use your keyboard and mouse on the 360) it can always be nice to have.

TEG

 

K

Kodounas

macrumors newbie

• May 18, 2009

• #9

hey dudes I have the same problem..I have a vga flat screen monitor with only one port which I am using for my pc.I want t buy a mac mini but I don't wanna throw away my pc.I want to use both with the same screen mouse keyboard and speakers.PLZ tell me how can i do this.

 

N

neil1980

macrumors 6502

• May 18, 2009

• #10

Kodounas said:

hey dudes I have the same problem..I have a vga flat screen monitor with only one port which I am using for my pc.I want t buy a mac mini but I don't wanna throw away my pc.I want to use both with the same screen mouse keyboard and speakers.PLZ tell me how can i do this.

Click to expand...

Simple... buy a KVM.

That way you get to use 1 monitor, 1 set of speakers, and 1 keyboard and mouse with two devices.

you get a keystroke combination such as scroll lock and up twice and the screen will switch to either the mac or the pc... whichever the screen shows is what the keyboard and mouse will be controlling.