Is there a easy cheap way of making a dual monitor setup with my eMac & PC? Please note I only want my eMac to be a dual monitor setup. I could careless about the PC. (PC is only there for the wifes accounting crap) From what I know the dual setup wont work when the PC is up and running, only when the mac is turned on I want a dual setup. I just need to know what kind of cables I need and how to set it up. Hope someone out there has some answers for me.
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Dual Monitors between Mac/PC
- Thread starter firststrike101
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So I take it that you're going to mirror the display from the eMac on to another display, and you also want that display to be used for your PC? If so then as long as you don't want to use the eMac for for the PC then you can buy whats called a KVM(Keyboard, Video, Mouse) Switch. This will allow you to use the display on both computers. It doesn't reply on one computer or the other being turned on. What ever port is receiving a signal will kick the display on and start displaying a picture.
You can also use the same mouse and keyboard depending on if you get a KVM Switch with USB on it instead of PS/2. There are all kinds of different KVM switches. Some have VGA w/USB, others with VGA w/PS2, some with DVI w/PS2, others with DVI w/USB, there's even some with audio line in/out ports on them so you can use the same set of speakers with 2 different computers. It just depends on how much money you want spend. They range in prices from $40 to $500+.
You can also use the same mouse and keyboard depending on if you get a KVM Switch with USB on it instead of PS/2. There are all kinds of different KVM switches. Some have VGA w/USB, others with VGA w/PS2, some with DVI w/PS2, others with DVI w/USB, there's even some with audio line in/out ports on them so you can use the same set of speakers with 2 different computers. It just depends on how much money you want spend. They range in prices from $40 to $500+.
Go to http://www.drbott.com and check out the Moniswitch USB+2VGA switch... I am using one of these in a 2 PC + 1 Mac setup. The switch lets you share 2 monitors AND your USB devices (mouse, keyboard, etc.) with up to 4 computers. The only caveat is that it does not support DVI... you have to be using 15-pin D-sub (standard) VGA connectors. The switch includes all of the cables you'll need (8 VGA cables + 4 USB cables) for 4 machines.