27" Cinema Display Switch?

[Josh Kahane]

Hi

I want to get a 27" Cinema Display, however I would need to connect it to both my PC as a primary monitor and 27" iMac and secondary monitor.

So is there a switch that van be recommended that will achieve this?

Thanks.

 

[FredTheDeadHead]

What you are looking for would be called a KVM switch that has a Mini-DisplayPort input.

As far as I can see, this is the only thing out there that fits the description.

http://www.atlona.com/Atlona-2x1-Mini-DisplayPort-KVM-Switch.html

If you note on the web page, it says that it is discontinued, but I would imagine that if it ever made it into production, that there would be some floating around. And you would still have to get an adapter cable to covert the output of your PC to the 'MDP in' ports on the KVM. A simple and cheap cable if you have a DisplayPort out on the PC, but would need more expensive and complex adapters if you don't.

I have never used or even seen this KVM product, so I have no idea how well it works. Or even if it was ever actually made.

If you have not gotten the monitor yet, I would instead get a higher end Dell 27 inch. Like this....

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...2&lid=1838870&acd=pl_dhsea:028093,,901pdb6671

Besides usually being cheaper, it has multiple inputs built in, and you can switch between the inputs pretty easily from the front panel. Downsides: No Apple logo, and no Apple style. It also has a matte screen, which may be good or bad, depending on your needs. But heck, for the cost of the Apple 27 inch, you can often get a Dell 30 inch. (they have discounts and sales pretty regularly.)

Or if you have the desk space, for the cost of the KVM, etc, you could just get a second monitor.

 

[Josh Kahane]

Thanks for the response. I was thinking of getting the Dell U2711 but it has had bad things said about its anti-glare coating and would be done any justice sitting next to the iMac which has a top notch screen.

So I figured get a cinema display which will be more or less identical in quality and match rather nicely as well.

Unsure about the whole 'discontinued' thing, makes me doubt it considering its still a perfectly applicable product, something is up there.

I would want a switch that doesn't require me to switch, then start that computer up, I want to be able to have both machines on and switch at anytime.

I did find this, but no mentioned iMac support:
http://www.kanexlive.com/snapx

 

[thekev]

LG antiglare coatings are a bit on the aggressive side. Just view one and you've seen them all. If Hitachi or NEC/Mitsubishi panels were still in use, I'd pay for something driven by one of those. They are basically out of the market because LG is cheap. It bothers some people. It's just kind of a sparkle effect if a lot of light is hitting it. In lower light you don't really have much of a sparkle, and the Apple display is still highly reflective. Even if you turned all the lights off, the backlight will provide enough luminance for something to reflect off the screen. One other thing, Samsung panels are very very good compared to five years ago. PVA lacks most of the downsides it had then, but there just aren't that many larger displays using it.

The 27" cinema display is still produced, and it's still on the Apple site.