2 desktops ?

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Miller_any_time

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How to hook up 2 desktops to 1 monitor and easily switch between them using 1 or the other Pc ?
This is probably a stupid question for most of you - :eek:
:confused:
 
KVM switch or buy a monitor that accepts 2 different inputs and switch the monitor between the 2 puters. There are prob other ways I don't know of though.
 
Depends...what are you doing on them? if one is for gaming and the other is for school work, work documents, etc, then you could get away with using Remote Desktop and having the gaming PC connected to the monitor
 
oo remote desktop is a good idea. I've been thinking of doing a kvm setup, not sure why I didn;t think of remote.

to the op tho:
teamviewer.com the easiest, quickest, and best (IMO) remote desktop app.
 
I like to use InputDirector (or Synergy) as a virtual KVM with two monitors. Way easier than the KVM / one monitor approach if you have the room.
 
Thank you guys !!!!
Now tell me if there is a way to transfer all the data from 1 Pc to the other without doing this manually using external hard drive ( USB stick ) ?
 
You can transfer over the network, assuming they are on the same network...
 
crossover cable or a switch would allow you to transfer data, so long as both computers have file sharing enabled
 
If you are using a crossover cable or a switch (no router) you need to statically set the IP address on both computers. (note you do not need to set a default gateway or a dns server unless they are connected to an external network, in which case dhcp should already be set up)

If you are having problems with actually sharing files it would help to know what operating system you are running, if its XP its really easy, just right click and share the folder/files you want to share. If its windows vista or windows 7 you need to set up a homegroup, then you can join it on the other computer. This makes it just as easy to share data (just right click and share with homegroup).

If you are running ubuntu and or other operating systems or DNLA is beyond you, you can setup a ftp server on each computer and just transfer stuff back and forth that way (though its really not a proper sharing setup, you have to copy the file locally to access it)
 
I have a couple of KVMs but discovered that because monitors now have two inputs you don't nbeed a KVM anymore. All you need is a USB switch and hook both PCs to the monitor and mouse/keybooard, printers, external HDDs, USB soundcard etc. to the USB switch. USB switches are cheaper than KVMs and most KVMs are just VGA and no DVI unless you pay over a hundred dollars for one. Many stores don't even carry any KVMs with DVI and are all VGA. I have two USB switches, one has four USB ports and the other just has one USB port, but you can daisy chain USB so even if it just has one USB port it is still usable by daisy chaining another USB hub onto it.
 
If your using wireless mouse or Keyboard , you will read alot of reviews were these KVM switches
are not supporting them. Then you have to either restart the system to recognize the device or it doesnt work at all.

I purchased a USB port with 4 usb hubs plugged in my keyboard and mouse to it.
Then got 2 USB cables (like the ones you use with your printer) connected them to the computers.
Go a zip tie and tied them together behind the port. When I want to switch iI just disconnect 1 and plug the other one in. It works like 80% of the time. Sometimes im forced to restart the system.
The KVM switched didnt work at all and the only one that did support wireless was about 100 bucks.
 
I bought a VGA KVM for about $20 and I just use it for mouse/KB (zero issues).

Then I use the monitor inputs to switch screens.

When I was looking, I found that most KVMs were DVI + PS/2 or USB + VGA (seriously) and the few I found that were DVI+USB were expensive.

Another thing to keep in mind - I run multiple screens and my work PC can run 2 of my 3 screens and my home PC can run on any or all of them - so having eveything discretely switchable gives me the flexibility I need.
 
I've used Multiplicity for all my multi-computer and multi-monitor setups. It runs an encrypted network KVM between as many machines as you want, and allows you to copy+paste files directly between the machines in question.

Pros: Superior to Synergy and every other network application I've used. Stupid easy to setup as the wizard is made for non-tech people, but has an advanced interface with tons of functionality. (though it was difficult to locate the screen-wrapping toggle..)
Cons: Costs money (I think $30-40?) for a lifetime license.

Nicest thing is how intuitive the setup is. I can include my 2 desktops and then add my laptop, and span the mouse over to the laptop which is only ever in the config when it's present.. if I recall correctly Synergy had tons of issues with this, as well as the fact that the synergy client running on a machine not part of the host network was constantly spitting out Ethernet traffic trying to locate said network, so Multiplicity handles these situations way better.

Just my two cents.
 
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