2 Pc's on 1 Screen:

[Waaib]

I used to see switcher boxes on peoples desks that had a dial (1 to 5) on the front and 5 screen ports on the back. By turning the dial you could select which PC you wanted to view but only needed 1 screen on your desk. There was an issue that each PC still needed keyboard and mouse. This was about 10 years ago I guess.

I'm wondering if there are any more modern alternates. I've Google and not found much except for data transfer things.

I want to have one screen and keyboard on my desk and have the 3 PC's (1 box and two laptops) under the desk or out of the way.

Ideas please.

 

[greggpb]

People still using KVM switches... or remote desktop

 

[Jabberwocky]

we have one on our servers. you press print screen and a window pops up that lets you choose

 

[Bcm]

I use a 2 way KVM from Aten @ home to switch between my xp and ubuntu box.

http://www.aten.com/

works like a charm.

 

[SYNERGY]

And you can always use Synergy for 1 keyboard and mouse. Its on sourceforge.net (Free)

 

[masticore]

As the others have pointed out - a KVM switch is kinda what you're talking about. A KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) switch connects multiple machines video KVM cables to the switch. The switch in turn is connected to a single keyboard, screen and mouse. These "attach" to a machine of your choice usually by a keystroke (e.g. pressing scroll-lock twice), but can also be "attached" by a physical switch / button on the KVM device. A KVM switch is a physical device - in order to use it you have to be located where the switch's keyboard, screen and mouse are.

KVMs typically support from 2 to 16 machines. More machines can usually be supported if the KVM switches support daisy chaining.

New KVM switches also provide audio and USB ports so that USB devices and speakers "attach" automatically to the machine selected.

Remote control through the network using a piece of software (Remote Admin, RDP, VNC, etc.) is also a possibility and is cheaper (you don't have to buy anything other than network equipment which you'd most likely need anyway). It has the (dis)advantage of being usable from anywhere on the network.

 

[Waaib]

KVM sounds cool. Where to buy?

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

VNC

 

[Peder]

well a nice place in Joburg is Frontier electronics

www.frontier-electronics.co.za i haven't ever had hassles with my ATEN 4 way KVM switch it works like a charm only thing i wish it had was that it can take USB keyboards and mice.

Hope this helps

 

[CodeMaster]

I use a 2-port D-Link KVM switch. It does what I want, and I am happy with it.

Have a look at Sybaritic here:
http://www.sybaritic.co.za/store/index.php?cPath=261_262

 

[CodeMaster]

Use some of these:
http://www.nivo.co.za/product/2687

well a nice place in Joburg is Frontier electronics

www.frontier-electronics.co.za i haven't ever had hassles with my ATEN 4 way KVM switch it works like a charm only thing i wish it had was that it can take USB keyboards and mice.

Hope this helps