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I have dual monitors (HDMI/DVI, 1920x1200) and will be buying a second PC, and perhaps also a third monitor. I'd like to share each monitor individually between the PCs, i.e. put all monitors on one PC, or 1 on each, or if I have 3 monitors, 2 on a single PC and 1 on the other one.

I'd share a keyboard and a gaming mouse with both computers. Ideally I want the extra mouse keys to work but I'll live if I have to buy a second mouse.

I can't use a software solution (like here) for security reasons; one PC is for work and the other one will be used for internet and all other sorts of unsafe stuff.

Zekoslaw
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  • Are both PCs going to be turned on at the same time? If not then auto detection circuit on modern monitors should just switch to the active input signal. – Hennes Sep 29 '15 at 16:04
  • Yes. They'll probably both be on a lot of the time. – Zekoslaw Sep 29 '15 at 16:53

2 Answers2

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your best bet is to get a multi-monitor KVM, so you can use all the monitors on both PCs as needed.

a KVM will keep the boxes isolated, only requires one Keyboard/mouse, and allows you to keep the monitor config permenant, so you don;t have to readjust stuff every time you change machines.

Frank Thomas
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  • Will it let me assign a specific monitor to a specific PC on-the-fly? – Zekoslaw Sep 29 '15 at 16:54
  • well, you can emulate that using two KVMs in series, but there isn't any single piece of hardware that will do what you ask on the commercial market. – Frank Thomas Sep 29 '15 at 17:02
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Most monitors have an automated internal input switching feature. This means that lets say you hook two computers to the same monitor, and then you blank the screen on one computer while the other computer's screen is active. The screen would turn black, and then the monitor would search for incoming inputs and find the other computer, thus switch over.

So basically what you could do if your monitors support this is to plug your two pcs into both monitors, then write and keybind scripts (i recommend autohotkey) that would blank the screen (install nircmd and use the command nircmd monitor off to blank screen) and then use that keyboard shortcut to switch between the computers.

You will also need to share your keyboard and mouse, as well as speakers I assume. I have ways of doing this as well (namely Synergy, and plugging one computer's line-out into the other's line-in with an audio cable)

Cestarian
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