2 Systems, One Display, Keyboard, Mouse - DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort? [KVM]

BRiT

BRiT

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I'm looking for advice on how to setup a desktop and a laptop via docking-port to one display, keyboard, and mouse. The keyboard and mouse are USB, Logitech wired keyboard and Logitech wireless via dongle mouse. The monitor is an old 1920x1200 Dell with DVI input. I know there are several different ways of dressing this pig, but wondering if any approaches are better than the others? Are there known pitfalls? How well does DisplayPort deal with switching in the middle of the chain?

Inputs: Monitor - 1 DVI
Outputs MSI 1070 GTX: 1 DVI, 3 Display Ports, and 1 HDMI (used to connect to TV)
Outputs laptop docking port: 1 HDMI, 2 Display Ports.

A. Display-Port KVM switch used with 2 Display Port connections and 1 Display-Port to HDMI to DVI monitor / Display-Port to DVI monitor?​
B. HDMI KVM switch used with adapting the desktop Display-Port to HDMI, the docking port HDMI, and 1 HDMI to DVI monitor setup?​
C. DVI KVM switch used with adapting the laptop Display-Port to HDMI to DVI, the existing DVI desktop setup, and 1 straight DVI monitor setup?​

I feel like Option A is the more forward looking approach.

Thanks,
 
Changing the monitor with at least 2 input div and dp/hdmi would save you a lot of hassle and potential issues. The adaptors and cable can be as expensive as delta for the new screen.

I built a new pc for my boss for his need for a proper desktop pc and at the same time he wanted to access the old propierty win2000 rig. I chose a ultrawide screen which also has picture in picture and picture by picture features with tb3/hdmi/display port input options.

Old rig uses VGA to HDMI active adaptor which also has 3.5mm jack for audio transfer to HDMI cable. And the new rig uses display port. Simple cheap Amazon KVM switch for keyboard and mouse was enough. Can either choose input mode on monitor for hdmi or display port for whole screen pc 1 to 2 switch, or divide the screen by half by pbp. And just hit 1 or 2 button on KVM switch for mouse and keyboard for respective pc control.

Tldr, if possible a new screen with multiple input modes can be a viable option.
 
Thanks for that thought.

I hadn't done the tallying of the costs with the KVMs and adapters and cables. There are several different price levels of the KVMs, so can see the costs building up. I have been needing a newer monitor, and this would be a great excuse to go ahead with that.

Out of academic curiosity, any idea which setup would have worked the best with the various adapters?
 
BRiT said:
Thanks for that thought.

I hadn't done the tallying of the costs with the KVMs and adapters and cables. There are several different price levels of the KVMs, so can see the costs building up. I have been needing a newer monitor, and this would be a great excuse to go ahead with that.

Out of academic curiosity, any idea which setup would have worked the best with the various adapters?
Click to expand...
DVI and HDMI are electrically compatible, but so is DisplayPort in most implementations so I don't think any of those setups would work better or worse than any other. You do have to be careful when plugging in a bunch of DP -> HDMI/DVI adapters into a single graphics card. More than 2 of those typically requires active adapters.
 
Now that I think about it, there's a chance a DP KVM switch is not compatible with passive DP ->HDMI/DVI adapters on the output. The outputs on your 1070 certainly are and the one on your docking station should be as well but a KVM switch might lack this capability. This sounds like something that would be hard to figure out ahead of time when trying to figure out which KVM switch to order.
 
Haven't used a DP kvm myself but option A seems the most logical. That's basically how every kvm since the old days worked and I don't see why it shouldn't work in this case either. Shouldn't cost you more than 50~60$ either.
 
Before we switched entirely to USB-C (Power Delivery) monitors and laptops (Macs and Dells), we used Targus KBM boxes and they were very reliable.

You might find you can solve this with just a new monitor, when I was shopping for a new monitor last year I noticed that many monitors with multiple inputs include KBM hubs, so you plug the keyboard and mouse into the monitor and that functionality is available to whatever machine is using the display. DVI does support USB connections but not all DVI ports/controllers offer it so whether that would work would depend on your laptop.
 
Davros said:
with usb-c monitors what does the graphics is it rendered on the cpu ?
Click to expand...
It's just a different type of connector. Devices with dGPUs and iGPUs can have USB-C connectors. The higher voltage modes of USB-C allow higher power devices to be powered via the same USB cable that is used for video. Like if your monitor could be powered by the HDMI port so it wouldn't have to have a separate power cable. Of course the USB-C device that you're plugging into the monitor has to support video and power delivery. I've no idea how common the higher voltage modes are. I have to doubt that my laptop is capable of powering a monitor from its USB-C port since the power supply is only 65W.
 
Probably too late to the party but I've been using this for years at work...

StarTech.com 2-port Mini DisplayPort KVM Switch - USB 2.0 - 4K at 60Hz (SV231MDPU2),Black https://a.co/d/bsMu4hE

It's only available used there but they have newer ones. I would buy another StarTech.com model in a minute. They work great & I've never had a problem with them. In fact, I had the standard DisplayPort version before I got the miniDP version above. Next one I get will have dual display support. Hopefully when my next work PC comes in.

Tommy McClain
 
I was also looking at kvms since I work full-time from home. My gaming display is 1440p240Hz (freesync/gsync compatible) and I couldn't find anything that I was sure would support it. Basically 1 pc, 1 laptop, 2 displays and keyboard/mouse is what I'd need.

Are there any good freeware software KVMs? I could probably get away with that, I'd just have to be able to use it for free with my work laptop. Work is Windows 10 and my personal pc is Windows 11.
 
Scott_Arm said:
I was also looking at kvms since I work full-time from home. My gaming display is 1440p240Hz (freesync/gsync compatible) and I couldn't find anything that I was sure would support it. Basically 1 pc, 1 laptop, 2 displays and keyboard/mouse is what I'd need.

Are there any good freeware software KVMs? I could probably get away with that, I'd just have to be able to use it for free with my work laptop. Work is Windows 10 and my personal pc is Windows 11.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't guarantee anything but I think you need one that supports DP1.4.

https://store.level1techs.com/products/14-kvm-switch-single-monitor-2computer?rq=kvm <- price is insane

or maybe


Nevermind I forgot you have 2 monitors.
 
Found this part of microsoft powertoys suite :
1685061639546.png

learn.microsoft.com

Microsoft PowerToys

Microsoft PowerToys is a set of utilities for customizing Windows. Utilities include ColorPicker, FancyZones, File Explorer Add-ons, Image Resizer, Keyboard Manager, PowerRename, PowerToys Run, a Shortcut Guide and more to come.
learn.microsoft.com

Install Mouse Without Borders as a service
To allow Mouse Without Borders to control elevated applications or the lock screen from another computer, it's possible to run Mouse Without Borders as a service under the System account.
Click to expand...
 
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