Windows 7: Can I run two PC's at the same time with one monitor

Hi,

I have one generic monitor which has a DVI connection and a VGA connection. I would like to know if I can run two PC's at the same time ? Or would this blow the monitor ? My gut feeling is it would blow the monitor.


Found this on back of monitor: P/N TW999

You can only use one monitor input at a time.

Welcome to SF voacap.

Some monitors can deal with multiple inputs, eg Dell 2007FP, but general monitors probably do not have that capability. A simple KVM switch would do the trick though. Can pick them up pretty cheap

Only 1 pc at a time.

Why do you need to use 2 at a time ? Can`t you do everything you want with just one ?

Hi there.

Many reasons you might want to use multiple PC's : just a few here and I'm not including those who work on SERVERS either.

1) running SECURE transactions on a PRODUCTION system that is on its OWN separate LAN and isolated from the Internet. At the same time you might be debugging the application on a test / QC system on a DIFFERENT LAN to verify the changes before it gets moved to PROD - you need to see the PROD screens too.

2) You are working remotely at home - you have both a company laptop and your own PC / desktop -- you might want to run some processes on your own PC at the same time as working on the company PC.

3) You might be trying to repair a computer and need to get something from the internet on another machine or check why two identical computers are behaving differently -- and so on.

(I would tend to use multiple monitors -- however for some people this might not be convenient or possible - especially for example if one of your monitors no longer has a standard VGA (RGB) type of input and the company laptop for example doesn't have an HDMI output).

Cheers
jimbo

To be clear:
You can connect 2 PCs to one monitor and switch from PC to PC using the input button on the monitor, but you can only look at one PC at a time.
I do not know of a way to split the screen and see both at the same time, if that is what you are asking.

As stated above, a kvm can help. here is a link describing a software way to do it also. I have never tried it, just found it browsing.

How to Operate Multiple Computers With One Keyboard and Monitor

Jimbo,
I used option 2 where I worked from home.
Used a switch to go from one desktop to a laptop with just one monitor.
So it is possible if monitor has two inputs.
THW