Connection to monitor via vga switch

[Glaandon]

I am trying to share a monitor between my pc & my xbox. I have bought a vga switch to do this. It works ok with the xbox but the pc will not work through the switch. It seems Windows 7 tries to ideentify the monitor on start up to set up the screen resolution but fails to see the monitor. Is there any way I can stop Windows from looking for the monitor & use default (existing) screen resolution?

 

[SledgeDG]

Hi Glaandon and welcome to SF

I've heard of that behavior. It is caused by Windows 7 constantly checking display and display card. And by switching back and forth you trigger a hot plug action which sets the resolution to 800x600
Microsoft's answer basically is to buy a new switch (one that supports Full Time/ Active DDC function)
Some people have successfully used this workaround:
Before switching to the XBOX minimize your W7 screen by pressing WIN-D and maximize it again with WIN-D once you switched back to Windows 7

Same goes for pressing the SHOW Desktop button before you switch to XBOX ( The on on the very right side of the task bar) and press it again once you switched back.

Others than that you can try this solution
How to Use an INF to Override the Monitor EDID
Hope that works for you

-DG

 

[Glaandon]

Thanks for the suggestion DG but I cannot get Windows to open through the vga switch so cannot do as you suggest. It is not the switching back & forth that causes the problem. I have not yet studied the link you suggested but it seems to reply on the monitor manufacturer supplying an override. Many thanks for your interest. Trevor

 

[SledgeDG]

If it was between Computers I had a "quasi alternative" to buying a supported KVM switch
Remote admin software like Teamviewer, tightvnc, ultravnc etc.
But XBOX is out of my league...I'm just not a console guy

-DG

 

[Glaandon]

Further progress

Thanks again. From your earlier suggestion I now have a better understanding of what is happening. If I connect the monitor direct to pc it starts up ok, I can then connect it via the switch & it stays ok because it has started up with ther correct driver & resolution. I can put the pc to sleep & restart still ok. Switching between pc & xbox still ok.

If I start the pc with monitor via switch the pc cannot read the EDID from the monitor so starts up with the generic driver so the picture is of the wrong resolution & not so good quality. Can still switch between pc & xbox but pc display is poor.

The monitors resolution is 1600 900, the generic driver dosn't offer this resolution the best available is 1280x720. If the generic offered 1600x900 I think the system would work ok or if the EDID software overwrite was availaable as suggested in your paper that would be the best.

Hope this is of interest to you - thanks for getting me this far. T

 

[richnrockville]

Many people use a electronic switch to change a monitor between systems.
A KVM switch will switch monitor, keyboard and mouse, either usb or PS2 style.

An electronic switch normally tells the attached system that it is there and keeps the
settings for your monitor alive.

I paid less than $25 for a KVM with the necessary cables attached. Some swithc with the scroll key
and some have a physical switch on the front of the unit.

YMMV
Rich

 

[Glaandon]

Thanks - looks like I bought the wrong switch! This one is specifically for pc/xbox it switches vga and audio but is obviously a one way device that doesn't return the EDID from the monitor. T