Solved Split screen, one screen 2 computers???

[Layback Bear]

This is going to sound dumb but bear with me. Two computer with Home Premium 64. One display screen 40 in. Is there a way in Windows 7 to use the same display screen,(20 in. for computer one and 20 in. for computer two at the same time? I don't have the second computer yet or I would be tinkering to see if I could do it.

 

[alphanumeric]

To the best of my knowledge, not easily, if at all. Even if the monitor has multiple input connectors it can only use or display one (source) at a time. If it only has one input you could use a KVM switch to switch back and forth between the two PC's but you would still only ever be able to connect one PC at a time. If there is a magic black box that will let you do what you want I'm sure some one will post a link to it, but its not something I've seen of heard of.

 

[jimdandy]

No, but you could use a KVM switch which would be better :]

 

[Mike Connor]

This is going to sound dumb but bear with me. Two computer with Home Premium 64. One display screen 40 in. Is there a way in Windows 7 to use the same display screen,(20 in. for computer one and 20 in. for computer two at the same time? I don't have the second computer yet or I would be tinkering to see if I could do it.

No, there is no way to do it without special hardware which would combine the two video signals into one. I am not aware of any such hardware on the open market specifically for PC's, but there are various multiplexer devices which would theoretically do it.

Something like this;

http://www.colorado-video.com/video_multiplexer.html

http://www.colorado-video.com/screensplitters.html You should watch the demo video here !!!

http://www.google.de/search?q=video...WCMiRswbptMjDDQ&ved=0CFUQrQQ&biw=1362&bih=802

Possibly;
http://www.supernature-forum.de/video/70950-imagompeg-muxer-audio-video-multiplexer.html

Some general info on multiplexing;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiplexing

Some more or less "standard" split screen possibilities;


http://www.splitview.com/download.htm
SplitView is a great program that splits windows on your screen and allows you to easily manage and display split windows. The program does not necessarily create two separate displays. But does give the user a much easier way to split their windows and move them on screen. Once installed two additional buttons will be added to each window at the top left that can be clicked to split the window.



http://jgpaiva.donationcoders.com/gridmove.html
GridMode is another excellent program and a free alternative that enables users to split their screen into grids. Once split up the user can drag windows into the grids and easily manage windows several different ways. To drag to a grid move the window to one of the edges of the screen.


nVidia Grids
http://www.nvidia.com


Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Nigsy]

Planar: Products: LCD Monitors, Touch Screens and Projectors from Planar Systems - When Image Experience Matters

Try these guys. They sell AV equipment that will do just as you want ie 2 pcs sharing one screen so you can view and work on both at the same time.

A company I contracted for a while back had one of 50" screens in there call center, one side showed incoming calls from a server report and the other side showed a summary screen generated off the floor managers PC.

Cost about £5000, so hope you have deep pockets!!

 

[Mike Connor]

Seems there are a few dedicated PC screen splitters. This will also do what you want;

Display four video inputs Quad Screen Splitter share monitor



Regards....Mike Connor

 

[periboob]

I suppose it depends on the details of the job, but I just use Remote Desktop to control the second computer. Of course, I am not doing anything that requires much display performance.

 

[Layback Bear]

Thank you all for your input. I have seen those $6000 in use for a local ambulance service. I didn't know they cost so much. Way over my pay grade. I will look into the rest that have been posted. Ordering parts for new computer at the end of the week just wanted a little heads up on such a idea.

 

[DocBrown]

By any chance does your 40" have PIP (Picture in Picture) that you could view one computer in a small window & then switch back & forth ?

 

[Layback Bear]

Boy oh Boy lots of neat stuff. To continue, is their a way of using the all ready built in duel screen option on one big screen? That would be very nice and cheap.

 

[Mike Connor]

Boy oh Boy lots of neat stuff. To continue, is their a way of using the all ready built in duel screen option on one big screen? That would be very nice and cheap.

?

That's what happens by default. You can only use the dual screen option if you have two screens.

The problem here is that a display monitor can normally only use a signal from a single source. If you want to see things from different sources on the same screen, then the video signal has to contain these sources.

Various television and other software allows you to view stuff from various sources, because it combines the signals into one. You can have a window with a TV source open for instance;



if you have the hard and software on the PC which allows you to do it.

If you want to see the signals from two PC's on one screen, then you need hardware that combines these signals into a single video stream.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Mike Connor]

This is basically the same thing but on a dual screen setup;




Windows uses both screens as one desktop. In this case one window is open on one screen, and another window on the main screen. These are however part of the same basic video signal.

This will also allow you to use multiple desktops and switch between them at will;

WindowsPager


Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Layback Bear]

That Windows Pager looks good. Its free.
Thanks everybody.