Connecting Surface Pro & Desktop to Same Monitors

fleetingmind

I have a desktop PC which I connect to two monitors - DVI to HDMI I think. I've now got a work surface pro 6 with dock - so will be mini display to HDMI via the dock to connect to the monitor's.

What would I need to be able to switch between the work pro 6 and home desktop? Would a HDMI splitter be able to switch 2 X HDMI at a time as obviously need the two monitors at a time for both computers. I'm probably over complicating this!

Thanks.

rmg1

It sounds like you need some sort of KVM (Keyboard/Video/Mouse) setup where you plug the monitor(s), keyboard and mouse into one side and then connect the PC and Surface Pro to the other. It's then either a switch or keyboard shortcut to switch between the two machines.

grumpycrab

Not an expert on dual monitors...but you want a "2 into 1" video switch with the output being dual monitors. Doubt there'll be one bit of kit to do that (or it'll be expensive) but the cheap way will be to have one switch for each monitor. What's the exact video cabling for your current desktop set up?

CardinalWolsey

I have a similar setup, and don't bother connecting the Surface to the monitor directly at all. I remote desktop from my desktop machine to the surface. This gives greater flexibility with dual monitors as well, as you can have your desktop on the left, and the surface on the right monitor, for example. Oh, and I find Microsoft's own Remote Desktop Client (which uses RDP) far more usable and stable than any variant of VNC.

Cisco001

you probably need a hdmi switch like this

techquest

Cisco001 wrote: »

you probably need a hdmi switch like this

Unlike you but in this case you forgot to paste link for op to look at. But op can look on Amazon for instance where there are shedloads to choose from.

agrinnall

techquest wrote: »

Unlike you but in this case you forgot to paste link for op to look at. But op can look on Amazon for instance where there are shedloads to choose from.

Specsavers! There's a link to ebay in Cisco's post (repeated in your quote of that post).

tronator

Check whether one of your monitors has more than one input. Then use the second input for the Surface and switch inputs from the monitor's menu.

alan_d

I have a Startech dual monitor DVI switch like the link below for sale if anyone is interested:
https://www.startech.com/uk/Server-Management/KVM-Switches/2-port-DVI-KVM-Switch-with-Audio-USB-HUB~SV231DVIUA

techquest

agrinnall wrote: »

Specsavers! There's a link to ebay in Cisco's post (repeated in your quote of that post).

Specsavers really, bet you wracked your brains on that one lol. No link in view I'm looking at not even in my repeated quote of the post. I was just trying to help Cisco realize the link wasn't there. Guess weird stuff can happen but it's a 1st on me. Didn't see you post anything that might help the op though!

[IMG][/img]

Peter999_2

techquest wrote: »

Specsavers really, bet you wracked your brains on that one lol. No link in view I'm looking at not even in my repeated quote of the post. I was just trying to help Cisco realize the link wasn't there. Guess weird stuff can happen but it's a 1st on me. Didn't see you post anything that might help the op though!

[IMG][/img]

He's embedded the link in the word "this" - and it also appears in your quote and in your image ("this" is a different colour).


Try hovering over "this" and left clicking.