dual monitor switch box

[rubixstarr]

I wanted to use a dual monitor for both my mac and PC. is there a dual monitor switch box out there so that I won't have to buy 4 monitors? If someone does have one, then can you guide me to where I can get one?

[mgrusin]

The latest www.cyberguys.com catalog I got in the mail yesterday had new dual-monitor switchboxes. (I suppose you could use two single monitor switchboxes in a pinch).

Cyberguys does tend to sell "cheap" stuff (sometimes turns out great, sometimes "eh"), but I haven't had any problems with their service.

-MG.

[rubixstarr]

I just called Cyber guy, and they said that what I want to accomplish is not possible with the technology that we have today.

They do have switchers that allow two computers to use two monitors, but the two monitors do not act as one monitor.

I wanted a switch box that lets me use two monitors as one big monitor and switch them back and forth for my two computers... which unfortunately, seems like it doesn't exist... unless someone out there has figured out how to do it?? If so, please let me know, so that i won't have to buy four monitors. thank you

[mgrusin]

Ummmmm, OK...

Maybe I don't understand exactly what you need. But this sure seems like what I'd use if I had two computers with dual monitors:

http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?T1=104+0850

If you can get your computers to see the two monitors as "one big monitor" when they're hooked directly to the computer, I guess I don't understand how the switchbox would change that (it's supposed to be transparent).

-MG.

[rubixstarr]

THis is exactly what i was looking for!!!!! YES!! Thank you so much!! I called cyber guy and talked to another representative and he said that it does what i am trying to do, and said that the guy that i talked to earlier probably didn't look at the new catalogue which just came out last week!! well, thank you very much. this is what i was looking for and i hope that it works. peace.

[mgrusin]

:) Glad to be of service. If you have a chance, post back here when you get it and let us know how it works; I'm sure there are other people who could use one of these as well (wish I was one of them :p ).

-MG.

[rubixstarr]

Well, here's the deal. this switch box is about $120. When working with animation, you want good quality images. This box limits you to have:

Resolution: 1920x1440 analog; 1600x1200 digital

Plus, it's not usb for the keyboard and mouse, but said that the usb version should be coming out soon.

so if you have monitors and video cards that you payed grips of money for, to get higher resolutions than these, then it is not worth buying and is better to just unplug and plug. the sales guy said that this is just for convenience... so i guess it's up to you. if you don't care that the resolution gets limited to those numbers, and want the convenience, to switch from one computer to another with a push of a button, then this is for you!

By the way, are these resolution numbers excellent quality? or is it just descent? don't know too much about these numbers....

[WizCraker]

9x Meda (http://www.9xmedia.com/Pages/Products.html) has products that allow to have 2 or more monitors span out to be a large monitor such as you see on their Configurations (http://www.9xmedia.com/pages-Build_a_system/X-Top_Design_a_system-Configurations.html) page.

Also A Guide to Multi-Monitor Support (http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/products.asp)

9x Media is a little on the pricey side but MASS Inc, (http://www.massmultiples.com/) has sollutions that are much cheaper. They sale FP that are from Dell.

Max Displays (http://www.maxdisplays.com/products/overview.html) is another company.

And of course UltraMon Tool (http://www.realtimesoft.com/ultramon/)

[WizCraker]

And here is a link to a gallery that shows you some setups, wha is cool is they give you the specs they are running such as OS, plus the video cards they are running to make it work.

Gallery of Mult Monitor Setups (http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/gallery.asp?date=desc&nummon=false&mon=desc)

here are a few shots showing different OS and Monitor Setups.

Linux, 6 Screens (http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/gallery_browse.asp?ID=402&date=desc&nummon=false&mon=desc), Win XP 3 Screens (http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/gallery_browse.asp?ID=377&date=desc&nummon=false&mon=desc), Win XP, 3 Mon, 1 vid Card (http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/gallery_browse.asp?ID=357&date=desc&nummon=false&mon=desc).