Comments on: 6 monitors 10 pc, how to hook it up

Question: 6 monitors 10 pc, how to hook it up

digividal — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 08:22:58 -0800

So this involves a whole bunch of computers (Linux, Windows (server), Windows (7) and Macs and 6 monitors a keyboard and a mouse. I am trying to find a way to dynamically assign a computer to one or more monitors, and change it around whenever needed. (So no monitor should be hardwired to a single machine) I am thinking of a super duper KVM switch but I havent been able to find one yet.

By: katrielalex

katrielalex — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 08:32:14 -0800

Would you consider having six cables in and six cables out in a neatly-wired box?

By: katrielalex

katrielalex — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 08:32:41 -0800

You can use Synergy to share the keyboard and mouse.

By: jsturgill

jsturgill — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 08:32:59 -0800

Thin client at the monitor that uses remote desktop capabilities to display the desired computer's stuff?

Not a good idea for videos and gaming, perfectly fine for office work.

By: digividal

digividal — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 08:50:51 -0800

Synergy requires hardwired monitors does it not?

By: digividal

digividal — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 08:51:55 -0800

@katrielalex I think it would be beyond my limited capabilities to build such a box :(

By: cnc

cnc — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 09:31:45 -0800

Seconding @jsturgill - You can buy one video card, wire all six monitors to one PC and then remote desktop into the others from there.

By: XMLicious

XMLicious — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 09:38:17 -0800

3rding remote desktop software on a six-headed thin client.

By: mirage pine

mirage pine — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 12:09:17 -0800

I would also recommend using a thin client with multiple monitors.

But if you really need a KVM solution and don't mind the cost there probably is a piece of hardware that does the job. Try "KVM matrix" as a search term.

By: empath

empath — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 12:58:45 -0800

Yeah, I would use VNC or something similar for this. There's no reason for a hardware solution, when VNC is so easy to set up and use, and on a LAN, you would barely be able to tell you were remote. It's free and it works on Linux, Mac and windows.

By: panmunjom

panmunjom — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 03:55:17 -0800

Multiple inputs to multiple outputs - you want a video switch for the display. The video switch can put PC1 on Monitor 3, PC2 on Monitor 1, and any other combination (permutation?) you can think of.

A pretty cheap KVM can handle the keyboard and mouse, but the video switch will cost you plenty.