Can I Use Two Monitors on One Machine?

[Tony11235]

I'm wanting to have two monitors run from the same machine, mostly because I hate having to move from my couch to my desk, back and forth. And when I do, i have to unplug the monitor I have at my couch, and replug the monitor at my desk. Are there adapters such as screen spliters, maybe? I don't see why there wouldn't be.

 

[Pengwuino]

Most newer video cards natively support dual-monitor or many-monitors. It's fairly common now-a-days. I'm not sure what the name of the cable you get is though... I'm sure if you search for a SVGA splitter or something along those lines, you can find them.

 

[dduardo]

You either need a graphics card with dual vga heads or get the Matrox DualHead2Go. If you don't have an expense video card and don't need high end graphics it would probably be cheapers to get a new video card with the dual vga heads for less then $100. The DualHead2Go is $150.

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/offhome/dh2go/home.cfm

 

[chroot]

You can probably use a KVM (keyboard-video-mouse) switch for your purpose.

- Warren

 

[Pengwuino]

You can probably use a KVM (keyboard-video-mouse) switch for your purpose.

- Warren

But aren't those for multiple computers, single-monitor/keyboard/mouse?

 

[dduardo]

chroot, a KVM won't allow you to stretch your desktop across both monitors. It will only allow you to pick which monitor gets the signal.

 

[chroot]

dduardo,

That seems to be exactly what the OP is asking for. He doesn't want a huge desktop spanning two monitors. He wants to be able to use the same computer from either of two workstations across the room from each other.

- Warren

 

[chroot]

But aren't those for multiple computers, single-monitor/keyboard/mouse?

Many KVMs have several inputs and several outputs, and can operate as a crossbar switch, connecting any input to any output.

- Warren

 

[Tony11235]

Either one, kvm or vga splitter, would do I think. I'll just do some searching and see what's not so expensive. Thanks for the replies.

 

[chroot]

A VGA splitter is very cheap. If you're already using a wireless mouse and keyboard, you might just have to move those around. You can also consider plugging two USB keyboards and two USB mice into your computer simultaneously, then using whichever you prefer at the time.

- Warren

 

[Tony11235]

I already use two keyboards and two mice simultaneously. The first pair using the original keyboard and mouse plugs. The second pair using a single USB adapter. My extenders are like 10 feet long lol.