A friend wants to use his two computers with his one monitor. These are the available ports:
- His Dell has a VGA and a Displayport
- His Lenovo also has a VGA and a Displayport
- But his HP monitor has a VGA and a DVI

Is there anyway that this seemingly incompatible hardware can be used together like he wants? For example, is there a KVM switch that would accommodate this configuration? Or perhaps a DVI to Displayport converter cable?

Thanks in advance.......

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

There are DVI/DisplayPort adapters/cables. There is a possibility that the adapter won't work, but that's usually a problem with cheaper adapters only. This one appears to consistently work with a DVI monitor port for a PC with DisplayPort based on the reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-Adapter-Display-Converter-Gold-Plated/dp/B01GPMRXL0/

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

And here is a VGA KVM switch that includes USB.
https://www.newegg.com/startech-sv211usb-kvm-switchbox/p/N82E16817707372

That's odd, Steve, I had to remove the www. from your link for it to work.

_________________

I have used VGA KVM switches in the past on two different systems, they work beautifully.
Bill

_________________
The blazing evidence of immortality is our dissatisfaction with any other solution. -- Emerson

You can also get display port to DVI KVMs but would be talking well over $200.00.
https://www.newegg.com/iogear-gcs1642dpkit-others/p/N82E16817399202

It may also be a factor as to if the DVI on the monitor is digital or analog.

_________________

It WILL be a factor, they MUST match.
Bill

_________________
The blazing evidence of immortality is our dissatisfaction with any other solution. -- Emerson

Steve's link has a w missing, his link has only ww and not www.

i.e. Steve posted https://ww.amazon.com/DisplayPort-Adapter-Display-Converter-Gold-Plated/dp/B01GPMRXL0/
Add another w and it works.

Hope that helps.

I never caught the missing 'W'. I'll go fix it.

_________________

I blame Steve, bad Steve, naughty Steve!

sboots report card result: D-

_________________

I love the 3D emojis.


Sorry BB. Way up above you'll find some suggestions.

_________________

I get it!

Thanks, Steve.... sorry for the response delay, but I was at the doctor's office most of the afternoon.

I knew what you were talking about even with a missing 'w'. But it looks like Jay and Doddie have quickly gone off topic again, lol.

That looks like the perfect easy solution for my friend. I had finally found a short DVI to DisplayPort adapter, but not one with a 6' cable. In that case my friend would have needed an extension DVI cable.

Thanks again.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

Bill, I had only read about KVM switches.....never used one. Given my friend's configuration shown above, how would such a VGA switch work, i.e., what cables would go where?

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

I found them, thanks. I think the cable that Steve recommended is the best simple solution for my friend, so I suggested to him that he go purchase one.

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

Sorry but, while the cable that Steve linked could be part of the solution, it will not work on its own. It is just a conversion cable and will not allow switching which computer links to the monitor. To do what you stated as wanted you need some sort of KVM switch.

With a KVM switch each computer would plug in and a button or switch would control which computer actually connected to the monitor. Any other configuration would result in both computers sending the display to the monitor at the same time. Results would be a scrambled display and possible damage to the monitor.

Is it possible to do this with just a conversion cable? Yes it is but it would involve switching the cable between computers while both are shut down. This is not opinion, it is fact.

_________________

Jay, from what I read in the manual, the software associated with his monitor has an OnScreen Display that let's the user easily switch the input source coming to the monitor (in his case, whether the input is VGA or DVI).

So why won't Steve's cable solution work?

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

Actually I was coming out to partially correct myself. Steve's cable could work for one system but you would need another appropriate cable to connect the other computer to the monitor. Say that you used Steve's cable to connect one computer from display port to DVI you would need another cable to connect the second computer from/to VGA.

As long as the monitor allows a choice of what input to use, as you indicate, this could work. Still, the single display port to DVI cable will not work as to two connected systems. This would require two separate cables; display port to DVI and VGA to VGA. Keep in mind that neither will carry audio.

What cables does your friend have?

_________________

Thanks! I edited my link before posting because it started with smile.amazon instead of www.amazon (I donate to a local animal shelter that way) and apparently overlooked my typo!

-steve

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Jay has already answered -- I forgot to mention that for the cable solution to work the monitor would need to allow switching between inputs. I actually have a test setup like this to a single monitor and that monitor has a button on the lower right of the bezel (frame) underside to select the On screen display where I can then select which input I want. My setup has two computers, each has a mouse and keyboard attached, with the single monitor. I'm using DVI for one PC and HDMI for the other.

-steve

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Thanks, Jay. I understand. His monitor has two applicable ports....VGA and DVI.

He currently has his Lenovo computer connected to his monitor with a VGA cable, and that would remain. Then he would use this converter cable to go from the DisplayPort on his Dell computer to the DVI port of his monitor. He could then use the monitor software to switch which computer appears on the monitor.

Shouldn't that work?

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

Yes, BB, that should work. Since the monitor allows for the selection of inputs it is like it has a built in KVM switch much like an HDTV allowing you to select between HDMI and other input sources.

However there could still be an issue if the monitor's DVI input is analog as I believe that the display port to DVI cable is digital. All you can do is try it. It is even possible that the display port to DVI cable will work with either an analog or digital DVI monitor as it is possible that both 'styles' could be connected within the same cable.

_________________

Jay & Steve, my friend bought the Displayport to DVI conversion cable from Amazon that Steve recommended , but it didn't work. He got a message on his monitor that said: "No Signal-DVI".

Then when he looked further at the instructions that came with the conversion cable, it said "you can use this DVI cable only if your computer has a DVI compliant graphic card installed". He obviously doesn't have such a card.

This issue has quickly elevated beyond my hardware capability. yfurther suggestions would be appreciated, and the cheaper the better. Thanks in advance.......

_________________
BB
http://barrypatch.net

Without going with a new monitor that accepts a display port connection I have to go back to my first link offering a VGA KVM switch.
https://www.newegg.com/startech-sv211usb-kvm-switchbox/p/N82E16817707372
This is just a device example. The reviews on this device are not all that good as only 35% of the reviews give 5 eggs.

_________________