Crazy setup...dual monitor, multi display, multi PC

shaqblogs2011

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Oct 19, 2011
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I am trying to integrate a dual PC and dual monitor setup into my current setup which consists of,

Current Setup

  • ■ PC connected to AV Receiver
    ■ TV connected to receiver via ARC.
    ■ Monitor connected to Receiver (Receiver has 2 outputs to display, only 1 at a time).
    ■ Currently i switch between TV and monitor using receiver.

The following conditions are to be satisfied for the new setup.

    ■ Single keyboard, mouse.
    ■ Monitor in dual monitor setup
    ■ Switching between the 2 PC's using hot key or remote. Must switch both keyboard and display.
    ■ PC 1 will connect to dual monitor.
    ■ PC 2 to connect to dual monitor, never to TV or receiver.
    ■ PC 1 will also connect to TV-Receiver or Monitor1-Receiver (Monitor1-Receiver would suffice here, but dual monitor setup of Monitor1-Monitor2-Receiver would be great).
    Why both TV and monitor running via receiver? Monitor used when playing music / browsing. TV when watching videos.


Racked my brains and have come up with this... Probable setup

The complexity here comes in integrating dual monitor and the receiver. Separate paths was the best I could come up with. Also, dual monitor setup requires DP all the way from PC. Open to other ways to connect the dual monitors, if it can easily integrate with the receiver.
Is there a better way to get this setup?

Also, what would I need as outputs at PC 1? Would I need a card? Mobo is Asus P8Z68 V-Pro.
 
Solution
So, you need a KVM box with dual-monitor support. But first page of search results shows DVI / VGA units only, and I don't think this is what you want.
Another option would be custom-made box with two single-monitor switch boxes, with external control.
Second monitor / TV "one input - two outputs" switch is more standard.
So, you need a KVM box with dual-monitor support. But first page of search results shows DVI / VGA units only, and I don't think this is what you want.
Another option would be custom-made box with two single-monitor switch boxes, with external control.
Second monitor / TV "one input - two outputs" switch is more standard.
 
Solution
You said you would use the TV for showing movies from PC1 but then said a kodi box would not work for needs and would nto use it, can you elaborate?
You can stream any movie files located on the pc to kodi, as well as anything browser bassed. Only issue would be netflix.

FYI it would take a very high end kvm system to have remote switching capability to allow you any sort of way to setup a single button to switch both KVM and Reciever.


What video outputs does each PC have?
What inputs does each monitor have?