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Depending on your usage and requirements, you could pick up a basic, two-device switch at an affordable price or a high-end one to support multiple 4k connections. Working with a KVM switch is space-friendly and pretty straightforward to use. Therefore, there is no need to constantly plug and unplug your keyboard and mouse or use multiple sets. Option Two: Use a KVM Switch DeviceĪ keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) switch are a device that allows connections from multiple computers for output to a single monitor and input from one set of devices. Once you’ve plugged leads from your computer to your monitor, to access either computer, you’ll need to access the internal menu of the monitor to change the input.
#How to use another computer as a second monitor dell hdmi how to#
If you have one of these monitors, search online for information about the model to find out how to set it up to display both outputs permanently. Once you’ve done that, the rest is pretty simple.Also, consider that displaying the complete view of two computers simultaneously is usually exclusive to modern, ultrawide monitors. Don’t be put off though - do your research on your devices and make sure you buy the right cable. Displayport, HDMI and USB-C all have variants that aren’t always clear to the casual user, and so often something that should be a case of ‘plug this into this’ is actually quite fiddly. It’s not uncommon to find that the evolution of computing standards can make the result you’re trying to achieve fraught with potential pitfalls. If you’ve got a laptop (or a hub) with a USB-C, HDMI, DVI and Displayport, you can mix and match your monitors - but remember to choose the best input for each monitor’s specifications so you get the maximum resolution and refresh rate out of each. Then there’s the simple ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach.
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Some monitors have an extra port to allow you to ‘daisy chain’ the signal from the laptop to monitor to monitor, but they’re the exception, rather than the rule. For example, Displayport connections will support splitters, letting you connect to multiple monitors from a single port on the laptop - but it’s not a particularly cheap way of doing it.
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