2 laptops one monitor ?

[phib]

Looking for a bit advice ... I am not techy at all !!

Run a couple of businesses and therefore have two laptops, ideally would just like to have one monitor and two laptops feeding into it. At present keep plugging and unplugging all the time.

Is there a solution where I can have two laptops plugged into one monitor and just flip the picture between the two ?

Thanks

Phib

[J8 SVG]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neoteck-Switcher-Splitter...

Something like this if you're using HDMI

[FerdiZ28]

Morning Tom

Most monitors have two inputs, perhaps an hdmi input and a vga. As long as both laptops have either, you can switch between inputs like any other tv/display, either with a remote or in the on screen menu/button.

HTH

[dxg]

Unclear if you're willing to spend money, but it you are...

buy one of those ultrawide monitors and check that it's got a "picture by picture" (not "picture in picture") facility.

That will get you both desktops side by side on the same screen. Slightly distorted, but they will be there.

Then, for fancypant features, install synergy on both laptops so that you can use the same keyboard and mouse to control both of them. You can even cut and paste text between the two machines. It can be so seamless that you can get annoyed that you can't drag windows from one side of "the screen" to the other - because they're still two separate computers.

Anyway, it's what I'd do...

[phib]

Thanks for all the quick replies, not a problem spending the money and to be honest I probably need a new monitor anyway !!

Will look into the options as current monitor only has one input !!

Many thanks

Phib

[Penelope Stoppedit]

You need a VGA Switcher if both Laptops have VGA - http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/vga-switch

[ZesPak]

phib said:

Thanks for all the quick replies, not a problem spending the money and to be honest I probably need a new monitor anyway !!

Will look into the options as current monitor only has one input !!

Many thanks

Phib

Have a look at Iiyama, honest to god solid monitors with all the inputs you'd ever need.

Something that is hard to find online but you want to check is: How easy is it to switch inputs?
Most monitors have a "quick menu" for that, very few have a dedicated button (like a tv), which usually looks something like this:


Other than that, be aware that HDMI isn't always your friend, a lot of laptops for example only output Full HD over HDMI which is a miss if you buy a higher res monitor (that will require DP). Some display vice versa.

If you're using two laptops, why not go for a KVM swich, which would allow you to have the laptops put away and use 1 keyboard, mouse and display?
Look for KVM Switch, the simplest ones look like this:

Basically you plug this into the two machines, then attach 1 display, 1 mouse and 1 kb. The big button (or a keyboard shortcut) switches between devices.

Source: years of using multi monitor and multi device setups.

Edited by ZesPak on Wednesday 1st November 12:34

[Bullett]

Considered something like TeamViewer?
I run multiple desktops/laptops when working from home and essentially use my main desktop machine with TVwr on it to use the other machines. Wired or wireless when the client machine is running its virtually indistinguishable from running and accessing it directly.

That's assuming you are not doing more than text/spreadsheets, if it's hi res photo stuff or video/animation then I'd use a physical connection.