Question

How to setup an IOGEAR MiniView Dual View USB KVMP Suitch (CGS1742)?

Asked by: sjsimpson2000

I've been trying to do this for days.... I never thought I was so dense, but I'm beginning to believe I'm just plain stupid.  Here's the environment:

One (1) ThinkPad Laptop with one (1) VGA port & one (1) Digital port
One (1) Toshiba Laptop with  one (1) VGA port & one (1) Digital port
Two (2) External Monitors
One (1) wireless (USB) mouse
One (1) wireless (USB) Keyboard (not shared with the mouse)
One (1) IOGEAR MiniView Dual View USB KVMP Suitch (CGS1742) (on-line manual here:http://www.iogear.com/support/manual/GCS174x.pdf)

I want to setup each laptop, so they are both in "Extended Desktop" mode.  So when I switch to either laptop, the desktop will span both monitors and I can use the one mouse & keyboard.

I am unable to understand the instructions.  (duh).

I guess my first question is:  Do I have to have two (2) VGA ports on EACH laptop?  If yes, then that is my problem.  If not, my next question is:

Which cables to I plug into which ports?  There are instructions and the cables are color coded, so you'd think it would be easy, but I am STRUGGLING!  Maybe it's because you DO have to have two (2) VGA ports on each laptop.

Has anyone done this before?  If yes, can you help me understand where to plug in the "blue" ends of the cables?  (oh I'm so confused).

Thanks!

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Asked On
2009-09-07 at 13:33:14ID24713348
Tags

KVM

,

DVMP

,

Dual Monitors

,

KVM Switches

Topics

Peripherals

,

Computer Displays / Monitors

,

Mice / Keyboards

Participating Experts
1
Points
500
Comments
4

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Answers

 

by: garycasePosted on 2009-09-08 at 02:33:55ID: 25279992

Your basic problem is simple:   to do what you've suggested, you need TWO monitor outputs on each system.    These two outputs would then plug into the KVM, and you could then switch between the two sets of dual displays with no problem.

It IS easy ... but you DO have to have two outputs on each computer to drive the two monitors :-)

 

by: garycasePosted on 2009-09-08 at 02:38:31ID: 25280013

The following info will help you confirm whether or not you can in fact do what you want without additional hardware ...

(1) Can each laptop support two external monitors? You indicated they each have both a VGA and a DVI output ==> can BOTH the VGA and DVI output be used for two different displays? On many laptops, only one of those can be active ... but on some you can use both as long as the laptop's display is turned off.

(2) Are the DVI outputs DVI-D or DVI-I? i.e. will they work with a DVI -> VGA adapter (requires a DVI-I output) ??

If the answer to both questions is Yes on both laptops, then you can use the KVM to do what you want. If the answer to either question is no for either laptop, then you can't do it without adding additional hardware (to support a 2nd display output) on one or both laptops.

 

by: sjsimpson2000Posted on 2009-09-08 at 06:40:30ID: 25281734

Thanks Gary, I think I finally get it now and I think I can do what I want.  It is DVI-D.  I *think* the laptop can support 2 external monitors (VGA and DVI), but I'll have to confirm.  Hopefully I have time to try it tonight...  I'll let you know.  (frankly, I'm a bit embarrassed that this has been such a struggle.... generally I'm a fairly intelligent person.... but I have had a terrible mind-block on this one).

 

by: garycasePosted on 2009-09-08 at 07:48:32ID: 25282423

If the digital output is DVI-D you won't be able to do what you want, since you can't use a DVI -> VGA adapter with a DVI-D output. They require DVI-I, which has an analog signal in addition to the digital (that's why an adapter works -- it's simply changing the pinout).

What you need -- IF both laptops will indeed support dual external displays --  is a dual-monitor KVM that has one set of VGA connections and one set of DVI connections -- something like this: http://www.provantage.com/startech-sv231ddusb~7STR90RT.htm

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