simongod
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2 kb, 2 mice, 2 monitors = one computer
as the title suggests, how to i hook up 2 keyboards, 2 mice, 2 monitors to one computer so that two people can use it at the same time? i relalize that this will slow the system down but i would like to know how it can be done.
ASKER
so it looks like its not really possible?
ASKER
i wouild like to use a microsoft operation system if possible
Actually, now that I think about it, a few years back at PCExpo in NYC I saw a product that did do that... but I think it was with Windows 98. I don't recall exactly. It was an I/O card added to the system. But practically speaking, if you're just trying to share a computer at home, I think your asking for more headaches than you want.
you can do this with a KVM splitter. Just do a search for KVM splitter on google. Make sure it's a splitter, not a switch. Switches do the opposite - allow one kb, mouse monitor to control multiple computers. Splitters allow you to input 2 kb, 2 mice, 2 monitors into one computer.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Wouldn't a KVM splitter only allow one person to use the computer at a time. There might be two terminals, but you can't have one person using excel and another using word simultaneously.
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That splitter is designed for a situation where, for example, a company (a really cheap company) has a database or something that needs to be accessed by several people in different locations ("office, shop floor"), so they want each to be able to use the database in real-time. It will not allow each person to do differnet things simultaneously (like playing solitaire in the office while browsing the internet on the shop floor). To do that requires both the hardware and some sort of software capability like people have mentioned above.
ASKER
looks like it would be easier to just buy two computers, haha!
It really, really will. And with computers going for under $300, probably cheaper than buying a device, software, and the hours (time is money) it'll take you to set it up.
If you run Windows 2000 or 2003 server, you can use Terminal Services - this requires an RDP client. Wyse made some of these called "WinTerms" - roughly the size of a VHS tape, it just had ports for keyboard, mouse, monitor, network and it connected to a Windows Terminal server. In essense, this created a second terminal for another user.
Likewise, in Linux, you can use VNC or an X server and client to create desktops on other systems, but you still effectively need another PC or at least device that can do this.