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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > Apple and Alienware sitting in a tree...

Apple and Alienware sitting in a tree...
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bbxstudio
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Jul 21, 2004, 07:09 PM
 
... now how do I get them K-I-S-S-I-N-G ?

Here's the challenge - I have an Alienware Aurora with USB and an ATI 9800 XT, and I (will) have an Apple G5 (also with USB and an ATI 9800 XT). What I'd like is to do is get them both using the same keyboard/mouse and the same monitor (a new 23" aluminum Cinema display). I'm thinking that a DVI/USB KVM switch would do the trick, but from what I've seen, the maximum resolution supported by these switches seems to be 1600x1200, and the Cinema display uses a 1920x1200 native resolution. It seems odd to me that DVI switches are limited to 1600x1200 when many high-end displays routinely run in native resolutions much higher than that. Any clarification, setup issues, enlightenment shed on this would leave me profoundly grateful.
     
scaught
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Jul 22, 2004, 01:10 AM
 
i wish i could help you. just wanted to put my crappy comment in here:

oh, to have such problems.

     
MindFad
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Jul 22, 2004, 02:00 AM
 
Rough times, man. Sorry, I just wanted to be a smartass like scaught. Good luck working it out.
     
Boochie
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Jul 22, 2004, 08:12 AM
 
A colleague of mine switches between his PC and G5 using one of these:

http://www.welovemacs.com/adcdviadcab.html

He has the 23" Cinema display, no problems driving it at the native resolution.
     
Tim Kosch
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Jul 22, 2004, 01:36 PM
 
Originally posted by Boochie:
A colleague of mine switches between his PC and G5 using one of these:

http://www.welovemacs.com/adcdviadcab.html

He has the 23" Cinema display, no problems driving it at the native resolution.
Such a dilema indeed! I actually have the same problem. I have a G5 and an Alienware Hive-Mind PC. I have a 23" cinema display on order and am impatiently waiting.

I have an extended question about the above... If I have the G5 and PC hooked with that switch is it possible to use an additional monitor hooked up to the other video output on either the G5 or PC? Any idea what will happen with the second monitor output? I assume it will just show the desktop of whichever computer it is connected to.

In a perfect world I would like to find a switch for keyboard/mouse and two monitors.

Tim
     
bbxstudio  (op)
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Jul 22, 2004, 08:03 PM
 
Originally posted by Tim Kosch:
Such a dilema indeed! I actually have the same problem. I have a G5 and an Alienware Hive-Mind PC. I have a 23" cinema display on order and am impatiently waiting.

I have an extended question about the above... If I have the G5 and PC hooked with that switch is it possible to use an additional monitor hooked up to the other video output on either the G5 or PC? Any idea what will happen with the second monitor output? I assume it will just show the desktop of whichever computer it is connected to.

In a perfect world I would like to find a switch for keyboard/mouse and two monitors.

Tim
Your assumption is correct: the second monitor connected directly to either computer will continue to display that computer's desktop regardless of which machine the switch is set to.

I'd like to eventually set up side-by-side 23" Cinema displays... I'll have to leave one hooked up to the Mac and one to the switch so I can jump from dual Mac extended desktop to Mac and PC side-by-side - would be nice to jump from dual PC to dual Mac tho'.
     
bbxstudio  (op)
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Jul 22, 2004, 08:46 PM
 
Originally posted by Boochie:
A colleague of mine switches between his PC and G5 using one of these:

http://www.welovemacs.com/adcdviadcab.html

He has the 23" Cinema display, no problems driving it at the native resolution.
Thanks for the info I've also found the Gefen EXT-DVI-241 - it's more expensive, but it handles audio and USB as well as DVI at the native resolution of the 23" cinema display.
     
   
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