Dual Monitor KVM Setup?

My standard desktop at home has a good quality mouse, keyboard, and dual 23" monitors. My work setup is very similar, only involves a laptop on a docking station.

I'd like to setup a second docking station at home so I can do work at a reasonable pace, not like a caveman on a laptop screen and have to plug in like 10 cables everytime I need to use it.

Problem is, KVMs are for a single monitor. Those that support dual monitors are crazypants expensive. So, I was leaning toward just using the VGA inputs on my monitors for my work computer and switching monitor inputs instead. But I still need to switch the keyboard, mouse, and possibly spaceball. Is there an easy button switch that supports 2 inputs? A lot are single input and require a hub on the other end. I'd really like to minimize cables as I already have quite a few to deal with.

If you don't mind switching monitor inputs for both monitors why not just buy a single monitor KVM. Hook up stuff to it and switch it there and use VGA (switch monitor input) for second monitor.

Two single monitor KVM switches: monitor, keyboard, mouse on 1st, monitor only on 2nd.

Or, use the VGA inputs and switch inputs on your monitor. Connect all perphrials to a USB hub then there is only one cable to swap over.

Why not use the two inputs on the monitors and something like mouses without borders to move from one computer to another. You would have to switch inputs manually on the monitors (unless you can think of something else) but MWB is going to make it easy to use one set of input devices on both computers.

Edit: I have two PCs are work (personal and work). Previously, I had one on each monitor running MWB and it worked fine. However, I might try what I said above so as to make full use of each monitor when I am working on each PC.

MWB would be against the IT policy of the company I work for. That's a no-go.

Most modernish monitors will switch inputs automatically if they only detect a signal on one input. If your monitors are new enough and the laptop's docking station supports two monitors, that may be all you need.

Yeah, no MWB means you are looking at getting a hub and plugging everything in there and move back and forth. Tim is probably right on the monitors.

Get rid of your home computer and replace it with a laptop similar to your work laptop with a docking station. Just bring home your work laptop and place in the docking station.

Well, tried the switching inputs route. Monitors switch fine (obviously), however, the USB device switch isn't working on my desktop. Not enough power via USB I imagine? Its only supporting a mouse/keyboard.

This sucks.

Is there any way to do remote desktop from one of the computers instead of switching hardware?

RossD wrote: Is there any way to do remote desktop from one of the computers instead of switching hardware?

I don't think I can remote from my home computer -> work computer. Also don't think it supports dual monitors.

What is the latency like on that anyways? I've used it in the past and can't imagine using it for any 'power user' activities.

Just spitballing, as i have never done that either.

ProDarwin wrote:

RossD wrote: Is there any way to do remote desktop from one of the computers instead of switching hardware?

I don't think I can remote from my home computer -> work computer. Also don't think it supports dual monitors. What is the latency like on that anyways? I've used it in the past and can't imagine using it for any 'power user' activities.

I'm not sure about dual monitors in Windows remote desktop (I know it's possible in VNC), but latency is hardly a problem. I found it to be surprisingly quick when I was using a computer from a couple thousand miles away.

Not silly cheap, but not crazypants expensive either...

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Port-Monitor-Switch-Audio/dp/B00310EES0

That's becoming more and more tempting. I don't get why there aren't any that are dual HDMI or dual DVI at this point. Do people still use VGA? Is a KVM just a thing of the past?

Where are the PS/2 ports?

Old-school KVM boxes like that one are mostly a thing of the past. These days if you want to control many computers with one set of peripherals, it's either some kind of remote desktop software, a rackmount console with a couple dozen ports on it for connecting to a rack's worth of servers at once, or a regular monitor & keyboard & mouse on a wheelie cart.