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Ob La Di, Ob La Da
I currently have a Sony 520GS 21" CRT monitor that I bought back in
1998. It's starting to give me trouble and I'm in the market for a new
digital monitor. The Sony I have now has two inputs -- one HD15 and one
BNC. I use it with 2 PCs and when I want to switch PCs, I simply press
a button on the monitor to switch. I'd like to get a new monitor with
the same capability.
From what I've seen, many new monitors have both analog and digital
inputs. I'm having trouble ascertaining, however, if my current setup
can apply as far as using 2 PCs at the same time goes. The
documentation simply says that the monitors have both analog and digital
inputs, but don't say anything about connecting 2 PCs and switching back
and forth between the two. The salesguy at Best Buy said it can't be
done. The salesguy at Circuit City thinks it might be possible
according to some backroom guru, but it has to be done with some
mysterious software, not hardware. Neither of them would hook up a
monitor to that kind of setup. A software solution doesn't really make
any sense to me -- it seems to me that the graphics card on each PC is
what is controlled by it's individual s/w, not the monitor -- the
monitor should just follow the directions of whichever input it's using
for the moment. If a monitor has a physical button to press to switch
between analog and dvi inputs (which the display models I tried DID
have), shouldn't it simply look to that source for input and ignore the
other one for the moment, the same way my current monitor does with HD15
and BNC? I haven't checked any other places yet, but I thought I'd ask
REAL people who actually muck around with this kind of thing about it
before I waste time looking any further. Someone here must have a
similar setup or at least know the answer.
BTW, the guy at Circuit City said they don't even HAVE any digital
cables to hook up to any of their digital monitors and that all the
display models were hooked up to analog sources. I suggested using one
of the display models of the many PCs, but he said that since monitors
are all sold separately now, all of THOSE were only hooked up to analog
inputs, too. I asked how the store expected to sell equipment if people
couldn't see what the capabilities were (just vis a vis digital hookups,
never mind actually trying the dual input scenario). He got a slightly
huffy, saying no one had EVER asked him that question until now and
proceeded to quote his 60K movement of inventory last year. I thought
it was a perfectly reasonable and logical request and observation, but I
let it go and decided to ask for information here instead
So ... any advice on how to accomplish my dual input scenario? Thank
you!
1998. It's starting to give me trouble and I'm in the market for a new
digital monitor. The Sony I have now has two inputs -- one HD15 and one
BNC. I use it with 2 PCs and when I want to switch PCs, I simply press
a button on the monitor to switch. I'd like to get a new monitor with
the same capability.
From what I've seen, many new monitors have both analog and digital
inputs. I'm having trouble ascertaining, however, if my current setup
can apply as far as using 2 PCs at the same time goes. The
documentation simply says that the monitors have both analog and digital
inputs, but don't say anything about connecting 2 PCs and switching back
and forth between the two. The salesguy at Best Buy said it can't be
done. The salesguy at Circuit City thinks it might be possible
according to some backroom guru, but it has to be done with some
mysterious software, not hardware. Neither of them would hook up a
monitor to that kind of setup. A software solution doesn't really make
any sense to me -- it seems to me that the graphics card on each PC is
what is controlled by it's individual s/w, not the monitor -- the
monitor should just follow the directions of whichever input it's using
for the moment. If a monitor has a physical button to press to switch
between analog and dvi inputs (which the display models I tried DID
have), shouldn't it simply look to that source for input and ignore the
other one for the moment, the same way my current monitor does with HD15
and BNC? I haven't checked any other places yet, but I thought I'd ask
REAL people who actually muck around with this kind of thing about it
before I waste time looking any further. Someone here must have a
similar setup or at least know the answer.
BTW, the guy at Circuit City said they don't even HAVE any digital
cables to hook up to any of their digital monitors and that all the
display models were hooked up to analog sources. I suggested using one
of the display models of the many PCs, but he said that since monitors
are all sold separately now, all of THOSE were only hooked up to analog
inputs, too. I asked how the store expected to sell equipment if people
couldn't see what the capabilities were (just vis a vis digital hookups,
never mind actually trying the dual input scenario). He got a slightly
huffy, saying no one had EVER asked him that question until now and
proceeded to quote his 60K movement of inventory last year. I thought
it was a perfectly reasonable and logical request and observation, but I
let it go and decided to ask for information here instead
So ... any advice on how to accomplish my dual input scenario? Thank
you!