HCHTech
Well-Known Member
- Reaction score
- 4,178
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA - USA
Just had this request from a client who wants to replace his current computer & laptop - their current setup uses a KVM switch, but they complained it was too cumbersome because of the multiple connections that needed to be made to the laptop. Thinking this through, I'm wondering if I could connect a dual-monitor docking station to a KVM to be the laptop side of things (which would give a single thunderbolt connection to the laptop), and then just the regular KVM connections for the desktop side.
A) I expect this will be expensive. I've replaced way too many of those cheap $100 "docking stations" that these days I only recommend the better ones, which run between $300 and $450 depending on the features. Add the price of a decent KVM and you're in the neighborhood of $700 or $800 even before you get to the computers.
B) Even if the price is acceptable, this doesn't exactly sound "robust" to me. Driver fights, cable connection issues, etc.
Part of me wants to say "just don't do this" -- you can buy two more monitors for way less than the hardware to share two monitors. Plus, if they spend all that money and then have problems every time there is a graphics driver update, I don't want to be on the other end of those phone calls.
With two desktops, it's easy because you don't have to unplug anything once it's wired.
Is there a better way?
A) I expect this will be expensive. I've replaced way too many of those cheap $100 "docking stations" that these days I only recommend the better ones, which run between $300 and $450 depending on the features. Add the price of a decent KVM and you're in the neighborhood of $700 or $800 even before you get to the computers.
B) Even if the price is acceptable, this doesn't exactly sound "robust" to me. Driver fights, cable connection issues, etc.
Part of me wants to say "just don't do this" -- you can buy two more monitors for way less than the hardware to share two monitors. Plus, if they spend all that money and then have problems every time there is a graphics driver update, I don't want to be on the other end of those phone calls.
With two desktops, it's easy because you don't have to unplug anything once it's wired.
Is there a better way?