KVM switch for multiple monitors?

[Multibocks]

Hey guys,

I need a KVM switch for using my work laptop with my two monitors on the home computer. Any ideas or recommendations?

[mrdsp]

Hey guys,

I need a KVM switch for using my work laptop with my two monitors on the home computer. Any ideas or recommendations?

What ports are you going into your monitor with currently?

Do they have Display Port + does both your desktop and laptop have Display Port?

[Multibocks]

Both have display port yes.

[mbox_bob]

A better question might be does your laptop have multiple external graphics ports (i.e. display port + HDMI + VGA etc). If it only has the one, and your monitor has multiple ports, then you can just use the monitor to switch between devices, and you don't really need a KVM (which is more for single mouse/keyboard/display for multiple machines).

If you do in fact want a KVM so you can use the 1 set of keyb/mouse, along with the display, then ATEN do a basic 2 port HDMI KVM which is reasonable.
http://www.aten.com/global/en/products/kvm/cable-kvm-switches/cs692/#.WcOJk-QUmmQ

Then also do a display port version.
http://www.aten.com/global/en/products/kvm/cable-kvm-switches/cs22dp/#.WcOKbOQUmmQ

None are USB 3, but then unless you want to poke a hub into it, then it's fairly moot. I couldn't find any USB3 ones with a quick search.
Also, the HDMI one indicates it supports Gaming Keyboards, which means that the age old problem of the extra buttons not working on your fancy mouse/kb probably wont be there (this was more of a problem with the old PS/2 ones - the USB ones tend to switch the actual device rather than fake the device). I suspect the Display Port one would too, but it's definitely worth reading up on any specific device, along with any support issues for them (check the manufacturer forums/KB).

Finally, when it comes to laptops, sometimes the ports they use are the mini's, and getting the right cables to work with that may mean adapters if you get a KVM with fixed cables. If you get one with separate cables, that is easier, but you might find the KVM supplies single moulded versions, so you end up with flappy ends if you use a different one with the correct ports. Pay to do you homework on that, and validate each end of the device.

The last bit is the aesthetics, which for a KVM usually always take last place as they are a bunch of cables going into a box. Usually the 4 device and up have it here as all the cables route to the rear of the device. The 2 device ones tend to be a bit ugly. Although Belkin do some reasonable ones, I've not found an HDMI and/or DP version (not that I looked too hard).

[Apatheist]

I realize the thread is a few months old now but for anybody else trying to figure this out, Synergy (https://symless.com/synergy) is a great cross-platform software solution for sharing your mouse and keyboard between PC's. I used to use this many years ago when I ran a multi PC setup and it was pretty much flawless even then.

Though I'm not sure how Synergy would interact with ISBoxer mouse broadcasting or next click functions.

Running your clients on the desktop and controlling them via the laptop seems preferable to trying to run a boxing setup from a notebook using desktop displays.