Strange multiboxing setup

I'm trying to set up quite a strange multiboxing setup and I'm stuck - hopefully someone will be able to help and the answers might be useful to other people too.

Here goes:

I have 2 PCs and 2 montiors, but I actually use them in 3 configurations:

- Config 1: I control PC1 an view it on both monitors
- Config 2: I control PC1 but view it on monitor 1 and view PC2 on monitor 2
- Config 3: I control PC2 and view that on monitor 2, and also view PC1 on monitor 1.

I currently have a 4-port PS/2 KVM switch that I use to hotkey teh keyboard and mouse between controlling PC1 and PC2. I then swtich screens when I need to using the button on the side of the monitor 2 (to swap between showing PC1 and PC2).

I've worked out that with the right splitter cables and an x-keys stick I could have 1-button switching for each configuration. Basically I just connect config 1 to port 1 on the KVM, config 2 to port 2 and config 3 to port 3.

Diagram(!):

KVM
1 2 3 4
| | | |
| | | (not used)
| | Config 3: monitor 2 to PC2, keyboard to PC2, mouse to PC2
| Config 2: monitor 2 to PC2, keyboard to PC1, mouse to PC1
Config 1: monitor 2 to PC1, keyboard to PC1, mouse to PC1

(monitor 1 is always conencted to PC1 and doesn't need switching. I need to split the video output of PC2 and also split the keyboard and mouse outputs of PC1)

BUT, when I try this, using just a basic Y-splitter cable to split the keyboard and mouse from PC1 the keyboard and mouse don't work (or they just work in one configuration).

Someone mentioned that it might be a power thing - there's not enough power in the keyboard and mouse cables after they're split.

Does anyone have any ideas why this isn't working? Would using the Y-keys and Y-mouse splitters fix it?

Thanks,

Matt

This might be a little different that what you're looking for, but what about using something like Multiplicity? You can control 2 (or more) PCs with the same mouse and keyboard by just moving the mouse to the edge of the screen and it will transition to the other PC seamlessly. To add to that, you could use the dual inputs on most monitors to view either PC on either monitor, or use just the monitor inputs on a KVM.

Thanks.

The difficulty is that the 2nd PC runs the Next Operating System - would multiplicity work on that?

You're right about one thing... it is "strange". :shock: