Question - Mixing Analog and Digital inputs to a LCD monitor

[rick]

Need some help and direction please. I now have two Dell computers both
with analog outputs connected thru a Belkin KVM to a single Dell CRT
monitor. I'd like to upgrade the CRT monitor to LCD -- either a Samsung
204B 20 inch or the Dell 2007FP 20 inch. I can upgrade one computer for
digital output with a new graphics board from Dell. The other computer
is apparently too old for a graphics upgrade and its analog graphics
output is integrated with other functions according to Dell. Is there
a KVM switch that will handle both the analog from one computer and
digital from other computer to the LCD monitor to give me quick
switchover capability? Many thanks. Rick

 

[kony]

Need some help and direction please. I now have two Dell computers both
with analog outputs connected thru a Belkin KVM to a single Dell CRT
monitor. I'd like to upgrade the CRT monitor to LCD -- either a Samsung
204B 20 inch or the Dell 2007FP 20 inch. I can upgrade one computer for
digital output with a new graphics board from Dell. The other computer
is apparently too old for a graphics upgrade and its analog graphics
output is integrated with other functions according to Dell. Is there
a KVM switch that will handle both the analog from one computer and
digital from other computer to the LCD monitor to give me quick
switchover capability? Many thanks. Rick

It would be fairly pointless to take the analog out from the
old system and digitize it just before getting to the
monitor (as the monitor does that anyway), so the output
from the KVM would be analog. It is equally pointless to
output DVI and convert to analog just before getting to the
monitor which will then convert to digital again.

If you must use both systems with a KVM, either upgrade the
old to DVI, which may be possible even if Dell doesn't have
a product offering to cover it (certainly it has PCI slots
even if not an AGP? IIRC there are PCI video cards with DVI
output if it matters that much to stay with DVI).
Otherwise, you might as well just stay with analog from the
new system, OR some monitors that have both DVI and analog
inputs can switch between then, though you dont' control it
from a KVM switch or keyboard combo, instead pressing the
button on the monitor.

 

[rick]

Thank you kony, The steady advances in computer technologies and
hardware far outpace my ability to keep up -- but with the help of
folks like you I have a chance of putting the right package together.
Rick

Need some help and direction please. [snip] IIs there
a KVM switch that will handle both the analog from one computer and
digital from other computer to the LCD monitor to give me quick
switchover capability? Many thanks. Rick

It would be fairly pointless to take the analog out from the
old system and digitize it just before getting to the
monitor (as the monitor does that anyway), so the output
from the KVM would be analog. It is equally pointless to
output DVI and convert to analog just before getting to the
monitor which will then convert to digital again.

If you must use both systems with a KVM, either upgrade the
old to DVI, which may be possible even if Dell doesn't have
a product offering to cover it (certainly it has PCI slots
even if not an AGP? IIRC there are PCI video cards with DVI
output if it matters that much to stay with DVI).
Otherwise, you might as well just stay with analog from the
new system, OR some monitors that have both DVI and analog
inputs can switch between then, though you dont' control it
from a KVM switch or keyboard combo, instead pressing the
button on the monitor.