HDMI + VGA to KVM switch

[Necronic]

I am working with a pair of computers that need to go to a KVM switch and then to a monitor/keyboard.

1 of the 2 computers only has a HDMI out, and the other only has VGA out. The KVM switch only accepts VGA inputs. HDMI can't be adapted to VGA without going through a converter right? Like you can't run it through a 5$ adapter port.

I wish the people who had been designing this garbage had talked to me first.....

 

[Hylian]

You could get a KVM switch that supports DVI.

Cause you can buy HDMI to DVI and VGA to DVI adapters pretty cheap.

 

[figmentPez]

You could get a KVM switch that supports DVI.

Cause you can buy HDMI to DVI and VGA to DVI adapters pretty cheap

A DVI KVM probably isn't going to be able to handle the analog signal of VGA. The adapters might physically connect (might not) but it's unlikely the KVM will actually have the connections for the analog pins of the cables.


Necronic, what kind of monitor are you connecting these to? If the monitor has both HDMI/DVI and VGA, you might be able to connect both computers direct to the monitor and just use a switch for the keyboard and mouse. It'd take more button presses to switch back and forth, but it would probably work.

 

[Matt²]

dunno about the signal conversion since I haven't used it yet, but I have two HDMI to DVI converters that came with video cards I bought.

 

[Necronic]

You could get a KVM switch that supports DVI.

Cause you can buy HDMI to DVI and VGA to DVI adapters pretty cheap

A DVI KVM probably isn't going to be able to handle the analog signal of VGA. The adapters might physically connect (might not) but it's unlikely the KVM will actually have the connections for the analog pins of the cables.


Necronic, what kind of monitor are you connecting these to? If the monitor has both HDMI/DVI and VGA, you might be able to connect both computers direct to the monitor and just use a switch for the keyboard and mouse. It'd take more button presses to switch back and forth, but it would probably work.[/QUOTE]

That's exactly what we are doing right now. My suggestion is to just use 2 monitors (as that would be the most useful configuration) but logical design isn't going to win with these guys.

I've found a couple converters that will downgrade HDMI to VGA, so I guess that is what I will be using. Luckily the price on those things has dropped dramatically over the last couple of years.