A Doc, or Hub for Mac and PC sharing same montitor?

[MacLover2011]

Hey everyone,

I have a MacBook Pro that I use with an external HP x34 monitor. Additionally, I bring home a PC laptop that I also connect to this same monitor. I'm hoping to find a way to streamline this setup without the need for constant cable changes.

Unfortunately, I have to disconnect the HDMI cable from the monitor that was used for the PC in order for the cable I am using to work with my Mac. I wanted to keep the HDMI cable connected but not to the PC laptop and still connect the Mac cable to my Mac but to the HP monitor, but that does not work.

Will a Doc or Hub resolve this issue?

 

[Raz0rEdge]

My initial reaction is a KVM (Keyboard-Video-Mouse) device that allows you to connect multiple computers to a shared keyboard/mouse and video. This used to work really well with wired keyboard/mouse, that most of us don't use these days. So the utility is a little diminished.

If you have the keyboard/mouse covered between your two PCs, then you can just go with a video switch and flip between them.

 

[Jimmysb]

If you have two different outputs on the Mac and PC e.g. HDMI and VGA, and your monitor has the same inputs i.e. HDMI and VGA, then you can connect both machines, and using the monitor controls to manually identify which input to use. HDMI and VGA are examples it could HDMI and DVI, or any other video output as long as you can match the input outputs. If both out puts are HDMI and you only have a single HDMI input then either a KVM as mentioned by @Raz0rEdge or use an adaptor to convert one of your HDMI to match the monitor input.

 

[ferrarr]

My monitor has 2 HDMI inputs & I use the monitor controls to switch between my Mac Studio PC and the Windows 11 PC.

 

[pm-r]

I wanted to keep the HDMI cable connected but not to the PC laptop and still connect the Mac cable to my Mac but to the HP monitor, but that does not work.

Will a Doc or Hub resolve this issue?

I'm not exactly sure or positive, but I would have thought that such a simple device is one of these would do what you need:

HDMI Switch 4K HDMI Splitter​

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07K2NZX8L/

And lots of other alternatives listed here:

Google Search

- Patrick
=======

 

[Slydude]

I have used one or two of those devices, Patrick. Some of them work well and others seem not to hold up very well. I had one work for about two weeks and then wouldn't work at all. I have no idea why.

I have not used one in a while because my current LG monitor has two HDMI ports, so I use the method member @ferrar outlined in post #4.

 

[MacLover2011]

Thanks for all of your responses.

In addition to some sort of switcher for the monitor, which would spare me the hassle of having to unplug the cables each time I hook it up to the PC, I also want to keep my cables organized.

I'm hoping a doc or hub would be able to do all these things.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

To get a detailed explanation of how to arrange/organize things, you'll want to outline all the devices/peripherals and their associated cables in a list for us to know how to help.

Just so we are all on the same page, using the same language.

A dock or hub allows you to connect a single computer to a set of external devices (usually with a single cable). For example, if you have a TB Dock. On one side will be a single TB cable that connects to your MBP, but on other side it might connect to a set of monitors, speakers, microphones, etc, etc, etc.

So with a single cable connection, you get connected to all of those devices.

This, however, doesn't support switching between two computers that want to use all of those external devices.

For that, you'll need a switch.

I run a setup with the following computers/peripherals:

• Macbook Pro
• Mac Studio
• 2x 27" Monitors
• Webcam
• Microphone

My connectivity involves:

• TB 4K Dock
• 2-monitor KVM
• USB hub

The Mac Studio connects to the KVM. The MBP connects to the Dock which then connects to the KVM.

The KVM connects to the 2 monitors with HDMI cables. The USB hub connects to the KVM and the webcam and microphone connect to the hub and to the KVM and to the computers.

With this scheme, I can switch between the two computers and have access to all the perhipherals.

 

[Jimmysb]

Thanks for all of your responses.

In addition to some sort of switcher for the monitor, which would spare me the hassle of having to unplug the cables each time I hook it up to the PC, I also want to keep my cables organized.

I'm hoping a doc or hub would be able to do all these things.

Does your monitor have two inputs, if so any of the above solutions could work without unplugging cables.

What are you monitor inputs, and what are your PC outputs???