Touchscreen and KVM switch

[cichlidfan]

I did some searching but couldn't find my answer so...

 

My current second monitor is shared via a KVM switch and I want to swap it for touch screen. The mouse and keyboard ports on the KVM are available since each machine has its own so I was wondering if anyone was aware of issues in trying to share the touchscreen, just like I would a mouse, through the KVM.

 

It seems to me that it should work just fine but I thought I would ask since I am not running out to buy the monitor right this minute.

 

Thanks for your input.

[PoleCat]

Never tried it but it sounds like it should work.

 

Good luck!

 

Out

[PeterP]

I have a KVM switch and I use it occasionally to hook up my Notebook .

And this works also with my "eGalax" Touch monitor.

(well - sometimes (when I switch rapidly) I have to re-plug the touch-usb again - to get it recognised properly.)

 

But more important!-

When you think about to get a touch-screen:

Make sure that the drivers allow you to use the touch-area at secondary monitors.

Some touch-screens have the bad habit that they only work as the primary windows screen.

 

This is a screen-cap of my driver :

 

And as you can see I can map/calibrate it to secondary monitors, and even only use a portion of it.

This allows me to Create e EYEfinity group were Windows only detects one big 1monitor, while I'm still able to map the touch-screen only to a portion of it.

[cichlidfan]

(well - sometimes (when I switch rapidly) I have to re-plug the touch-usb again - to get it recognised properly.)

 

But more important!-

When you think about to get a touch-screen:

Make sure that the drivers allow you to use the touch-area at secondary monitors.

Some touch-screens have the bad habit that they only work as the primary windows screen.

 

The one I am looking at (Viewsonic) does work as a 2nd screen and I suspected the 'plug it in again' issue might come up when switching. Right now it is just going to be a full second screen so I won't need to do anything unusual in the configuration but later....you never know.

 

I did find a nice articulated arm to mount it on.

 

Thanks.

[MackTheKnight]

And as you can see I can map/calibrate it to secondary monitors, and even only use a portion of it.

This allows me to Create e EYEfinity group were Windows only detects one big 1monitor, while I'm still able to map the touch-screen only to a portion of it.

 

Hi PeterP, (Sorry to hi-jack this, OP)

 

You've got me curious about your touch-screen model # as I'm sorely disappointed by the fact that the Acer screens I have, do not have the ability to make a custom calibration for the touch panels.

 

So if possible, could you please provide the model # off your touch-screen so I can do some digging locally for one? :)

 

Thanks,

Mack

[cichlidfan]

Well at first cut it does not work through the KVM. Works fine without but once it is plugged into the KVM it is not seen. The second screen was not an issue at all.

 

I haven't investigated details yet since my KVM is bolted to the desk but not being able to use it is only a minor inconvenience and it does free up a nice 22" HD monitor for my laptop.

[PeterP]

Sorry to hear this... - I hope you don't blame me! ;):D

Hmm... maybe is the USB cable is now too long to get recognized?- and/or the USB-HUB inside the KVM isn't 2.0 compatible - and yout touchscreen needs USB 2.0.

 

I use a KVM that has 1meter long cables.

and the cables of the toch-screen are 1,2 meters

so its 2,2meters in total - and it is working fine (until I switch rapidly - than I get a "USB device not recognized" error).

 

@Mack

M51790R-UME

 

When you search for a touch-screen and the website/retailer cant tell how the touch-screen will work:

Just search for the needed touch-screen software for this model and just download this- and install them.

Even if no touch-screen is attached , the interface/GUI will give you a insight what you can adjust.

 

Edit: please don't be irritated by the 1400x900 resolution of my 17" native 1280x1024 touch-screen at the screen shots.

- I did forced this mode to maintain the aspect-ratio with DCS while using SofTH.

Edited February 10, 2012 by PeterP

[cichlidfan]

Sorry to hear this... - I hope you don't blame me! ;):D

Hmm... maybe is the USB cable is now too long to get recognized?- and/or the USB-HUB inside the KVM isn't 2.0 compatible - and yout touchscreen needs USB 2.0.

 

I use a KVM that has 1meter long cables.

and the cables of the toch-screen are 1,2 meters

so its 2,2meters in total - and it is working fine (until I switch rapidly - than I get a "USB device not recognized" error).

 

 

Nope, not blaming you.;)

 

Actually not that worried about it at all since it will be so easy to just move the cable for those times I want the touch capability on my non-gaming machine. Right now the KVM only switches audio and video since I have dedicated keyboards and mice for both machines.

 

The touch is mostly for Helios and it works quite well from my short tests. Now I am just waiting for the articulated arm which should be here the middle of next week.

 

The cable lengths should not be an issue, less than 2.5 meters total. I will have to double check the USB compatibility but it should be 2.0. This is definately a low priority at the moment though.

[MackTheKnight]

Thanks for the info, PeterP! :thumbup: