dvi, displayport and KVM switches.

[HankB]

I'm getting new monitors Yay! (Well, only two...) (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824260233)

The monitors won't plug in directly to my setup (boo!)

My current setup is two monitors with DVI connections (among others, but DVI in use.) These are connected to a dual monitor DVI KVM switch. One side of the switch is connected to my personal PC with an Asus GTX 460 video card with two DVI connections. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121391) The other side of the KVM connects to a Dell PC with an extra video card that has one DVI and one HDMI connection (AMD Radeon R7 200 series). The motherboard has two Displayport connections. This uses a Displayport -> DVI adapter to connect the Displayport connection to the KVM switch
Displayport
I'm wondering what is the best way to get these connected. For about #$10 I can get DVI -> Displayport adapters.Go 100%

Alternative 1: Dual monitor Displayport KVM and use DVI -> Displayport adapters to connect the DVI outputs. Perhaps I could use the two motherboard Displayport adapters on the Dell.

Alternative 2: Go full Displayport. In theory I should be able to daisy chain the monitors meaning I would not need a dual monitor KVM switch as long as the switch meets the bandwidth requirements for two monitors (Displayport 1.2 I think.) My GTX 460 has no Displayport outputs so I would have to upgrade the video card. This seems like the spendy option, but if I wanted to, I could also upgrade to a KVM that would support more than two PCs and be able to hook in my laptop as well.

Alternative 3: Displayport with dual monitor Displayport KVM switch.

Any suggestions from the denizens here on the best solution? I'm inclined to go with the adapters for the monitors but I am concerned that multiple conversions may not play well with the KVM. I already have problems on one monitor with noise and occasional blanking. Luckily these do not seem to happen often enough to cause problems.

Thanks!

 

[knoober]

I'm inclined to go with the adapters for the monitors but I am concerned that multiple conversions may not play well with the KVM. I already have problems on one monitor with noise and occasional blanking. Luckily these do not seem to happen often enough to cause problems.

I would be inclined to use the adapters as well - but mostly because of cost. My .02 for that part

as for noise in the lines and adding adapters, this is a fair thing to worry about, but can be minimized by using the shortest runs of cables that you can get away with. I have also had good luck in switching to shielded cables with gold plating for my monitors . I wont try to give a brand reccommendation because I think it is kind of a crap shoot/ they all toute similar specs. Just be sure to get shielded cable and gold connections and you should be better off.

 

[HankB]

Monitors and adapters came in today - Yay!

Adapters don't work. Boo.

The adapter description states:

This DP to DVI adapter allows to connect your computer with Displayport to a monitor or projector with DVI input.

I need to go from DVI to Displayport. The adapter is not bidirectional. I found this on a Dell support forum:

The cables you bought are designed to go from video card DP to monitor HDMI or DVI. You cannot go backwards.
...
cheapest solution is this =
Computer video card DVI out --> DVI to HDMI cable --> U2415 HDMI in

Luckily I had a DVI <-> HDMI cable handy so I plugged it in between the KVM switch and the monitor and voilà (as the French would say), it works! Now I just need to get another cable to get the other monitor on line.
The kicker is that the cable at $7 is cheaper than the adapte for $10!

So remember kids, you can go from DP to DVI but cannot go from DVI to DP.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Link to the adapter that didn't work?
I expect you got a passive adapter instead of an active one.

 

[HankB]

Link to the adapter that didn't work?
I expect you got a passive adapter instead of an active one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012QORV2M
Yes, passive. Here's an active one: http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters®-Plated-DisplayPort-Adapter/dp/B00EDT01TO/
And the description says:

Portable active adapter connects a DisplayPort (DP, DP++, DisplayPort++) equipped laptop or desktop to a monitor or projector with DVI input;

The description seems pretty clear about the application.