If i use a KVM, how will i get audio from BOTH pc's?

[BaidDSB]

I want to get a kvm, either an external one like this : https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BN5BXTQJ/?coliid=I2G5IIKV9023KY&colid=KKUIACF565PR&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1

 

or in built into the monitor as this: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08R8HYBWG/?coliid=I1LW7XWDKT55UB&colid=KKUIACF565PR&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

But nowhere i saw anything about switching audio from the PC/laptop that will be connected as the 2 inputs.

 

Help?

[Tetras]

Doesn't that monitor have a built-in KVM? It says "KVM" in the title.

 

With audio: the display cables might carry it anyway, hdmi and dp can do this.

 

For my PCs, I just have two extension cables and I unplug the headphones from one and put them in another. Not ideal, but most of the time I just use the monitor's audio for listening to YouTube so I don't hard switch every day.

[jaslion]

28 minutes ago, BaidDSB said:

I want to get a kvm, either an external one like this : https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BN5BXTQJ/?coliid=I2G5IIKV9023KY&colid=KKUIACF565PR&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1

 

or in built into the monitor as this: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08R8HYBWG/?coliid=I1LW7XWDKT55UB&colid=KKUIACF565PR&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

But nowhere i saw anything about switching audio from the PC/laptop that will be connected as the 2 inputs.

 

Help?

Well the first kvm doesn't have any audio capabilities so it won't do any audio

 

The monitor might do switching from the hdmi/dp cables to the jack in it but that is unclear

[Kisai]

3 hours ago, BaidDSB said:

I want to get a kvm, either an external one like this : https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BN5BXTQJ/?coliid=I2G5IIKV9023KY&colid=KKUIACF565PR&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1

 

or in built into the monitor as this: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08R8HYBWG/?coliid=I1LW7XWDKT55UB&colid=KKUIACF565PR&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

But nowhere i saw anything about switching audio from the PC/laptop that will be connected as the 2 inputs.

 

Help?

Cause audio switching isn't a standard part of a KVM. KVM = Keyboard Video Mouse

 

You need a KVM that actually transmits the audio signal, and most KVM's were only designed for 640x480 text modes. If a KVM has Displayport or HDMI and is actually "Switching" the signal electrically rather than cloning the screen, then it will support whatever is connected. So if your monitor has built in speakers and volume controls, then the HDMI connection will transmit it.

 

Some KVM cables have the 3.5mm stereo headphones/microphone but these will be immensely noisy.

 

[Needfuldoer]

If your audio is just analog stereo, get a small mixer. That will let you listen to both PCs at the same time, in any combination of volume you want.

[BaidDSB]

1 hour ago, Needfuldoer said:

If your audio is just analog stereo, get a small mixer. That will let you listen to both PCs at the same time, in any combination of volume you want.

i dont know what analog stereo is

[Needfuldoer]

57 minutes ago, BaidDSB said:

i dont know what analog stereo is

The regular 1/8" audio jack, instead of digital audio embedded in HDMI.

[LogicalDrm]

For any audio using 3.5mm, there are cheap switches. But I would look at what you are trying to do and whether you could do it in another way instead. For example, if you have 3.5mm headphones you want to use on two devices, best option would be simple Y-splitter.

[HenrySalayne]

On 10/15/2023 at 1:45 PM, LogicalDrm said:

For any audio using 3.5mm, there are cheap switches. But I would look at what you are trying to do and whether you could do it in another way instead. For example, if you have 3.5mm headphones you want to use on two devices, best option would be simple Y-splitter.

Actually not. A splitter can only split a signal, not combine several. If you have two sources, each one will "see" the other source as a very low impedance load. There is a good chance the output will be very quiet and or distorted.

 

Alternatively you could use an USB audio interface, if your KVM switches the USB ports directly. However, the audio interface will only be available to one PC at a time.

 

Especially for headphones an active amplfication with two independent inputs would be recommended. This can be a small headphone amplifier with two inputs or alternatively you can sum the two inputs passively.

 

[BaidDSB]

30 minutes ago, HenrySalayne said:

 

Especially for headphones an active amplfication with two independent inputs would be recommended. This can be a small headphone amplifier with two inputs or alternatively you can sum the two inputs passively.

 

how will this work? im okay with only sound from one PC at a time

[Needfuldoer]

3 hours ago, HenrySalayne said:

Actually not. A splitter can only split a signal, not combine several.

You can mash two analog audio sources together using a splitter "backwards". It won't necessarily sound great if you try to use both at the same time, but it works.

 

Analog video gets goofed up that way, even if the sources are genlocked, and forget doing that with anything digital (unless there's collision handling like Ethernet).

[thrasher_565]

hdmi can do video and audio thats kinda the marketing behind it over dvi at the time.

if you need to go from hdmi to something like rca, 3.5mm or 1/4 there things that do that but i guess i dont under the question maybe or what your tying to do...

[HenrySalayne]

11 hours ago, BaidDSB said:

how will this work? im okay with only sound from one PC at a time

If you only need sound from one pc at a time, you could get a switcher:

https://www.delock.com/produkt/87699/merkmale.html

For sound from both PCs, you can build (or buy) a simple passive mixer and any headphone amp:

https://www.instructables.com/Making-an-Audio-Mixer/

 

There are also a number of KVM switches with audio support built in:

https://www.aten.com/global/en/products/kvm/desktop-kvm-switches/cs782dp/

 

Or you get an interface with multiple inputs for audio from both PCs:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/supreme_streamcaster_01.htm?shp=eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiZ2IiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6NCwibGFuZ3VhZ2UiOjJ9&reload=1

[HenrySalayne]

7 hours ago, Needfuldoer said:

You can mash two analog audio sources together using a splitter "backwards". It won't necessarily sound great if you try to use both at the same time, but it works.

"Works" is a flexible term.

Generally speaking, the output impedance for audio should be much lower than the input impedance. If you connect two output sources in parallel, they both act like a short circuit for each other. It still somewhat works because the outputs and all the wiring still have a non-zero impedance, but you are still having  an undefined load. This could destroy outputs (however, most low power outputs are short circuit "stable"), lead to changes in the level of these outputs, change the frequency response and reduces output power by several magnitudes (because most power is wasted in the other output instead of your headphones).

A (passive) mixer/combiner decouples the outputs with resistors, so they both have a defined load. But this increases the output impedance and should be followed up by an amplifier (as an impedance converter).

[corrado33]

Many options:

 

One, audio switcher/rca switcher. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Stereo-Switcher-Selector-Splitter-Out）-RC21/dp/B09GX8Q96Z?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=A371WC9UVQEB0&th=1

 

Pros: Cheap(ish) 

Cons: have to manually select source every time you want to switch

 

Two: Mixer

 

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-MG06X-6-Input-Compact-Effects/dp/B00I2J4V5G/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3AGTQCQJ6X62Q&keywords=audio+mixer&qid=1699383789&sprefix=audio+mixer%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-7

 

Pros: Best of what you're trying to do. Get both inputs simultaneously, can adjust volume independently, etc.

Cons: Cost

 

Three: Wireless headphones with multiple inputs

 

Many modern wireless headphones can support multiple inputs. 

 

Four: Hook one computer to speakers and the other to headphones. 

 

Five: Buy a kvm that supports audio.