Splitter cable/adaptor questions - Monitor and Ipac4

[slapaham]

I was just wondering whether, if I was to purchase a VGA Y cable and change the gender - would I be able to have both an Xbox and a PC use the same monitor (obviously not at the same time!) I currently have a KVM box but it is a pain to open the cabinet to switch over from one to the other. As long as the Xbox and PC aren't switched on at the same time, would this work?

Also, I am awaiting an Ipac4 and Xbox control adaptor. I was wondering whether if I was to purchase a PS/2 splitter, again, could I have both an Xbox and a PC to utilise the Ipac without having to unplug and swap cables?

[severdhed]

anytime you use a y adapter, the signal is degraded..it will look crappy.  stick with the KVM..just modify it a bit.

i don't know how familiar you are with soldering, but the easy solution is to open up your kvm and wire up an arcade pushbutton to where the KVM's button is attached.  that way you can mount the button on the top of the cabinet or something to switch between the two.

[slapaham]

I'm a bit scrappy at soldering, though I don't mind giving it a try - I'm okay at it, just not ultra tidy! Would it be easy enough to do? I'm guessing that it would be a case of opening up the KVM box, locating where the 2 button pads are... then, I guess there would be a ground and 5v solder point for each and you just wire a button to each? Though, that wouldn't be ideal. Or perhaps I just mount the original 2 switch/button from the KVM on the outside of the cab or perhaps just buy a switch... I don't know, I guess I will just have to analyse what can be done and conclude which path to take! I just don't want to many switches/buttons on the outside of the cab - it will start to get too busy and complicated.

Thanks for your help.

[severdhed]

well, it depends on teh KVM...the one i used in my cabinet for switching between my PC and dreamcast just had a single button that toggled between the two inputs.  i just looked at the circuit board and there were two solderpoints for that switch.  you just attach a wire to each solder point and you are good to go.  should be very similar to the way you did your xbox power button

[slapaham]

Just as I speculated!

Well, when I find a bit of time, I'll have a crack at it! At the moment, I guess there are other things I should prioritise on my cab but I'm getting there! A few weeks a go, I'd have never have thought I'd have progressed so quickly but now I can imagine the cab being pretty finished in the very near future! And I'm very happy with all the mods and bits and pieces I've added.
 
:cheers:Thanks again!

[slapaham]

Well, I can confirm that the ipac4 does not work with a PS/2 splitter - however, KVM switchboxes function well with it, so its all good!

[Turnarcades]

Well, I can confirm that the ipac4 does not work with a PS/2 splitter - however, KVM switchboxes function well with it, so its all good!

Yeah, it's been mentioned a few times that although connecion of components seems as sraightforward as getting a few cables to plug/link together, there is always the matter of signal/power degradation and the complication of data exchange and differing protocols that put paid to attemts to connect devices functionally.