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It’s not instant but input switching through DDC is the fastest possible method.
That’s because the input that will be switched to is already connected and receiving video in the background, skipping the HDMI/DP protocol handshake and going straight into rendering the new video on the screen.
My old LG 27UD88 switches in about 1 second when pressing the relevant hotkey in Lunar ( https://lunar.fyi/ ) It’s not instant but input switching through DDC is the fastest possible method. That’s because the input that will be switched to is already connected and receiving video in the background, skipping the HDMI/DP protocol handshake and going straight into rendering the new video on the screen.
There are hardware limitations that make what you're asking for impossible. Use software solutions if you actually need instant switch. But you probably don't.
What are the hardware limitations? Surely this is possible if there was investment and interest in making this work? Or do the protocols really not allow this?
It would however be more expensive, since you would need to duplicate at least some of the electronics within the monitor, a few of which also incur licensing/certification/patent/whatever fees.
There are hardware limitations that make what you're asking for impossible. Use software solutions if you actually need instant switch. But you probably don't.
More options, like if you need higher res: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Live-Switcher/ci/2865
Something like this should probably work:
https://www.rextron.com/product-4K-2-Port-Full-Frame-PBP-KVM...
Edit: The one above is merely the first one I found, not a recommendation.
Be aware that such things may incur extra latency, since it's not just passing signals through, but rather processing them and repackaging them.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
What are the hardware limitations? Surely this is possible if there was investment and interest in making this work? Or do the protocols really not allow this?
In theory you could have a monitor that handles both signals all the time, buffering the output. Then it could switch immediately. It would however be more expensive, since you would need to duplicate at least some of the electronics within the monitor, a few of which also incur licensing/certification/patent/whatever fees.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
In theory you could have a monitor that handles both signals all the time, buffering the output. Then it could switch immediately. It would however be more expensive, since you would need to duplicate at least some of the electronics within the monitor, a few of which also incur licensing/certification/patent/whatever fees.
Why would you buffer? Monitors are capable of playing full-screen video, which implies the ability to update every pixel once per... 30hz? frame, doesn't it?
You can't just tell the computer that you're now interested in the display data of the other display - that would incur latency.
You'll have to be receiving the information for the second display the entire time, storing it in what is commonly called a framebuffer, aka a bitmap in memory somewhere.
Most types of display have such a thing backing them anyways - one way or another - since they need to remember what they're supposed to display.
I was in a similar situation when I wanted a easy way to switch between speakers/headphone at any time without messing with settings or apps. I ended up using a physical switch. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008BMLXAU/