You can use all of a monitor's inputs and switch between them with the Source button on the monitor. I have four monitors rotated to portrait 1200x1920. My primary computer is connected to the Digital inputs, giving a desktop of 4800x1920. My backup computer is connected to three of the Analog inputs, giving a desktop of 3600x1600. A third computer is connected to the Analog input of the last monitor with a desktop of 1200x1600.
If your monitor has HDMI inputs, there are DVI to HDMI adapters and cables available. You could use the monitor's Source button to switch between all inputs, including HDMI. Having the same computer connected to multiple inputs on a single monitor is possible, but it will be easy to miss messages and confirmation requests on the undisplayed Source input.
A note on driving 4 monitors: Just because a graphics card has 4 outputs, it does not mean that all four can be used to create one large desktop. Some graphics cards only allow the 4th output to be a clone of one of the other outputs. My primary computer uses 3 of the 4 outputs of the graphics card and the motherboard's Video output to create the desktop. If your motherboard has a Video output, a BIOS setting is usually required to activate it while a graphics card is installed.
Have used my setup with combinations of XP, Win 7, Win 8 & 8.1, and Win 10 with physical computers and VMs with no problems. Combinations of desktop and laptop computers no problems either.
Caution: Always power off computer and ALL monitors connected to the computer when connecting or disconnecting monitor cables. Failure to do this can result in damage to devices on either or both ends of cables. Also, if adding or removing cards or memory then unplug the computer and wait for the motherboard's LEDs to turn off. Pressing and holding the power button with computer unplugged will drain the capacitors faster.
If your monitor has HDMI inputs, there are DVI to HDMI adapters and cables available. You could use the monitor's Source button to switch between all inputs, including HDMI. Having the same computer connected to multiple inputs on a single monitor is possible, but it will be easy to miss messages and confirmation requests on the undisplayed Source input.
A note on driving 4 monitors: Just because a graphics card has 4 outputs, it does not mean that all four can be used to create one large desktop. Some graphics cards only allow the 4th output to be a clone of one of the other outputs. My primary computer uses 3 of the 4 outputs of the graphics card and the motherboard's Video output to create the desktop. If your motherboard has a Video output, a BIOS setting is usually required to activate it while a graphics card is installed.
Have used my setup with combinations of XP, Win 7, Win 8 & 8.1, and Win 10 with physical computers and VMs with no problems. Combinations of desktop and laptop computers no problems either.
Caution: Always power off computer and ALL monitors connected to the computer when connecting or disconnecting monitor cables. Failure to do this can result in damage to devices on either or both ends of cables. Also, if adding or removing cards or memory then unplug the computer and wait for the motherboard's LEDs to turn off. Pressing and holding the power button with computer unplugged will drain the capacitors faster.
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