How Can I Display Photos On 6 LCD's at Events

[base428 1]

I'm looking for a hardware solution to connect six LCD/Keyboard/Mouse systems to one server without having to have separate PC's at each location. I have an upcoming event where hundreds of jumpers will need to quickly scan through thumbnails on dumb terminals and then choose their photos to be printed. Think of it as needing a KVM solution for six different sites, but I need each site to have access to the server at the same time. See attached image.

We'll probably use ACDSee or an HTML based thumbnail generating program like Batchimage to allow jumpers to quickly scan through photos. But if anyone has a better solution, I would appreciate any info.

We are still early in the planning stages for this, but I'm hoping someone else has experience in this area (hardware or software). Thanks.

(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only

[beowulf 1]

Windows 2003 server and however many dumb terminals you need.
Then setup Windows Terminal service on the server. Look it up on the MS website. It would take me awhile to explain how to set it up.

[base428 1]

What about hardware? Is there a specific card that can be installed in the server that outputs KVM to six different systems?

(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only

[PhreeZone 15]

There is no specific card that will let you do what you are wanting to do.The only option is to set up 6 pc's that boot and use terminal services for emulation with the same profile. Good news is that they can be old Pentium1's with 32 megs of ram and no hard drive for all it cares as long as it can do a network boot.

A KVM can be used to either have multiple input possibilities but only 1 working at any one time, or a signal splitter to have 1 image going to multiple monitors at the same time.

Basically you are wanting something like a Kisok, unfortually you need to have hardware to connect over the network to the Windows server using ethernet, a dumb PC is the easiset way of doing this.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

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[dragon2 0]

At work we have something called a Beetle, it's a shuttle-like computer with a graphics card that outputs to 4 lcd screens (plus the regular monitor), we display graphics and html pages and videos that way (2x2 is best, 4 different displays esp moving ones are kinda much for the system).

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[beowulf 1]

You don't really need any specific hardware.

Windows Terminal services allows multiple computers to connect to the server and all run the same software. This is done over a network via TCPIP or RDP or http ... etc depending on your preference.

So you will need to setup a small network. For what you have described I would probably just buy a home network router and have that do the DHCP and then setup a Win2k or Win2003 server and install Windows Terminal Service on it. Then install a terminal emulator on however many clients you have(which can be any computer fast enough to run at least Win98 or better). You don't need to publish an application on your terminal server you could just put the all the pictures on the terminal server and then put a shortcut in the desktop directory in the All Users directory.

I know it is somewhat complicated for someone who has never done this before. If you lived here in Texas would be able to just show you how to do this instead of trying to explain it over the internet.

[base428 1]

Thanks for the tips. I can easily set up a network between the server and clients, but I'm trying to do it without any type of PC at the client stations. I simply want an LCD/Mouse/Keyboard at each client location. No PC, no motherboard, no harddrive, no NIC.....

There may not be a hardware solution to what I'm looking for. It looks like I'll be dusting off those 3-4 old PC's in my closet and using them.

(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only

[beowulf 1]

For what you described there are basic dumb terminals that you can buy that are very basic solid state computers that can only connect to a terminal server and thats all they do. They are more for companies that want a computer in very harsh conditions.

[Fast 0]

Quote

Thanks for the tips. I can easily set up a network between the server and clients, but I'm trying to do it without any type of PC at the client stations. I simply want an LCD/Mouse/Keyboard at each client location. No PC, no motherboard, no harddrive, no NIC.....

There may not be a hardware solution to what I'm looking for. It looks like I'll be dusting off those 3-4 old PC's in my closet and using them.

The minimum amount of hardware you would need is:

Monitor (lcd), Mouse, Keyboard, and a client. Something like clicky;

Which getting set up would be much more expensive than just using some old PCs laying around to do the same thing.

Why don't you want a PC at the location?

Anyways, something has to be in charge of that mouse, keyboard, and monitor. There really isn't an easier way to do this than to put some kind of client computer at the end of it. Also, video cable for monitors is pretty limited in range anyways before it starts to look like crap.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[tdog 0]

Quote

Thanks for the tips. I can easily set up a network between the server and clients, but I'm trying to do it without any type of PC at the client stations. I simply want an LCD/Mouse/Keyboard at each client location. No PC, no motherboard, no harddrive, no NIC.....

There may not be a hardware solution to what I'm looking for. It looks like I'll be dusting off those 3-4 old PC's in my closet and using them.

We use the WYSE Winterm terminals at our office... I have a terminal server and a bunch of the WYSE dumb terminals...

Nothing to support at the terminal - if it breaks, replace in 20 seconds...

I get them refirbed from: http://www.rcubed.com/equipdlts.php?item_code=WINT&man_pn=901998-01

You will need GOOD network connectivity between the points because the images are going to be sent over the wire from the server... I have 256 megabits between my house and office and it works ok... At the office on a 100base-T network, it is very snappy...

Now - if you are going to use old PC hardware, you can boot off of a floppy/CD Rom any RDP client...

[tdog 0]

Actually, now that I read your post more carefully and think about it... If your photos are on a webserver on this mini-network, all you need is a web compliant terminal that has a built in web browser... Windows Server with the terminal server licences is going to be expensive...

This terminal http://www.rcubed.com/equipdlts.php?item_code=WINT&man_pn=902040-07 has a built in browser...

[vid666 0]

Jason, I can provide the few el cheapo (mid range P3 ) systems if you decide to go that route (by provide I don't mean sell). Might be just easier than having to mess with dumb terminals and set everything up.. Otherwise - Win 2003 server with terminal services is what I think too.

peace

[kansasskydiver 0]

Jason,

I've got an email being forwarded to you from Donk, didn't have your contact info and private messages are turned off.

<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist!