Put CPU in another Room

  • Thread starter Thread starter Buck Turgidson
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Buck Turgidson

I don't really want a laptop cuz I can get much more for my money with a
desktop. Is there anyway to hookup a keyboard, monitor and mouse to a
box that is in another room, such as in a basement, so I can save space
in a bedroom, and not have to listen to the fan, etc?
 
There are some possibilities. It depends on what you wanna do with the
computer.

The easiest method would be to buy very long cables for monitor,
keyboard and mouse. I know that there are some cables for monitors but I
have no clue what about the other devices. Maybe you have to use USB
keyboard and mouse. AFAIR there were some long cables. But this a
solution only if the basement is not too far from the room.

Another way would be to buy / get a very slow PC (maybe you know
somebody who want's to give his old PC into garbage). On this one you
would install an old windows version like Win98 or better Linux. Then
you could connect both computers via network cables and establish
desktop data forwardding. That means that the screen and the input data
from keyboard etc. are sent over network to the working PC. This works
with VNC or SSH with X-Forwadding (last only with both PCs running under
Linux).

So if you are using Windows (what I expect) then best would be long
cables...

Daniel Böhmer
 
Daniel said:
So if you are using Windows (what I expect) then best would be long
cables...
Click to expand...
Or just enable Remote Desktop on your PC in the basement, and use either
MSTSC on windows or RDESKTOP on Linux...

Marc
 
Marc said:
Or just enable Remote Desktop on your PC in the basement, and use either
MSTSC on windows or RDESKTOP on Linux...

Marc
Click to expand...

But then the Penguin would have to admit that Linux isn't the
only answer. Sometimes I think they should have chosen a
different bird, the Ostrich.

LOL;
Ken
 
Hi Ken
But then the Penguin would have to admit that Linux isn't the
only answer. Sometimes I think they should have chosen a
different bird, the Ostrich.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I forgot about the Remote-Desktop connection because I have never
ever tried to use it. But I think it should work in the same way as VNC
and other stuff. But please don't say anything against penguins;-)

Daniel Böhmer, Germany
(who has got a penguin made of wood in his room)
 
I don't really want a laptop cuz I can get much more for my money with a
desktop. Is there anyway to hookup a keyboard, monitor and mouse to a
box that is in another room, such as in a basement, so I can save space
in a bedroom, and not have to listen to the fan, etc?
Click to expand...

No, it cannot be done reasonably, especially considering
that your desire is the desktop for the cost savings over
the laptop.

A desktop system need not be large though, especially if you
can make due with integrated features such as sound and
video, some of SFF systems are indeed small form factors.

As for listening to the fan, what are you comparing to?
Taking a random generic OEM system of modest configuration,
a Dell for example, is not very loud if you don't buy the
high-end, high-heat CPU. Going with an HP or Compaq that
uses an AMD64 CPU should then help even more since they
produce less heat. Even on my overclocked gaming system,
fan noise is only audible if the background noise is very
low but for that it was of benefit to have a larger case,
thus room for larger lower RPM fans. It would not be hard
to buy a new system that produces less than half the heat
and so cooling is easier, quieter.

More than anything, trying to string long cables you will
find a degradation in video quality. Even using extenders,
the quality suffers after it goes past a few (single-digit)
feet of cabling. Digital has timing issues and analog even
worse at modern high resolutions and refresh rates. Your
best bet is to just buy what you described, a small quiet
system and use it the traditional way. If you can't find
one with acceptibly low noise levels you might then look at
installing a better heatsink (so that fan can run slower),
or in some cases (pun intended), some modifications to
improve intake and exhaust flow so the fans run at lower RPM
to attain acceptible flow rate.
 
But then the Penguin would have to admit that Linux isn't the
only answer. Sometimes I think they should have chosen a
different bird, the Ostrich.
Click to expand...


.... depends on perspective. It'd be kinda wasteful to pay ~
$100 for an OS (windows) just to remote to the PC
downstairs.
 
"Buck Turgidson" said:
I don't really want a laptop cuz I can get much more for my money with a
desktop. Is there anyway to hookup a keyboard, monitor and mouse to a
box that is in another room, such as in a basement, so I can save space
in a bedroom, and not have to listen to the fan, etc?
Click to expand...

Just announced (for Q2'06):

"Matrox Announces The World's First Remote Graphics Unit"
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=936

"New Matrox Extio F1400 is world's first remote graphics unit"
http://www.matrox.com/mga/media_center/press_rel/2006/extio_f1400.cfm

Is this just a PCI Express Lane being sent optically ? I don't
see a chip on the thing, to massage the data.

http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/573_RGU_PCIe_angled.jpg

I hope someone explains just how this thing works on the host end...
It would be a fine solution, if you can use any video card
you want with it.

Paul
 
Buck Turgidson said:
I don't really want a laptop cuz I can get much more for my money with a
desktop. Is there anyway to hookup a keyboard, monitor and mouse to a
box that is in another room, such as in a basement, so I can save space
in a bedroom, and not have to listen to the fan, etc?
Click to expand...
Yes you can do that quite easily.

Do a Google search for KVM Switch and you will find quite a range of prices
and options.

You need to make sure that the switch has ports/connectors compatible with
your system. As in USB or PS2 keyboard and mouse, Monitor signals
compatibility. I have even seen one that had a built in USB hub for remote
memory modules, printers, or what ever.

Make sure the price you are quoted includes all needed cables as many of
them charge more for the cables than they do for the actual units.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
I don't really want a laptop cuz I can get much more for my money with a
desktop. Is there anyway to hookup a keyboard, monitor and mouse to a
box that is in another room, such as in a basement, so I can save space
in a bedroom, and not have to listen to the fan, etc?
Click to expand...

although yes, you can do so using long cables...
you would probably get a lot of video degradation...
so i'd advise against it.
there are plenty of small, quiet machines avail
that will outperform a laptop and at a lower price
 
GlowingBlueMist said:
Yes you can do that quite easily.

Do a Google search for KVM Switch and you will find quite a range of
prices and options.

You need to make sure that the switch has ports/connectors compatible with
your system. As in USB or PS2 keyboard and mouse, Monitor signals
compatibility. I have even seen one that had a built in USB hub for
remote memory modules, printers, or what ever.

Make sure the price you are quoted includes all needed cables as many of
them charge more for the cables than they do for the actual units.
Click to expand...
After more thought you might have better luck with a KVM Extender search on
Google. As for cost, I'll leave it up to you if they are worth it or not.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
I don't really want a laptop cuz I can get much more for my money with a
desktop. Is there anyway to hookup a keyboard, monitor and mouse to a
box that is in another room, such as in a basement, so I can save space
in a bedroom, and not have to listen to the fan, etc?
Click to expand...

Yep all you need is a wireless keyboard and mouse and a length of coax
you could use a scart cable but it will cost you an extra £100.

Depends on your budget i guess.
 
Put CPU in another room?

I suppose..... would propably work better though if it were inserted into a
Motherboard that was mounted in a powered case, might as well install a
Hardrive and other periferals too!

but seriously folks .... you'll only save about a square foot of space
(footprint) and the heat from the monitor will be most of the heat that you
would recieve anyway. Get a case with a wisper quite PS fan, and a CPU fan
that is quiet. Or better yet, with the money that you will save by not
buying the KVM, or long cables and whatever else you might need, buy a fluid
cooled system, they are real quiet.
 
Get wireless keyboard and mouse. Put a hole in the wall for a monitor
cable. Not difficult to do at all.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
I don't really want a laptop cuz I can get much more for my money with a
desktop. Is there anyway to hookup a keyboard, monitor and mouse to a
box that is in another room, such as in a basement, so I can save space
in a bedroom, and not have to listen to the fan, etc?
Click to expand...

My first PC was very loud. I solved the problem by putting it into the
closet of the room it was in. I had to run some bit-longer-than-normal
cables into the closet for the mouse, keyboard and monitor. That was 6-7
years ago. Today you could do the keyboard and mouse wirelessly and only
need a longer video cable--there was no degredation BTW. I would close that
closet door and wala, pure quiet. Even had the printer in there right on the
floor next to it. It got a bit warm in there and you had to walk over to the
PC if you had to physically access the drives, etc.-- those were the only
drawbacks. With the relatively high temps of today's processors you would
have to have some reasonable cooling going on, maybe a somewhat higher end
CPU cooler and an extra case fan or two. Or you could just let the sucker
run hot within reason.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
I don't really want a laptop cuz I can get much more for my money with a
desktop. Is there anyway to hookup a keyboard, monitor and mouse to a
box that is in another room, such as in a basement, so I can save space
in a bedroom, and not have to listen to the fan, etc?
Click to expand...

Sure. There are a couple "of the shelf" ways that come to mind, and I'm
sure there are many others known by the more knowledgeable folks here.

Depending on the distance involved, you could simply extend your ps2, usb,
and/or vga connections. I've read many different estimations regarding
distance limiations on such devices/cables - and I've tried a few myself -
so before you buy extenders or make your own, determine the distance in
question. The we can research the options for extension.

Another possibility is a longer-than-standard high-quality KVM switch. I've
seen them in the 20 ft range, and I bet there are longer ones.

The best - and most expensive - solution is a network KVM switch, but that
brings up all sorts of other issues, such as network connectivity in your
house. And rest assured that the price of such a solution would easily eat
up the difference between a desktop and notebook computer.

Finally, you could consider "media center" type integration, which means
different things, but if you've got an Xbox 360 or media hub (and a
network), you could run things through your television or HDTV/monitor.
It's kind of complex, but completely do-able.

jm
 
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