Fw: touchscreen device recommendations please...

[Gareth Cook <g@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I'd always envisaged these types of controllers as being exclusively
wall=20
mounted - but that does limit you considerably of what options are out=20
there. If you desk mount it, then there's more scope.

One option is (for both desk and wall) is a touchscreen with the USB and=20
VGA all going back over CAT5 - then the actual PC unit doesnt have to be=20
small or look good - it can be hidden away. Min dyou the VGA and USB to=20
CAT5 modules have to be hidden somewhere !

How about the Linitx monitors ? I think they've sorted out the lastest=20
batch - ones I bought a few months back killed both my laptops as they=20
were incorrectly wired. What they couldnt offer is a wall frame - the=20
frame that came with it was really for a car mount.

Or we have the PPC/Windows Mobile route ? Possibly a nice PDA on the
wall=20
would look ok-ish, the PSU normally need only 1.5amps sou could be fed
of=20
a light circuit (hide the PSU in the wall) - and you could go wireless (or=
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if you can run a cat5 to it). If you have CBUS, there's a spare pair there=
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for some data action ! Then you have the issue of the fron end software
-=20
the xlobby client is painful as all the data is run over the network - the=
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program isnt complete on the ppc

It's an area im interested in but havnt yet seen all the pieces come=20
together.

G.

Gareth Cook
IT Architect / Project Manager, SWG Sales
IBM SWG Sales - Lotus Park, Staines, TW18 3AG
Office: +44 (0)1784 445166 - Mobile: +44 (0)7980 445166
email: g@xxxxxxx

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----- Forwarded by Gareth Cook/UK/IBM on 03/07/2006 12:28 -----

Discussion
Main Topic

ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Today 12:22

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Subject:
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[ukha_d] touchscreen device recommendations please...
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Category:



I?m getting close to finally having all of my HA systems displayed and=20
controllable from one interface ? MainLobby ? and it?s working really=20
well.

I?ve been thinking of how to display/control this and where. So far
there=20
are three obvious places in my house: AV Room, Kitchen and master bedroom,=
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each of which have slightly different needs. I?ll also be displaying the=20
interface in a number of other rooms on a TV through my AV distribution=20
system and controlled by simple remote.

The AV room is really the main area for this to be used and the ?showcase?=
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for visitors as well as day-to-day use. I will be able to display the=20
interface on the plasma but thinking about it, the use of a separate touch=
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screen device sitting on the coffee table would be the ideal. This means=20
that valuable and regular data can be shown continuously and the plasma/AV=
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distribution doesn?t need to be switched over, interrupting a TV programme=
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or film.

So, I?m after thoughts/recommendations on a suitable display with these=20
considerations in mind:

*                It?s GOT to look sexy/aesthetically pleasing/high tech
*                Be able to sit upright on it?s own or in a stand
*                Touch screen control
*                Not sure whether audio needed ? possibly but only for
HA=20
announcements (I have whole house audio with announcements anyway)
*                Got to be able to run 24/7 if needed (prob more likely to=
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turn off when alarm state changes)
*                Got to be able to go into sleep mode and resume very=20
quickly
*                Can be a stand alone PC type device or a thin client
*                Good quality screen
*                Smallish ? prob smaller than a traditional tablet PC
*                Cost well below =A31,000 ? pref around =A3500

Sounds like it?s maybe a UMPC or thin client ? but cheap!

Any thoughts/ideas/recommendations?

Thanks,

Paul.





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