Multiple Touchscreen with single Computer

S

shaurya

Member
Hello,

Thanks for taking time to read the post from a newbie. Planning to have 4-5 touchscreens with a single computer. I did lot of search but couldn't get any conclusive answers. Have many questions-

1. Can I really run 4-5 LCD's with a single computer using Some kind of PCI card that has many VGA/DVI out or a VGA/DVI splitter...Is there such a card?
2. Should I be looking for touchscreen with VGA or with DVI..Why
3. Should I be looking for touchscreen with serial or with USB for Mouse funct. Why
4. I have 2 drops of Cat 5 at each location. Also locations close to power switch. Is it a good idea to have centralized power thur one of the Cat5?
5. I read some posts that describes using a KVM extender over Cat5. How good is the quality for say around 100 feet of Cat5 run. I guess I would need this extender, 1 for each Touchscreen. Isn't it expensive? Is there a better solution for this overall touch functionality other than having a seperate computer for each TS.
6. If I can drive 4-5 TScreen with One Computer, how does each TScreen react to powersave options....I mean are they independent to each other...If I wake one up with a touch, will other come out of standyby too...

.....I have many questions but I am not sure if anyone would be willing to spend significant time in writing posts. Is there someone who has a similar setup that I have mentioned......Would love to hear and learn from your experience..

Regards,
Shaurya
 
When I rearrange everything I am going to seriously consider Betwin software. You use a single pc with multiheaded video cards. Each video out can drive a separate touchscreen and acts as a separate session/pc. There are some threads about it here.
 
Hello Steve,

Thanks for fast response. Liked the software BeTwin. You mentioned that you are contemplating to rearrange your TScreen setup. Can you please highlight your setup in short and the drawbacks you want to mitigate by migrating to BeTwin option.

Read all the posts from your suggested link, but still couldn't figure out the best & cheap way to extend the Video/USB over Cat5.

Regards,
Shaurya

PS: Would love to hear more from Others. I remember that IVB went with Fujitsu 3400 route. This options seems more pratical and cost effective compared with having a TScreen tied to a Computer via a expensive KVM extender. Any thoughts?
 
shaurya said:
Thanks for fast response. Liked the software BeTwin. You mentioned that you are contemplating to rearrange your TScreen setup. Can you please highlight your setup in short and the drawbacks you want to mitigate by migrating to BeTwin option.

Read all the posts from your suggested link, but still couldn't figure out the best & cheap way to extend the Video/USB over Cat5
Click to expand...
I'm sure you've seen my TS pics. Right now I have 1 installed, it is an ELO 1547 that I built into the wall. It connects to an old laptop in the room behind it. I am planning another one for the master bedroom. I am just tired of the noise and maintenance of the old laptop(s). I am also redoing my HA closet and will be dedicating a better pc as the HA server and I just thought it would be nice to just have the nice quiet TS in the wall and have it fed off the server. I don't like the remote desktop systems, but Betwin looked like a perfect solution. My TS is USB, so I am just going to run a USB and VGA cable from the closet to the TS - its probably 50' or less. If you can't run wire and just have the Cat5, there are the KVMs or extenders like you say, but they are more expensive.

You may want to ask some of the guys on the CQC forum in the link above as some of them have more practical experience with it.
 
Take a look at XLobby... it was free software and just purchased by a large comapny with big plans but also promises small prices... and I actually believe them.

XLobby can already do multiple zones via multiple touchscreens and I'm sure it will only get better!
 
Hello Aaron,

The main issue I am facing is the hardware issue. How can I effectively & cheaply connect 4-5 TouchScreens with a single computer with Cat5. A $200 KVM entender sound little expensive...Is there another setup or is there something different others use to connect the TouchScreen with the Computer.


Regards,
Shaurya
 
That hardware problem is the reason I went with Fujitsu 3400 tablet PCs. They're not nearly as nice as dedicated touchscreens, but I couldn't afford those. The 3400 is "good enough" for now, perhaps when I can swing more $$ i'll swap it out for a bunch of pro-grade touchscreens.
 
What's the final implementation look like?
Wall-mounts like picture frames?
Size of screens you'd like?
Have you considered table-top touch screens?

I've had over 20 different tablet PCs - 15 of them touch screens - and think they're a good way to consider.
 
Hello Mr gregoryx

Unbelievable....Hats off to you dedicaiton to HA

I am planning for atleast 4-5 wallmount like picture frame and 1 portable to be used as large remote.

Do you happen to have Fujitsu 3400 and 3500
Can you compare Fujitsu 3400s vs 3500s interms of speed and display (indoor and outdoor). Are they around same. For any model say 3400 how is the display in indoors compares to outdoor.

How is your overall satisfaction level from these fujitsu models. Is it really worth going for X models (XGA) resolution or S model(SVGA) is just file. I will not be using these as I use my laptop (thinkpad T20) but rather as Input devices/remotes with large buttons (Xlobby/mediaportal/cqc/mainlobby screens).

The one unit that I want to be portable will be used for pdf/word doc reading, email checking, photograph viewing and occasional web browsing. Should I consider XGA version for this or the small screen size makes XGA resolution difficult to read?

With the cost of balus/kvm, I can only afford these lowcost tablets.

Would be indebt with your detailed feedback.

Regards,
Shaurya
 
I use a combination of Linux, HouseBot, multiple video cards, long VGA/USB cables and 10.4 Lilliput touchscreens.

HouseBot is my main HA software. If you haven't looked at it then I suggest you give it a try. It has the uber-customizable GUI interface (similar to xlobby/cqc/mainlobby/netremote/etc...), strong backend and suports X10, z-wave and Insteon. Plus, it's only about $60.00.

Housebot is windows-based and I run the server portion on a Windows 2003 server. The client portion runs on Windows 98SE and higher and windows-based PDA/phones as well. I use it with my Cingular 8125 and 8525 and it works very well.

I actually run the client portion (called a "SWremote") on Linux in a Wine session. The linux PC acts as a "Display Server" of sorts as it's only job is to run the touchscreens. I have two touchscreens attached with plans to add to two more as time/funds permit. Each touchscreen is connected to it's own video card and USB port and the Linux PC is setup to act like two separate PCs so each monitor doesn't know about the other. On each monitor I open a separate instance of the Housebot SWremote with it's own config. They don't support running the SWremote on Linux, but It wasn't too hard to get going (provided you're comfortable with Linux). I'm sure what I've done could also be done with Windows using a few scripts to keep the instances of the SWremote separate.

One of my touchscreens is on the opposite side of the house from the server, for that long run I used a
100 foot VGA cable from Tiger Direct ($45.00) and a pair of USB over Cat5 Baluns ($49.00) also from Tiger Direct. They have been in for a few months and seem to work well.

Terry
 
Did you wallmount your Lilliput? I am thinking about using one of those, and building a nice flushmount case for it. I would love to see some pictures of it in action.
 
electron said:
Did you wallmount your Lilliput? I am thinking about using one of those, and building a nice flushmount case for it. I would love to see some pictures of it in action.
Click to expand...
No, sadly not yet, I hope to soon however. We're re-modeling so that is taking most of my free (?) time these days :lol: .

I was thinking for a slim frame to either weld one out of aluminum "T" stock of order a custom panel from somebody like Front Panel Express. If I go with the Aluminum stock, I'll probably also bend up a box out of mild steel to act as a recessed housing. Hopefully I can get to this in the next month or so and will take and post pictures of the process/finished product.

Terry
 
I was thinking about using one of those online services as well. Once someone designed it, it could be reproduced by others wanting the same thing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

electron
Looking for touch screen product/solution suggestions
Replies
11
Views
302
BraveSirRobbin
BraveSirRobbin
S
Single gang CAT5 touchscreen or controller?
Replies
3
Views
526
Neurorad
Neurorad
K
Zooz Zen-32 5 button in-wall zwave scene controller
Replies
0
Views
250
kigmatzomat
K
pete_c
Pete's Blog Virage - KS7012 Generic Tuya Dimmer
Replies
1
Views
349
pete_c
pete_c
pete_c
Pete's Blog Migration of Home Assistant and Homeseer 4 to new hardware-OS
Replies
0
Views
811
pete_c
pete_c
Back
Top