Tablet PC and MainLobby Device.

[noshali]

Folks,

Need advice on 2 tiems.

1. Need to get a laptop/tablet pc for the head office (wife). She just wants to have access to email, web browsing and any notes etc for kids stuff. Leaning more towards a tablet pc. Need one that is not very expensive and has a good battery life.

2. Looking for a tablet just to run main lobby. I have seen the forum at cinemar that dicusses the devices but am lost as apparantly one needs to go around to install XP as the cheap tablets do not have XP.

I also see stuff that some work well with fingers and some don't and some are really bad in the sunlight etc etc. so figured start a thread from scratch.

Please help make the right decision.

regards,

 

[IVB]

For #2: Does MainLobby run on W2K? If so, you can get a Fujitsu 3400 for $250 off eBay, with a P3-400, 6GB HD, 192MB RAM for that.

IIRC, there's a forum at cinemar dedicated to this. I actually got my idea for my 3400 off that - I know folks are running ML on that.

 

[IVB]

I'll reply to your PM on the forum, so others can agree or disagree.

How do you like your futjitsu 3400...can it do web browsing...I am more intereste din teh speed aspect.

I can't web browse with the stylus as I don't have the pen driver loaded onto it. That said, when I put in the dock and use the keyboard and browser, it's fine.

However, I can't render video as the graphics card sucks. That means any motion-video-intensive websites are harsh.

My tablet had XP Pro on it, which is why I bought this specific one, but in retrospect the OS level is a dog. I have no idea if there's a "lighter" OS [W2K, XP Home], for my next one that's what I'd look into.

FYI - I put lots of details about my setup and how I installed itin this cocoontech thread

 

[DavidL]

Noshali,
MainLobby client will run on Win98 and newer. Win98 is not recommended, but works. Not recommended because it never was a good operating system to begin with. But it is very common on older touchscreen pcs like my Fujitsu StylisticLTs and 3400s.

For Mainlobby client, today, it will run on as low as 233 mhz (like my Stylistic's). But is really happy on 800 mhz and better. For low power devices, it works better if the client application is run on a 2.4ghz PC centrally and then the low power tablet uses RDP to connect to the central PC.

In general, MainLobby continues to get lighter on the client side and heavier on the server side so you need less and less horsepower on the client (touchscreen) for it to work. This software shifting of where functionality occurs is with most releases and major shifts are in process for future MainLobby versions.

MainLobby works very well on Win2K including Server and Advanced Server (if anyone asks).

You may have read in other threads, but XPTablet is a specific operating system extending XPPro for handheld touchscreens that have to use an Active Pen (can't click with just a finger touch). Tablets can be Passive (finger approved) or Active (must use specific "pen"). So, keep this in mind when u go shopping.

 

[noshali]

Thanks DavidL....So if I RDP to the client PC. I would have to create scenes etc in the 800X600 as that is the max resolution on the 3500s.

Also what is the best way to do RDP without spending much as initially it will be just one 3500.

Please note that I intend on using the ML suite which includes weblobby so want to make sure that it has enough HP to run.

Need your expert opinion on whether it is capable of viewing webcams etc.

Regards,

 

[DavidL]

Keep in mind when you are RDP'ing, you are viewing what is "playing" on the central PC running the software. Live video is usually an issue with an RDP connection. I have gotten things like Hauppuage TV viewer to display via RDP, but the video is not smooth.

If you have XPPRo, you can RDP into that PC for no software expense for one client. There are hacks (termserv.dll - use google) that allow for multiple connections, but these are hacks.

You can purchase ThinSoft software which allows a bonafide multiple RDP into one XPPro system.

You can use Windows 2000 + server OS(s) which allow multiple RDP connections.

You can use VNC free software but you won't get as good refresh rates as RDP.

There are quite a few other RDP type software solutions out there.