What method are people using to drive multiple touchscreens? Are people doing a 1 PC to 1 touchscreen ratio? I have pre-wired for up to 5 touchscreens and the idea of having 5 PCs running all the time isn't that appealing. Is anyone driving CQC interfaces with Intel atom based PCs? That could be OK from a power perspective.
Touchscreen Servers
- Thread starter broconne
- Start date
I'm not wiring for any touchscreens. Internet tablets are cheap, and they are only coming down in price and gaining more capabilities. eKeypad Plus for the ipod touch and iPhone is sufficient for my needs right now for integration with the Elk M1.
You can pick up refurbished iPhones for $99, and just use them to run eKeypad without the phone functionality. This is what I do.
Eventually, I will end up implementing a more centralized server solution. I'll probably still use eKeypad around the house as remotes, I only have one now. But whatever central server solution I end up using MUST have a web interface or an interface that will run on a linux-based internet tablet.
http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-N810-Portable-...=dp_ob_title_ce
I refuse to have Windows running as a server controlling anything important. Which means CQC is out for me, as are most of the other ones. LinuxMCE looks interesting, I might install it in a VM today to test it. DomoTiga looks really interesting also, but it's more house and environment control rather than trying to be everything like LinuxMCE.
For wiring, I am putting Cat-6 everywhere, with a TON of it in each possible media center location. For my theatre in the basement, which I haven't even started on, I am running a big fat conduit from my server closet to the projector location, and I'll run the wires later. HDMI won't be around forever, who knows that the next big thing is. For other TV's in the house, I can use HDMI media extenders or whatever. But for a full theatre, I want the ability to run whatever needs to be run without converters.
You can pick up refurbished iPhones for $99, and just use them to run eKeypad without the phone functionality. This is what I do.
Eventually, I will end up implementing a more centralized server solution. I'll probably still use eKeypad around the house as remotes, I only have one now. But whatever central server solution I end up using MUST have a web interface or an interface that will run on a linux-based internet tablet.
http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-N810-Portable-...=dp_ob_title_ce
I refuse to have Windows running as a server controlling anything important. Which means CQC is out for me, as are most of the other ones. LinuxMCE looks interesting, I might install it in a VM today to test it. DomoTiga looks really interesting also, but it's more house and environment control rather than trying to be everything like LinuxMCE.
For wiring, I am putting Cat-6 everywhere, with a TON of it in each possible media center location. For my theatre in the basement, which I haven't even started on, I am running a big fat conduit from my server closet to the projector location, and I'll run the wires later. HDMI won't be around forever, who knows that the next big thing is. For other TV's in the house, I can use HDMI media extenders or whatever. But for a full theatre, I want the ability to run whatever needs to be run without converters.
Rupp
Senior Member
You can use a quad output graphics card and drive 4 from one PC. The only issue is that no 2 can be used as the exact same time but for the HomeSeer users that have described doing the multi output graphics cards, it doesn't appear to be an issue. You can also install the very low power Windows CE PC's and load HSTouch on each which is a significant cost savings power-wise over one always on PC.
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
I don't want to take this thread to far off topic (if this becomes an issue, I'll split this into a new one) but you should really reconsider your statement as you will be missing out on a lot of Home Automation capabilities that are only achieved via a software package running on a Windows computer. If I'm mis-reading your quote then of course this is irrelavent.
Most of us here do have 'critical' elements such as home security and other tasks controlled via non-PC based hardware such as the Elk, Ocelot, etc..., but have other "goodies" provided via packages such as CQC, HomeSeer, J9, PowerHome, and others. The theory is if the PC goes down, you will loose only these non-critical features.
Maybe download one or two of those packages (most have a free trial) and drive them around for a few days.
roussell
Active Member
I don't want to take this thread to far off topic (if this becomes an issue, I'll split this into a new one) but you should really reconsider your statement as you will be missing out on a lot of Home Automation capabilities that are only achieved via a software package running on a Windows computer. If I'm mis-reading your quote then of course this is irrelavent.
I have to agree with BSR. I'm one of the biggest Linux/Mac/BSD fanboys you'll ever run across. My house is all Mac and Linux, except for one box. That box is XP and runs HouseBot. It's on a dedicated box with frozen updates and no direct internet access or open-to-all shares. I treat it like an appliance and it rewards me with most excellent up times, in fact it only goes down when I take it down or we lose power for an extended time. I don't do development on it or testing - anything not "production ready" is done on virtuals from my Mac or Linux workstations.
Back on topic - I have a PC with dual headed displays that is my touchscreen 'server'. The only bad part is the limiting distance of USB. Extenders or serial touchscreens make that a non-issue though (my two are close enough that I don't need 'em). It runs Linux and two instances of the HouseBot SWremote under Wine sessions directed to each touchscreen. I plan on getting a few of the CE based Cuwin touchscreen devices when we move in a few months.
Terry
felixrosbergen
Senior Member
how fast do these t5720's boot up? Since most of us are away from home or asleep for a very good portion of the 24 hours in a day you could have may be able to have you main server wake up the touchscreen and then them of or put them to sleep for the nightly/work hours and then either turn them on on-demand (if boot time is pretty fast) or on a schedule so they're up and ready when you are awake and around the house.
Even 4 or 5 t5720's running 24/7 is not exactly energy efficient.
I started a seperate thread discussing Wake On Lan, but seem to be getting mixed responses...will have to do my own experiements i guess.
Can anybody confirm if t5720's support WOL?
Even 4 or 5 t5720's running 24/7 is not exactly energy efficient.
I started a seperate thread discussing Wake On Lan, but seem to be getting mixed responses...will have to do my own experiements i guess.
Can anybody confirm if t5720's support WOL?
I've considered this option for driving a second touchscreen that I want to install. What software do you use? I'm using MainLobby on my other touchscreen that attaches directly to a computer in the basement (short distance run). However, the second location would be harder to setup this way. I like the idea of using a thin client like this and just running cat-5 to it, or maybe going wireless with an adapter. I've even considered getting a cheaper thin client and using RDP into the basement computer, but I like the all-in-one approach this offers better. Notes on your experience would be greatly appreciated.
Randy
The HP thin clients run XPe SP2 OS. They come in all different configurations regarding RAM and flash drive space. The older t5700s are a little too slow IMHO, but the t5720s are really nice. I run CQC and they have no problems with animated flash radar screens or YouTube videos, etc. I like to run them with 512mb flash and RAM minimum, but both can be upgraded easily, so it really isn't an issue if you buy something with less RAM or flash space.
The nice thing about the HP units is the fact they run XPe. You can load drivers and software on them as needed. I use to have some other thin clients that ran a closed OS image, so you couldn't modify them at all (at least not with my abilities). The HPs run just like XP as far as adding drivers or programs.
The nice thing about the HP units is the fact they run XPe. You can load drivers and software on them as needed. I use to have some other thin clients that ran a closed OS image, so you couldn't modify them at all (at least not with my abilities
). The HPs run just like XP as far as adding drivers or programs.
Steve
Senior Member
Another option is Betwin which can drive up to 5 touchscreens from 1 pc, but yes, it is pc based. But I am with BSR - I have always been vocal about putting mission critical stuff on a dedicated 'appliance' or controller, but a windows machine that is not monkeyed with every day will rival the stability of a linux box. And Dean is well, totally anal about how things interact with CQC and it makes CQC extremely reliable on windows. I have been running a windows pc with cqc for years and it is more than reliable enough for any HA functions. There are even several people that rely on it for their primary system.
beelzerob
Senior Member
Well, in all honesty, the real issue with the PC isn't CQC's stability...it's Windows, and then the hardware in general. You're much much more likely to have Windows just decide to kill your PC, or have a random hardware failure, than you are to have CQC hose something up. Just keeping any Windows PC up and running for a long time is a considerable achievement, in my opinion.
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
So this works with touchscreens that have a USB interface only correct? I didn't know of a solution like this that will enable the touchscreen interface to be distributed as well (as this was NComputing's problem with their stock hardware untill they incorporated a custom interface in the Touchtronix touch screen hardware for Dwayne).
