dbaker213
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Wall mount monitor/keyboard/mouse above workbench
I'm trying to get our workbench a bit more organized. It seems that we're always working on more and more boxes, and I'd like to save some table space and mount a couple monitors on the wall, each with its own keyboard and mouse attached so that when we bring a box in, it's pretty much plug and go. I saw Ergotron makes one but it's well over $400. Any ideas or suggestions on something a bit more affordable?
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I concur with Merete on the KVM switch.
What is your workbench like? Is it up against a wall?
Can you wall mount a monitor?
What is underneath your workbench? Is it open space or is it drawers or cabinets?
To help you brainstorm, this is my setup:
I took two bathroom base cabinets from Home Depot and placed a pre-laminated counter top on top of the bases. Stuck against the wall I have 3 monitors mounted. Each with a 2-way KVM switch so I can service 6 computers at a time. Beneath the countertop and between base cabinets are three keyboards/mice mounted with this hardware: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002LD0ZY/ref=oh_details_o04_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
What is your workbench like? Is it up against a wall?
Can you wall mount a monitor?
What is underneath your workbench? Is it open space or is it drawers or cabinets?
To help you brainstorm, this is my setup:
I took two bathroom base cabinets from Home Depot and placed a pre-laminated counter top on top of the bases. Stuck against the wall I have 3 monitors mounted. Each with a 2-way KVM switch so I can service 6 computers at a time. Beneath the countertop and between base cabinets are three keyboards/mice mounted with this hardware: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002LD0ZY/ref=oh_details_o04_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Flat screen digital TV support a computer monitor socket these days
With a couple of KVM switches,
use one flat screen monitor/TV connect to KVM switch 4/6/ port switch
Then when you bring in a tower/s just add it to the KVM switch port, a light depictus which tower is on and open.
A KVM switch is a switch between computer towers uses several towers but with one screen / keyboard and one mouse
Depending on your budget these are so handy and can have many ports, each port has a monitor cable and a mouse and keyboard cable that you run from the KVM to the towers monitor keyboard and mouse.
This the one I use from Aten it's very handy to connect my windows xp with my windows 7 towers to one monitor and keyboard mouse.
http://www.aten.com/products/KVM-Switches/Desktop-KVM-Switches/4-Port-USB-KVMP%E2%84%A2-Switch~CS1734A.html
There is also the newer USB Aten
Laptop USB KVM Switch
http://www.aten.com/USB-KVM.htm
2 port USB KVM with audio
There is also free open source Synergy with the same principal but you need to install synergy on each computer and then share the mouse and keyboard from the server
Synergy is an easy to set up open source application that allows you to share a keyboard and mouse between multiple networked computers. The software allows you to share a single keyboard and mouse between Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/tr-dojo/share-one-keyboard-and-mouse-with-multiple-machines-without-a-kvm/