Building a 4 bay laptop setup system

ChocolateStarfishRammer · 25 Sep 2011 at 17:53

Hey Guys,

So I'm looking for some ideas and knowledge on a system I'm looking to put in place at work over the next two weeks..

Quite simply, we do a quick setup for clients on laptops before they buy them. In this process the laptop goes through:

Being opened from pristine
Initial setup of user account
Windows Updates run
Company software run from dvd
Recovery Discs created

At the moment we just wack them on a desk and away you go.. but I need to utilize space a little more and now plan to turn potentially one desk into a bay for 4 laptops to be done at once.

So simply, I want to be able to quickly hook up the four (potentially different) laptops to four different screens. So the laptops go under the desk on shelves and then the screens wallmounted.

Now for this, with the laptops underneath Ill need keyboard + mouse on top for each one! Thats obviouisly a pain. I've thought along the route of Microsoft's Mouse Without Boarders software which could then take me down to one mouse for all four....But, what about before the laptops get into windows so I can install this software... you see my problem (hopefully).

Yes there is potential for imaging the laptops but for the moment, thats not a viable solution..

Hopefully this makes sense and you guys can help me out.. Ill take some pics of the bay I want to put it all in tonight and upload tomorrow.. Any questions please ask and look forward to hearing your ideas!

Thankyou

Reaper 392 · 25 Sep 2011 at 18:03

i'm struggling to work out how 4 screens, 4 keyboards and 4 mice will take up less space on a desk than 4 laptops, even if the monitors are all wall mounted, so thats obviously out of the question. this is also the only solution i can see where all 4 laptops could be worked on simultaneously other than the obvious shove them on the desk together and get cosy with everyone else.

the obvious solution to me is, if your happy at working on one at a time but being able to quickly switch between the four of them, have some sort of multiple sliding shelves (like keyboard shelves) stacked closely on top of each other for each laptop to sit on. then you would be able to swap between laptops pretty quickly and not have to spend anything on monitors + mice + whatever.

*edit*
the other option is to have one of those keyboard and mouse switcher boxes, and another one for the monitor, but this will become quite difficult cable wise with the different laptops video outputs

shamzzz · 25 Sep 2011 at 18:14

can't you get a KVM switch and plug them all into that?

ChocolateStarfishRammer · 25 Sep 2011 at 18:24

Thanks for the quick replys..

@Reaper: At the moment, we can only fit 2 laptops on each desk. So for 4, its 2 desks. So technically it would save space..
A switcher box for the keyboard + mouse between the four could be viable, but keeping the monitors plugged direct into the laptops. Any you know of? Ill do some googling..

@Shamzz: Yes its an option, but it means you can only view one at a time, and then from a distance or whilst doing other things, you cant see what the other 3 are doing without scrolling all through.. so I think it would be more of a pain then anything else.

Sin_Chase · 25 Sep 2011 at 18:38

Use the KVM for KB/Mouse and plug each laptop into a dedicated screen then?

If you get a KVM with Broadcast you could do all 4 at once. I've built 15 machines simultaneously with Broadcast. You do need to keep an eye on all of the systems progress though or it goes pretty hellish rather fast

ChocolateStarfishRammer · 25 Sep 2011 at 18:44

Sounds brilliant Sin Chase, But I don't think I know what you mean lol.

Could you explain the Broadcast thing to me?

Thanks

Sin_Chase · 25 Sep 2011 at 18:49

Broadcast is simple.

The KVM takes the input from your console Keyboard and Mouse and sends it to all systems on the KVM switch (Or those you define).

You click enter, enter gets clicked on all 4 systems.

Broadcasting mouse is a little tricky, you need to be aware of the tips. For example moving the mouse to the top left of the screen and continuing to do so even when the cursor stops. This means all systems have it in the exact same top left position for when you want to move and click elsewhere. Resolutions also need to match. Manageable between identical systems though!

It's always better to try limit broadcast inputs to keyboard, but sometimes there are time when you must click on something.

ThomBassmonkey · 25 Sep 2011 at 22:07

Why not just fit 4 USB hubs, one going to each laptop with the hubs on top of the desk?

That way you can easily flick your mouse and keyboard between them without having to go to the actual computers and anything else that you might want to plug in will be simple too.

Sin_Chase · 25 Sep 2011 at 23:20

ThomBassmonkey said:
Why not just fit 4 USB hubs, one going to each laptop with the hubs on top of the desk?

That way you can easily flick your mouse and keyboard between them without having to go to the actual computers and anything else that you might want to plug in will be simple too.

Or you know, a dedicated piece of kit which can do this with the touch of the button without moving cables around every swap.

Hmmmm, toughy that one, could such a piece of equipment exist?

Hint - KVM Switch.