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"Are you a computer genius? Then you can possibly help me...."

Ive had this very strange idea that may or may not be possible. The main problem is I dont know what I need to buy to implememt this crazy plan, or if something even exists.

My computer is in my spare room downstairs. On occasions I would like to have a second computer upstairs that is networked to the one downstairs so that I can share all of the file content. What I was hoping is that rather than buying a second computer I could somehow link a second monitor, mouse and keyboard to my PC so I could run the computer from upstairs. Is there any kind of device that will allow me to do this? If its any help I already have an ethernet cable running from my PC to upstairs.

Any help would be appreciated.

Hedfix wrote:
> My school had one for an A3000 for about 8 years.
>
> It looked fine.

1980's computers did run on TVs. The reason why we now have dedicated monitors is because TVs aren't capable of displaying the sorts of resolutions with the sorts of refresh rates you need to have a workable GUI. Without an expensive HDTV (and perhaps even with, I've never tried it myself) you aren't going to get a usable picture. You won't even get colour if you don't have s-video in.

My school had one for an A3000 for about 8 years.

It looked fine.

Hedfix wrote:
> You do need a fairly big one.


Ruuuubbish. No cheap TV will adequately display a monitor signal. You will need svideo in for a start.

Depends on several factors including the type of TV.

You do need a fairly big one.

Except the resolution of a cheap TV will usually be very low - 640*480 is it? Whereas the monitor will be 1280*1024 or something...I have my PC plugged into my TV to watch films on, but you can't make text out on the screen when it's showing windows...

Cheapest way:

*Keyboard lead extender cable
*Mouse lead extender cable
*Box that converts your monitor signal into one a TV can accept
*Standard long TV aerial/AV wire
*A cheap TV

Sorted.

Simply switch keyboard cables for whichever 'computer' you need to use (the monitor to tv converter should allow the signal to go to both at the same time so you shouldn't need to swap anything over there). :)

Geffdof wrote:
> All of that remote access stuf would be pointless for me at home
> because I dont have an internet connection upstairs and would need to
> use my long ethernet cable but i could just network the PC's together
> (if I get a new PC that is).
>

You may want to try a wireless network card from Special Reserve in that case. Try [URL]http://uk.special.reserve.co.uk/search/standard.php?de=wireless%20pci[/URL] which should give you a couple of options, alternatively just try searching by "wireless PCI".

All of that remote access stuf would be pointless for me at home because I dont have an internet connection upstairs and would need to use my long ethernet cable but i could just network the PC's together (if I get a new PC that is).

I never new you could do the whole remote access thing tho and it could come in usefull for other work related things, so thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Looks like I'll have to get a new PC then.

What you've just suggested with the KVM switches (whatever thay are) is basicaly what I was thinking. But if it would cost more I might as well get a new PC.

Thanks for the help.

Memorandum! wrote:
> you could just use Remote Desktop.

Remote Desktop won't help.

Try VNC [URL]http://www.realvnc.com/[/URL]

EDIT: Ahaha, nice one NB :P