Mysterious blackbox+monitor+keyboard+mouse=second computer!

[NightShadow]

A new device was unveiled at Comdex that enables you to take your extra mouse, keyboard and monitor, hook them to the box, then hook the box into your computer....and WHAM you have a second fully functional computer.

Anybody know the name of this bad boy? Someone posted something in HOT DEALS a few days ago about a great deal on it....but I can't find the listing anywhere now. And does it really work?

NightShadow

 

[NightShadow]

Just found out this was introduced at comdex a few years ago...and is called the Buddy System. Anybody know anything about it?

NightShadow.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I read a review on it, don't expect to have a single computer LAN party. Basically it's a second vidcard w/ the KB+mouse ports, most of the work is done in software. (similar to VMSware if it were on a different screen iirc)

 

[NightShadow]

www.applica.com is the website for the manufacturer. Says up to 16 users can be run off one PC. If this baby really works it would save me a TON of money in computer rental for my technical seminars.

Mary Beth

 

[Elledan]

Sounds like a dumb terminal.

 

[CTho9305]

I've seen ads for things like that years ago... at the time, the requirement was like a p2 300 or something

 

[Evadman]

<< Sounds like a dumb terminal. >>


Exactly. Tigerdirect.com sells the kits for about $120. Never tried it tho.

 

[Elledan]

<<

<< Sounds like a dumb terminal. >>


Exactly. Tigerdirect.com sells the kits for about $120. Never tried it tho. >>


120 bucks? I can do it for less than $15 per terminal

 

[NightShadow]

If it means I don't have to rent 10 extra PCs at $100/day/PC for each training class then I'm a happy camper.

Looked on TigerDirect and couldn't find anything. Can you tell me what they call this kit?

NightShadow

 

[divide by zero]

Anyone have a link to somewhere this is sold?
I've been looking around tiger direct without luck.

Also, how could you do this for $15/terminal? I'd love to know.
I figure the second graphics card alone would be more than that.

/0

 

[Elledan]

<< Also, how could you do this for $15/terminal? I'd love to know.
I figure the second graphics card alone would be more than that. >>

A good graphics card would make it more expensive, alright, but for most applications and quite some games, a simple Linux-based terminal would suffice.

 

[swifty3]

Funny, but in the pile of archaic computer equipment lying around on the floor, i found a strange looking box and then just went crazy and plugged a mouse, keyboard, and monitor into it, and when i turned it on....WHAm!!
To my dismay it actually worked! It was a 386! I couldn't believe my luck!

 

[AnthraX101]

I actualy receved a non functuining 286 from a friend. Now it works, guess what the problem was:

Chip Creep 'Aint that a riot

Armani

 

[divide by zero]

Elledan, what software would you have to run on the Linux and the Windows box to allow the Linux terminal to run Windows apps off the Windows box?

To make a Linux box you'd still need a CPU, HD, PSU, memory, case, NIC, graphics card and mobo w/sound versus this gizmo. Still a Linux terminal sounds interesting too, since I have several 533 Celeron boxes laying around sans HDs. How much memory, CPU and HD would you need on the Linux box?

 

[Elledan]

<< Elledan, what software would you have to run on the Linux and the Windows box to allow the Linux terminal to run Windows apps off the Windows box? >>

I was actually talking about a Linux server with a bunch of terminals connected to it.

In that case you can use Wine to run quite some Windows apps, though.



<< To make a Linux box you'd still need a CPU, HD, PSU, memory, case, NIC, graphics card and mobo w/sound versus this gizmo. Still a Linux terminal sounds interesting too, since I have several 533 Celeron boxes laying around sans HDs. How much memory, CPU and HD would you need on the Linux box? >>

A Linux-based terminal can be diskless

Some useful links:

Linux Terminal Server Project
Converting Old PCs into Standalone X Terminals
X-Terminal How-To
Making an X Terminal from a PC LG #68

 

[Shalmanese]

Seeing as how video cards can output ridiculous resolutions these days, couldnt you just get some software to output 4x4 640x480 screens and use some sort of dongle to plug in 16 moniters?