Thin client at home

[MrDudeMan]

I'll give an example of what I am trying to do so someone can hopefully chime in and tell me if this is possible...

I have quite a few computers around my house right now and really don't need an actual computer. Most of what is done on any of them is basic stuff like browsing the net. I would really like to use some sort of thin or ultra thin client solution but don't know how to go about it.

This is my ideal solution: monitors, keyboards, and mice in the locations where there currently is a computer, but they will all connect over ethernet to a single computer somewhere else in the house instead of each having their own.

I would also like to have USB and sound broken out to each station, but that would be a bonus. I've seen several devices claiming to do this but they are all either very expensive or very outdated. Any advice?

 

[unfalliblekrutch]

Why not get a couple of nettops?

Or: nettops + VNC or remote desktop server

 

[yuppiejr]

A used HP or Wyse Thin Client running Windows XPe (embedded) should set you back $50-$100 and do what you're looking for. The device itself has enough horsepower to do basic web surfing and other low footprint tasks or you could have it connect via a VNC or remote desktop session to another workstation. You could also set up a Windows Terminal Server and allow it to host more than one thin terminal at a time.