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Tiny PC to run info monitors

L

LrsK

Junior Member
I am setting up an info monitor in a public place that is to display a web page. Right now, this monitor uses an Asus EeeBox with Windows XP. Lately, the hardware has begun to fail on me and the other day, the EeeBox won't boot with a message in POST that the disk can't be read.

So I'm looking for a replacement.

I need a PC that can open a web page, that is really all it does. It would also be nice to have some management capabilities such as VNC.

Other things I need:

- DVI input for the monitor
- Ethernet port
- 2 x USB for keyboard and mouse operation
- Bluetooth would be nice, as the equipment is locked inside a case, so I could pair up to the PC with a Logitech diNovo Mini, and work on it without opening the case.
- I am most familiar with Windows, but Linux works too
- Small case, needs to be less than about 10x20x20cm

I am located in Norway, and my budget is about 300-500 USD.
 
LrsK said:
Will Raspberry Pi run Ubuntu or even Windows?
Click to expand...

ubuntu doesnt support pi because of the chipset used, i think you can install older versions though.

there are other debians anyway. they even have an official one right on pi's website. or you can install xbmc and probably do what you need to through that. your old setup ran around 20w on average. a pi will draw less then 1w, and not get hot.
 
wirednuts said:
ubuntu doesnt support pi because of the chipset used, i think you can install older versions though.

there are other debians anyway. they even have an official one right on pi's website. or you can install xbmc and probably do what you need to through that. your old setup ran around 20w on average. a pi will draw less then 1w, and not get hot.
Click to expand...

He'd probably be running raspbian anyway, which should more than suit his needs as a web browser.

The only reasons that the Pi may not suit his needs is that it does not support DVI or VGA without a converter, as the Pi only has hookups for HDMI or a legacy RCA video jack. Any bluetooth capability would have to be added on via USB - which would require a powered USB hub due to only having two USB ports. That, and I have no idea how to set up bluetooth in linux. He may not either.

So long as the OP can deal with the video connector and not worry about bluetooth, he can have a über-cheap out of the box solution with the Pi. He could use the cash he saves to upgrade his own rig. 😉
 
I would also look at the Pi. A lot of monitors support HDMI and the adapters to DVI are easy to find for cheap.
 
yeah the pi can run a dvi monitor with any cheap hdmi-dvi adapter. i do it, it works fine.

and vga monitors can be run with a composite-to-vga adapter....
 
MovingTarget said:
Any bluetooth capability would have to be added on via USB - which would require a powered USB hub due to only having two USB ports. That, and I have no idea how to set up bluetooth in linux. He may not either.
Click to expand...

the usb ports on the pi are for basically nothing. they have about ~200ma of usable power. in almost any circumstance, its best to use a powered hub to ensure maximum stability.
 
wirednuts said:
the usb ports on the pi are for basically nothing. they have about ~200ma of usable power. in almost any circumstance, its best to use a powered hub to ensure maximum stability.
Click to expand...

You are correct. Thats why I specified a powered hub. I occasionally run a basic wired keyboard and mouse attached without any sort of hub. No problems yet. YMMV though.
 
the power source matters a lot too. must have a good smooth and strong power source. most cell phone adapters wont work. they will start the pi, it will boot, but you get all sorts of weird problems. you think your pi sucks, then you plug it into a usb port on a computer with a good psu and bingo, fully stable and awesome.
 
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