Move a workstation to a different room

[Phexous]

My boss wants me to move his workstation to a different room so he doesn't have to listen to it.

He needs the ability to have:

• 3 monitors (2 currently connected Via HDMI, 1 to be added later)
• Multiple Usb connections
• DVD Drive (Can be usb if needed)
• Standard 3.5mm audio out

What do you guys think is the best solution for this? I remember Linus using Thunderbolt at some point, but I cant seem to find much info on it.

I am comfortable doing pretty much anything (Within reason) to get this working properly.

 

Thanks in advance.

[NoxiousOdor]

1 minute ago, Phexous said:

My boss wants me to move his workstation to a different room so he doesn't have to listen to it.

He needs the ability to have:

• 3 monitors (2 currently connected Via HDMI, 1 to be added later)
• Multiple Usb connections
• DVD Drive (Can be usb if needed)
• Standard 3.5mm audio out

What do you guys think is the best solution for this? I remember Linus using Thunderbolt at some point, but I cant seem to find much info on it.

I am comfortable doing pretty much anything (Within reason) to get this working properly.

 

Thanks in advance.

Depending on where the second room is located, if it were me I would probably get cord extensions for all of those connections and run them between the rooms. The cable management for that would be easy enough assuming the room isn't super far away. In the past I have used the Command Strips clear wall hooks to manage cables across rooms via ceilings and walls. They are pretty strong and they work great for wires that would otherwise clutter the floor.

[bgibbz]

Depends. Thunderbolt is an expensive but easy solution. 

 

A cheaper sollution would be to run repeater cables, or even trying out hdmi to Ethernet and running cat 6

[divito]

Easiest and cheapest is as WhiperingKnickers said; if the room where you can put the workstation isn't too far, extensions should be fine for everything.

I'm curious though, what does his workstation contain that it's so audible? No fan changes?

[Phexous]

Just now, bgibbz said:

Depends. Thunderbolt is an expensive but easy solution. 

 

A cheaper sollution would be to run repeater cables, or even trying out hdmi to Ethernet and running cat 6

Working in the field we do (Home automation and A/V) we have used Repeaters and extentions all the time.

As far as thunderbolt goes, what would be the ideal way to set it up (The computer doesn't have built in thunderbolt)

[Phexous]

2 minutes ago, divito said:

Easiest and cheapest is as WhiperingKnickers said; if the room where you can put the workstation isn't too far, extensions should be fine for everything.

I'm curious though, what does his workstation contain that it's so audible? No fan changes?

I swapped out the fans and he thinks they are louder (I don't hear a difference but he pays me)

[michaelocarroll007]

34 minutes ago, Phexous said:

Working in the field we do (Home automation and A/V) we have used Repeaters and extentions all the time.

As far as thunderbolt goes, what would be the ideal way to set it up (The computer doesn't have built in thunderbolt)

If it doesn't have built in thunderbolt i would just run 

3 long HDMI wires  

2 USB  one for ahub one for disk?

1 Audio or maybe bluetooth? or get a USB to 3.5mm i feel like most 3.5mm wires get too much interference for long runs but can try that also

 

Thunderbolt is nice because you can run 1 wire from computer into the office then buy a USB C/ Thunderbolt dock with all these things in it. But i dont know if you can add thunderbolt to your PC or not. and this honestly might cost more HDMI and USB is cheap

 

[TVwazhere]

Long HDMI cables and a USB hub (DVD to USB) , and some monitors have a 3.5mm  headphone jack built in (sometimes USB too). 

 

Also if they get too long you might want to look into a repeater, as suggested here 

 

[bgibbz]

54 minutes ago, Phexous said:

As far as thunderbolt goes, what would be the ideal way to set it up (The computer doesn't have built in thunderbolt)

As I said said, it's expensive. You would start by adding in a thunderbolt card, don't know much about any of them, so do your own due diligence before picking one out. Next you would need optical thunderbolt, which is quite expensive. Run the cable from your pc to your end user station. Get a thunderbolt 3 dock that has all the required ports. Again, I don't know enough to recommend one. Connect all of the the displays/ peripherals to the dock and you should be good to go. 

 

The total cost cost of all those sorts will likely be close to 1000$, so be prepare. 

 

Have you you looked into using a thin client to remote in?

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thin-Clienting-at-home/

[nobiggieBIG]

1 minute ago, bgibbz said:

As I said said, it's expensive. You would start by adding in a thunderbolt card, don't know much about any of them, so do your own due diligence before picking one out. Next you would need optical thunderbolt, which is quite expensive. Run the cable from your pc to your end user station. Get a thunderbolt 3 dock that has all the required ports. Again, I don't know enough to recommend one. Connect all of the the displays/ peripherals to the dock and you should be good to go. 

And the pc would need to be intel...

[bgibbz]

1 minute ago, nobiggieBIG said:

And the pc would need to be intel...

Well thunderbolt is an Intel interface, that was implied. I explained how to use repeaters above, op seemed more interested in TB3 

[nobiggieBIG]

1 minute ago, bgibbz said:

Well thunderbolt is an Intel interface, that was implied. I explained how to use repeaters above, op seemed more interested in TB3 

Its mad expensive. Just get a 3x8 meter cables, drill a hole and there you go. Anker/Aukey usb hub and for $80-$100 silent computer.

[nobiggieBIG]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Corning-AOC-MMS4CVP010M20-Thunderbolt-cables-Black/dp/B00HSTC496

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgato-Thunderbolt-Dock-0-5-Cable/dp/B00PFHLH2I/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1488837112&sr=1-1&keywords=elgato+thunderbolt+dock

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-Intel-ThunderboltEX-3-Controller/dp/B01HDUVJ54/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1488837130&sr=1-1&keywords=thunderbolt+pcie

 

Almost 700 gbp? if your boss wants to those are your best bets