Desk set up for music ICT room?

[tosca925]

We have got to kit one of our music rooms out this summer with ICT kit, they have told us they want to be able to have the keyboard and the music keyboard all out at all the time, we have limited space and could do with some ideas/pictures on desk set up for these.


Any suggestions?

[plexer]

PC's mounted under the desks with midi breakout box on top to plug the keyboards in?

Ben

[Andrew_C]

TFT screens on arms to keep them off the desk too. Alternativly, a shelf above the desk to take PCs and "bits". Our Music Tech teacher wanted desks facing out so kids had to turn away from keyboard for "being talked at" bit. Otherwise they continue to play etc.

[Ric_]

Our department uses small (computer) keyboards which they like to rest on the keyboards' music stands.

If you get a keyboard with inbuiilt trackpad/tackball this will also help save desk space. Cherry make some very good quality ones but they are not cheap... although the TCO of a cheap one can be high when the keys fall off as ours have done!

[webman]

Our music room has a desk with a sunken shelf for the computer keyboard beneath the main desk level and looks pretty good.

[plexer]

webman: pictures we need pictures

Ben

[webman]

Ok I'll try

EDIT: here we are

[Andrew_C]

Just what I was trying to describe!

[steve]

Look similar to the ones we use - Quik-Lok

http://www.mveducation.com/invt/16023/

[john]

SFF PCs, 17" TFTs Wall Mounted, problem solved.

[Andrew_C]

SFF PCs, 17" TFTs Wall Mounted, problem solved.

But in practice SSFs tend to have small, fast fans and those are noisy. Noise, above all else, needs to be controlled ina situaton where you need to LISTEN to something. It is often difficult to get this across to IT types how important this is. Big, slow CPU fans; solid cases, all screws tight, over spec'ed PSUs with slow fans, all fans speed controlled.

My background is in theatre/audio, and I now use IT stuff in these fields.

[Ric_]

@Andrew_C: Big headphones can mean that it isn't vitally important to have silent computers. Increasing the quality of components to keep the noise down will bump up the price and then you multiply that by 20 and you have no money left.

[john]

SFF PCs, 17" TFTs Wall Mounted, problem solved.

But in practice SSFs tend to have small, fast fans and those are noisy. Noise, above all else, needs to be controlled ina situaton where you need to LISTEN to something. It is often difficult to get this across to IT types how important this is. Big, slow CPU fans; solid cases, all screws tight, over spec'ed PSUs with slow fans, all fans speed controlled.

My background is in theatre/audio, and I now use IT stuff in these fields.

I do some work for an Audio Specialist and out testing of machines showed Laptops and SFF PCs are the quietest around.
My SFF PCs at work are as silent as a laptop when the fans are set to smart, not full speed. Set them to full speed they will be whiney etc, but mine are on 24x7 and they still are running at less than 2,000 RPM with 3GHz P4 Prescotts in them. Maybe some other SFFs are noisey, but my Biostars are far from it, with that, I have build a MCE machine from one at home as they are that silent.

[plexer]

John: Any specs/links on those machines?

Ben

[Andrew_C]

@Andrew_C: Big headphones can mean that it isn't vitally important to have silent computers. Increasing the quality of components to keep the noise down will bump up the price and then you multiply that by 20 and you have no money left.

Sure, but not everyone will want to have their head in cans. Bear in mind the cost of buying / replacing good headphones...

@John I thought you were refering to 3/4 size, but if you meant those with external PSU and fanless, I accept. You do (and with laptops) run into real connectivity issues. USB externals are OK, but not the whole answer to all audio issues.