How can I resolve this relocation of a teachers PC?

[eddyc]

Hi everyone,

 

We have a food technology room where the teachers desk is an island in the middle front of the room and historically the teachers PC for the room was on a trolley near the whiteboard.

We have had to move this due to logistical problems with the room - so it is now placed on the desk with a piece of 6 by 2 screwed to the desk all the way up to the false ceiling and then there is trunking running down the plank of wood.

This has resolved one problem - in that the logistical problems have gone away however I now have two issues;

a) Some students cannot see the whiteboard as the wooden pole is in the way

b) The head of department and head teacher are unhappy with this solution and think that it looks a mess.

 

My thinking is that if I find some rigid trunking to run from the top of the teachers desk to the ceiling then it will be fine - although I am not having much joy finding any.

In other schools I've seen something like 1 inch square trunking that sits into feet on the desk at ceiling and the post stands up between the feet - does anyone know what this is called or where I can find it?!

 

The other solution would be to wirelessly link the PC up however we need USB for smartboard, audio for sound system and dual vga connectivity - does anyone know of anything available which can do that?

 

Thanks, Ed

[north-ict]

Would a floor cable protector resolve it? Rather than running above run it below and use the floor cable protector, so the 6x2 can be removed and visibility wouldn't be a problem.

 

Search results for cable floor - Misco.co.uk

 

Hope that helps.

[eddyc]

Would a floor cable protector resolve it? Rather than running above run it below and use the floor cable protector, so the 6x2 can be removed and visibility wouldn't be a problem.

 

Search results for cable floor - Misco.co.uk

 

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the reply @north-ict - we have tried a floor based solution before and it didn't work out very well for us - there is around 2 meters between the wall with the projector and the teachers desk and despite trying several floor management solutions, they were all prone to moving around on the lino floor.

[john]

What is on the floor below? Could you run under the floor and pop up in a floor box under the new desk location?

[Willott]

When I've discussed similar with cabling guys, they've used the term "power pole" - maybe what you're looking for, but may be a little large (unless there's a mini version)?

[witch]

Surely that will still block vision though?

[Willott]

Guessing it's a concrete floor? Ground floor or otherwise?

 

Cheers

 

Will

[plexer]

A power pole will replace the plank of wood/trunking combo although they tend to be expensive, paint the wood white to match trunking, this will however not resolve the vision issue.

 

If the desk cannot be re-located again to mitigate this then they will have to re-organise the seating to achieve this.

 

Ben

[ricki]

HI

 

Can you not grove the floor and put a metal plate ontop and the trunk from the trunch up the wall like we do.

 

Richard

[CamelMan]

A bit of a left field type solution - but could you use one machine / tablet to VNC the one thats plugged into the usb, sound etc via wireless.

 

Its something that I've been looking to setup for our main hall installation to remove trailing wires. Could open a can of worms regarding security etc, however it might be an idea....

 

Or I have seen wireless converters for video, usb etc - but you'd prob end up with a load of separate stuff that could get expensive.

[plexer]

HI

 

Can you not grove the floor and put a metal plate ontop and the trunk from the trunch up the wall like we do.

 

Richard

 

Do you know what's in the floor of most UK schools?

 

Ben

[ricki]

Contrete. We used a contractor with a diamond cutter oh what a mess it made.

 

Richard

[detjo]

You can get projectors that receive a wireless input signal. Not sure if there's an 'education' version of such a projector, and of course this would be extra cost - lest the existing projector can be relocated to some other suitable room for good use.

[north-ict]

Thanks for the reply @north-ict - we have tried a floor based solution before and it didn't work out very well for us - there is around 2 meters between the wall with the projector and the teachers desk and despite trying several floor management solutions, they were all prone to moving around on the lino floor.

 

Some form of grip or adhesive could be applied to the underside of the floor cable protector so not to move? Or the nations favourite duct tape!

[plexer]

You can get projectors that receive a wireless input signal. Not sure if there's an 'education' version of such a projector, and of course this would be extra cost - lest the existing projector can be relocated to some other suitable room for good use.

 

Computer/Laptop still needs power.

 

Some form of grip or adhesive could be applied to the underside of the floor cable protector so not to move? Or the nations favourite duct tape!

 

Or get one that can be screwed down?

 

Ben

[RichCowell]

Could you get someone in to build a platform / dais to go from the wall out for a couple of meters, then the desk would sit on that, and the cables could be run underneath easily enough?

 

I've seen similar solutions built in the past to resolve this exact issue...

[eddyc]

Thanks for all of the suggestions - we have resolved this by getting a length of steel channel 20mm by 50mm wide - it is much smaller than the blank, contains the cables and fits in with the rest of the room design.