Best PC for Smartboard?

[witch]

We are moving an old smartboard and I was wondering whether now was the time to have one of those mini, on the wall-type PCs to attach to it permanently. This is SEN where the main TA doesnt have a decent laptop and other people do use the room.

Can anyone recommend a cheap, easily fitted something that will do what I want?

[laserblazer]

We have some refurbished HPs from Misco that do the job. What you need to consider is how they are going to operate it, assuming you only have the smartboard screen to look at. We've found the £16 Trust wireless keyboard/mouse from Wilkinsons works well. In fact, one of our teachers prefers working longer periods in the meeting room using the projected screen and sitting 4-5 metres away. She says there's less eye-strain than using her laptop.

 

I mounted the computers on cheap metal shelf brackets like these White Bracket 4x5in - Shelf Brackets - Shelving -Decorating & Interiors - Wickes with the bit sticking out bent up to form a cradle.

Edited December 12, 2013 by laserblazer

[dhicks]

Can anyone recommend a cheap, easily fitted something that will do what I want?

 

We've found the Acer Aspire Revo range to be pretty good. Some models feature both VGA and HDMI output, so you can have both a monitor and the projector for the SmartBoard attached showing different displays if you want. They are best with an SSD inside, but that's not that much more expensive these days and definatly improves performance over the rather weedy 5,200RPM 2.5" harddisks they come with.

 

Edit: Sorry, wrong model name - Acer Aspire Revo, not Veriton. I have one of the things sat in front of me, I should be able to tell...

Edited December 12, 2013 by dhicks

[dhicks]

We've found the £16 Trust wireless keyboard/mouse from Wilkinsons works well.

 

How are they for battery life? We have one similar-looking keyboard that goes through batteries at a remarkable rate. At one point, the Acer Aspire Revos (as mentioned above) all came with wireless keyboards, which have been absolutly great - long range, good battery life, useable mouse. They don't seem to sell them separatly from the PCs, though, and I can't find them anywhere else - there's similar-looking ones on eBay but they aren't nearly as good.

Edited December 12, 2013 by dhicks

[laserblazer]

We've only had them a few months. There's a switch on the mouse to turn it off. I think if you don't turn it off, then it makes a good night-light!