Touchscreen/Software for school lobby

[SimpleSi]

One of heads was thinking of getting a flat display in the lobby driven by a laptop in the secretaries office running a powerpoint. No problem - just need power and a hole in the wall and I can do the rest

 

Now its moved onto a touch screen with interactive content

 

Anyone got such a system?

 

Approximate cost?

 

Si

[difinity]

I've used the HP 2310ti touch screen monitors in the past when i had a customer that wanted an interactive kiosk. Nice and robust and about £230.

[SimpleSi]

Sorry, I meant a complete signage system using a touchscreen

 

(its maintaining the interactive content I see as the problem - unless they have an easy to use system, it just wouldn't happen)

 

Si

[rad]

Why does it need to be interactive? Seriously, how many people are going to use it, it will end up like my IWB's and just display a powerpoint.

[localzuk]

My suggestion would be to create a website, and do a linux install, with a browser displaying in kiosk mode (eg. kde kiosk mode).

 

That way, updating the content is simply a case of updating the 'website' and nothing specific is needed for the machine. Will save a fortune in possible software costs too I'd say.

[dhicks]

Anyone got such a system?

 

Sure, my home PC is pretty much like that - an all-in-one touchscreen and computer. Maplins are selling some Windows XP based ones they had in over Christmas and are trying to get rid of, I think they might have been under £200. It depends on how large a display you want, of course - I think up to around 22" screens are fairly common on all-in-one touchscreenn PCs, any more than that and you're probably looking at a SMART overlay or similar over a large LCD/Plasma display.

 

Software-wise, I'd go with the Linux-running-a-bowser option, or maybe PowerPoint. PowerPoint does import interactive Flash content quite well.

[jdoyle]

what thoughts have they had re the "interactive content" and it's updating?

 

Our little beasty in reception displays a cut down version of the website

 

Kingsdown Kiosk

[SimpleSi]

Why does it need to be interactive? Seriously, how many people are going to use it, it will end up like my IWB's and just display a powerpoint.

 

Do you work in a school? - have you met a headteacher?

 

My suggestion would be to create a website, and do a linux install, with a browser displaying in kiosk mode (eg. kde kiosk mode).

 

Like your thinking

(And I could just add a tag to the bottom of a webpage to give it the sky news look )

 

what thoughts have they had re the "interactive content" and it's updating?

 

Thoughts! Thoughts! This is has come from a relative of a staff member who said "Oh- we've got an interactive one at our school" - so now we'll have to have one as well

 

But at least doing it the interactive website way means I can prob save a grand for the country

 

Si

[Arthur]

And I could just add a tag to the bottom of a webpage to give it the sky news look

If you just want a simple website which displays content from RSS feeds you might be interested in a Wordpress theme called Aggregator (Demo).

[dhicks]

Now its moved onto a touch screen with interactive content

 

Just thought: does it have to be touch? Could you use a Kinect, or rig up your own body-movement-sensing interface to control the display? Maybe a grid on the floor that you stand in to interact with the screen - simple to do with a £10 webcam positioned in the ceiling.