I have a computer in my kitchen for music, etc. The problem is that the PC’s case is under a cabinet, and it HEATS up, especially in the summer. There really isn’t anywhere nearby I can put the CPU, so I’d like to move it elsewhere. I thought I’d drill down to the basement, put the CPU there, and run a long wire for the monitor (I have a BT keyboard and mouse set, so that’s not a problem). I managed to find a long (15’) VGA wire, but the problem is that the picture SUCKS! I looked for any kind of wireless VGA transmitter/receiver, but the only ones I found were $800+. Is anyone familiar with a product I could use that’s in the $100-300 range?
Seeing as how the monitor wire didn’t pan out, I think it might be more cost-effective and useful for you to find a low-end PC that doesn’t generate much heat (cooler chip, 5400rpm HD, etc) than invest in exotic wireless video hardware.
That’s why I’m wondering if there’s a solution for $100 - $300. I know they make wireless TV transmitters in that range, so I find it hard to believe that can’t make VGA transmitters for around that price.
Building a new, cooler PC would be a lot more expensive than $300, and it might even be more expensive than the $800 transmitter.
I believe DVI cables can be made longer without degrading the image quality. Is your monitor LCD, and does it have a DVI connector?
All desktop PCs have cooling fans* and I’d be wary of putting one in a cabinet. A used laptop might be a better solution, so you can leave it on the counter.
*Except that Apple cube thing, but even that relies on airflow (natural convection) for cooling.
Would better ventilation for the cabinet be an option, maybe cut a hole in the cabinet door and mount a little decorative grille over it or even mounting a small fan on the cabinet side of the grille. If you wanted to get fancy, a fan high on the cabinet blowing out of the cabinet and another sucking air in mounted lower.
A couple case fans and some grilles probably arent going to run more than $50 in materials, maybe a little wiring for the fans.
Define your use of “music, etc.” If you’re just using the PC to play MP3s that are stored on another PC on your home network, ditch the kitchen PC entirely and replace it with a Squeezebox.
No fans, minimal wiring (it’s a WiFi device) and comes in white or black to match the decor.
Another option would be to run Windows at about 640x480 and use a video card that has TV-out.
There are also “VGA Extenders” that let you pipe VGA hither and yon on a Cat5 cable up to 300+ feet, depending on the resolution. Here’s a few options, including a $65 signal boster that might or might not work with your existing extension, or a $160 transmitter/receiver pair that uses Cat5. Far as I can tell, the remote unit is powered through the cable, so there’s no extra wires needed in the kitchen.
Thanks for your idea. Unfortunately, I don’t have an LCD or a laptop I can use.
I don’t think any desktop-style computer will be cool enough to keep in the cabinet. The problem is that there is basically no ventilation. Anything that puts out heat will overheat eventually, except liquid-cooled cases.
Now THAT’S what I’m talking about! I’m looking at the $65 one now, although maybe a Cat5 one would work better…I’m going to have to do a little research on these puppies.
Another thought - if you’re planning to drill down to the basement anyway, can you drill down from inside the cabinet? Maybe you can run tiny little air ducts through the hole.
