Re: [TheThinkTank] video screens for tutorials?

-- Scott TenBrink Executive Director Fitness Council of Jackson 225 North Jackson St. Jackson, MI 49201 (517) 990-9798 scott@fitnesscouncil.org www.fitnesscouncil.org On Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 2:55 AM, Chris Chan chris.chan@edmontonbikes.cawrote: > Instead of going with a touchscreen, you might be able to save money by > going with a regular computer, monitor, and mouse (and possibly keyboard) > setup. We have this setup for our sales computer system, and it works quite > well. Mechanics are also able to access this computer to look things up > without having to run upstairs to our volunteer workstation. (But the public > isn't encouraged to do use this system, since they'd then have access to our > sales records.) > > We also plan to install a "welcome to our shop, these are your mechanics > for today" screen by our entryway. > > The basic setup is this: > > - A desktop computer, tucked out of the way. This could be behind > shelving, up on the ceiling, or whatever (in our case, we have one inside a > wooden box, and another upstairs, away from our shop floor). It's really > easy to get old desktops for free (I have 6 in the other room that I'm > currently setting up), and they're perfectly good for running a web browser. > If you've got money and want to go upscale, you can buy a mini PChttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=55865&vpn=XS35-702&manufacture=Shuttle > ($240). > - An LCD monitor. We bought 19" and 21" monitors off Kijiji for between > $40-$70. You can frequently get non-widescreen LCDs of Kijiji for about $20, > and if you have limited counter-space, these smaller LCDs are often > preferable anyway. We mounted one of ours directly onto a wall so it doesn't > take any counter space. > - An optical mouse. Send an e-mail out to your volunteers. You'll get a > bunch. Or you can buy one for $5. > - A keyboard (optionally). With the right bookmarks on your browser, > you won't need the keyboard. But these are also essentially free. > - A video extension cord for your monitor ($25 for 25fthttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=40939&vpn=MXT101HQ_25&manufacture=Startech.com%20Ltd, > $10 for 15fthttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=16289&vpn=HD-15MF-15C&manufacture=nGear%20Technologies%20Inc., > or $6 for 10fthttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=53141&vpn=MXT10110&manufacture=Startech.com%20Ltd -- > don't forget that the monitor's existing cable already adds about 5ft). > - A mouse extension cable ($7 for 25fthttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=43304K&vpn=KXT102_25&manufacture=STARTECH.COM%20-%20DT%20SB, > $4 for 15fthttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=39675M&vpn=09469&manufacture=CABLES%20TO%20GO -- > or, if you have a USB mouse, you'll need a USB extensionhttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=56103&vpn=USB-MF-1504A&manufacture=Bafo%20Technologies [$5 > for 15ft]). > - A wireless N network adapter, if your computer doesn't have one and > you don't want to run cables ($16http://ncix.com/products/?sku=53115&vpn=11N-US300EX-L-020R&manufacture=MSI/MicroStar or > $10http://www.dealextreme.com/p/super-mini-usb-2-0-802-11n-g-b-150mbps-wifi-wlan-wireless-network-adapter-35897 > ). > - I also built little extension cords for the power buttons on the > computers. It's just two wires and a momentary pushbutton switch that plug > into the computer's motherboard, where the normal power button usually > connects. This is just for convenience--if you don't mind reaching around > to wherever you stashed your computer to turn it on at the start of the day, > it's not necessary. You could gain bike cred by building the switch into the > body of a dead bike light. > - I installed Windows XP Pro and used the standard pro features to lock > the computer down tight. It's been running for the better part of a year, I > think, and I haven't had to do any software maintenance whatsoever. In terms > of sustainability, you may prefer to go with a Linux OS. It depends on who > you think is likely to maintain the computers in future years: if your group > is full of Linux gurus, great, but if not, it'll rot and someone might come > along in 5 years, blow away your work and install Windows anyway. Or vice > versa.... > > > So, assuming you can stash the desktop within 20ft of the workstation, and > that someone you know has an older computer kicking around, you can set up > one of these workstations for about $35-45. And you don't have to worry > about cleaning bike grease off of your expensive touchscreen monitor. > > Perhaps your group might be more amenable to your idea if you present them > with an under-$50 pricetag? And the bonus of reusing otherwise-unwanted > electronics? > > As I said, EBC doesn't have publicly access computer stations, so I > don't actually have experience with using computers for that purpose, or how > effective it is. We have a bookshelf. It has the Parktool Big Blue Book, > Bicycling Magazine's guide to Bicycle Maintenance & Repair, and some other > goodies. Our mechanics, however, are able to look up stuff using the > computer on the shop floor (e.g. spoke length calculator). > > > Cheers, > > Chris > President > Edmonton Bicycle Commuters' Society > http://edmontonbikes.ca/ > > On Wed, Feb 9, 2011 at 10:33 PM, Mark Rehder mark@re-cycles.ca wrote: > >> At our shop we usually only have one Head Mechanic per shift, with two >> Shop Assistants who may or may not have enough knowledge to guide people >> through repairs (and one SA has to always deal with incoming people and the >> cash so really only two folks available for instruction at most). We've >> seen a large increase in the numbers of users of our shop (over 5,000 in >> 2010) and I find myself once again pondering having video instruction at >> each station for those that might want to use it. >> >> These would be touch-screens that have, at the very least, a web browser >> with the Park Tool repair page as well as Sheldon Brown's info (especially >> for working on 3-speeds and other old bikes) plus whatever might be useful. >> The technology for this is getting cheaper every day, and more and more >> people are used to getting their info from a screen. >> >> I floated this idea by our group a few years ago but it got voted down. >> I'm going to try again, but first wanted to see if anyone else is using or >> has tried such a set-up. >> >> Thanks, >> >> Mark Rehder - Coordinator >> re-Cycles Community Bike Shop >> http://re-cycles.ca >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Thethinktank mailing list >> Thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org >> To unsubscribe, send a blank email to >> TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org >> To manage your subscription, plase visit: >> >> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o... >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org > To unsubscribe, send a blank email to > TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org > To manage your subscription, plase visit: > > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o... > >