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From: D Yuniskis on 11 Apr 2010 13:13 Hi, We've a chance to rescue some of these. But, it appears to be an orphaned product. Has anyone *used*/deployed one and/or have any technical information (beyond what google turns up) on them? For starters, is there a SETUP *behind* (before) the GUI Setup? Most significantly, how buggy is their TS implementation? Is it usable? Or, is that the reason behind these particular units "being available"? :> I.e., is it best just to ignore that capability and use them in their "dumb" form, instead? (shame as they could be a decent little "portable" to lug around as needed) Thx, --don
From: D Yuniskis on 11 Apr 2010 14:09 Meat Plow wrote: > On Sun, 11 Apr 2010 10:13:10 -0700, D Yuniskis > <not.going.to.be(a)seen.com>wrote: > >> We've a chance to rescue some of these. But, it >> appears to be an orphaned product. Has anyone >> *used*/deployed one and/or have any technical >> information (beyond what google turns up) on >> them? >> >> For starters, is there a SETUP *behind* (before) >> the GUI Setup? >> >> Most significantly, how buggy is their TS implementation? >> Is it usable? Or, is that the reason behind these >> particular units "being available"? :> I.e., is it >> best just to ignore that capability and use them in >> their "dumb" form, instead? >> >> (shame as they could be a decent little "portable" >> to lug around as needed) > > http://www.ncomputing.com/Solutions/Howitworks.aspx Thanks, but I'd already been there. :< They don't have any information on this product on their site. It appears to have been abandoned and.or redesigned/renamed. Nor do they have anything that gives any level of detail about operation, troubleshooting, etc. E.g., it seems likely that you would want to be able to specify the default *mode* (smart vs dumb) in which the device powers up (of course, they may have simply failed to see the use for this feature). Some of the prompts suggest there *may* be hidden menus/modes, etc.
From: D Yuniskis on 11 Apr 2010 15:21 Meat Plow wrote: >>> http://www.ncomputing.com/Solutions/Howitworks.aspx >> Thanks, but I'd already been there. :< >> >> They don't have any information on this product on >> their site. It appears to have been abandoned and.or >> redesigned/renamed. Nor do they have anything that >> gives any level of detail about operation, troubleshooting, >> etc. >> >> E.g., it seems likely that you would want to be able >> to specify the default *mode* (smart vs dumb) in which the >> device powers up (of course, they may have simply failed to >> see the use for this feature). Some of the prompts >> suggest there *may* be hidden menus/modes, etc. > > If you have one to look at or mess with I would assume it has DVI and > 15 pin SUB-D interfaces. And their network appliances (terminals) have > a 15 pin SUB-D with RGB out along with PS2 for mouse/keyboard and an > ethernet connector. So it should work on either since VGA is RGB with > H&V sync. > > What is it you mean by smart or dumb mode? It's a combination TS client/LCD monitor. As an LCD monitor, it can be analog or digital (DVI and high density sub-D "VGA" connectors). As a TS client, it is smart enough to contact the TS server, etc. (plus other clients built in for things like firmware upgrade). E.g., if you turn it on, it *wants* to be "smart". If you don't want to use it in this manner, you have to tell it to switch to the analog (or digital) inputs (i.e., "be dumb"). I would assume there should be a way to tell it the default mode (TS vs. LCD) in which it should power up. So, if you did NOT want to use it as a TS client, you could "just" use it as a nice little (17") LCD monitor. Folks who have played with them (*as* "dumb" LCD monitors) are always confused when it powers up with a "pretty" GUI screen -- and doesn't seem to respond to their keyboard! (because their keyboard is connected to their PC and their PC's output is -- currently -- not being shown on the display!). We've not had any luck trying to get them to behave as TS clients so we can't decide if they are worth deploying in that mode :-/
From: D Yuniskis on 11 Apr 2010 19:40 Meat Plow wrote: > On Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:21:22 -0700, D Yuniskis > <not.going.to.be(a)seen.com>wrote: > >> Meat Plow wrote: >>>>> http://www.ncomputing.com/Solutions/Howitworks.aspx >>>> Thanks, but I'd already been there. :< >>>> >>>> E.g., it seems likely that you would want to be able >>>> to specify the default *mode* (smart vs dumb) in which the >>>> device powers up (of course, they may have simply failed to >>>> see the use for this feature). Some of the prompts >>>> suggest there *may* be hidden menus/modes, etc. >>> If you have one to look at or mess with I would assume it has DVI and >>> 15 pin SUB-D interfaces. And their network appliances (terminals) have >>> a 15 pin SUB-D with RGB out along with PS2 for mouse/keyboard and an >>> ethernet connector. So it should work on either since VGA is RGB with >>> H&V sync. >>> >>> What is it you mean by smart or dumb mode? >> It's a combination TS client/LCD monitor. > > So it has an ethernet, a keyboard and mouse connection built into the > monitor? Yes. > Sorry if I seem dense but what all can you plug into the monitor > besides video? Connectors are: - keyboard (ps2) - mouse (ps2) - ethernet - power (DC) - "speaker" (I assume this is an output) - DVI - "vga" Front panel controls are: - power - source (analog -> digital -> TS client) - menu - select - < (i.e., arrow left) - > (i.e., arrow right) >> As an LCD monitor, it can be analog or digital (DVI and high density >> sub-D "VGA" connectors). >> >> As a TS client, it is smart enough to contact the TS server, etc. >> (plus other clients built in for things like firmware upgrade). >> >> E.g., if you turn it on, it *wants* to be "smart". >> If you don't want to use it in this manner, you have >> to tell it to switch to the analog (or digital) inputs >> (i.e., "be dumb"). >> >> I would assume there should be a way to tell it the >> default mode (TS vs. LCD) in which it should power up. >> So, if you did NOT want to use it as a TS client, you >> could "just" use it as a nice little (17") LCD monitor. >> Folks who have played with them (*as* "dumb" LCD monitors) >> are always confused when it powers up with a "pretty" GUI >> screen -- and doesn't seem to respond to their keyboard! >> (because their keyboard is connected to their PC and >> their PC's output is -- currently -- not being shown >> on the display!). > >> We've not had any luck trying to get them to behave as >> TS clients so we can't decide if they are worth deploying >> in that mode :-/ > > The server PC would have to run their software. No, I think the server is just intended to run MS's RDP (I may be mistaken, but the on screen displays seem to imply that). Without technical info, its hard to say authoritatively! :>
From: D Yuniskis on 12 Apr 2010 10:30
Meat Plow wrote: > On Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:40:05 -0700, D Yuniskis >>>> I would assume there should be a way to tell it the >>>> default mode (TS vs. LCD) in which it should power up. >>>> So, if you did NOT want to use it as a TS client, you >>>> could "just" use it as a nice little (17") LCD monitor. >>>> Folks who have played with them (*as* "dumb" LCD monitors) >>>> are always confused when it powers up with a "pretty" GUI >>>> screen -- and doesn't seem to respond to their keyboard! >>>> (because their keyboard is connected to their PC and >>>> their PC's output is -- currently -- not being shown >>>> on the display!). >>>> We've not had any luck trying to get them to behave as >>>> TS clients so we can't decide if they are worth deploying >>>> in that mode :-/ >>> The server PC would have to run their software. >> No, I think the server is just intended to run MS's >> RDP (I may be mistaken, but the on screen displays seem >> to imply that). Without technical info, its hard to say >> authoritatively! :> > > Well from what little I gleaned it used/uses exclusive UTMA > technology (Ultra Thin Multi-Access). To me at least that is > an NComputing proprietary protocol. Probably why you can't > get it to talk to Windows TS. I have no idea. I'm not the one playing with them :> We'd been told they were "MS Terminal Server clients". But, this could be that folks aren't aware of the various technologies that have been used over the years to implement thin clients (X terminals, Sun Rays, etc.). I was approached solely because I am the X-terminal expert :-/ I was hoping that a way could be found to just turn them into "dumb monitors" using some "SETUP menu" (not possible sing the thin client configuration pages). I don't want to encourage the use of MS protocols as they are too expensive to support, long term :-/ If the only option is "install some proprietary, long since unsupported software on some *particular* version of an MS OS" then I think I'll just recommend a "pass" on these and let the recycler have them. Thanks! --don |