New Computer Cart

[Capt Ike]

Thought I show everyone my latest completed project for the '08 display. Last year I ended up sitting on a milk crate in my front yard to tweak the sequences once the lights were connected. It was rather cumbersome and awkward, so I decided I need something a little more mobile. Hence, the mobile computer cart! (See pics below) Also, it's much easier to sequence with. I had been lugging all of the components around separately to different rooms of the house whenever I had a few hours to kill. Now I just push it from room to room and when I'm done for awhile, there's no packing everything up back into its box.

What do you think?

[mira]

CaptIke,

I like your cart and envy your very organized garage!

Mira

[Capt Ike]

Why thank you! I like my garage very much. I spend quite a bit of time in there!

[christmaslover012]

I love that idea! It looks great.

[oldcqr]

I like the cart! And can imagine it works great for toting around.

Unfortunately for me, the sequencing computer lives out in the workshop, so even a cart wouldn't help. I did find an easy way to do remote tweaking however. As long as your show machine and your laptop have internet access, you are good to go -->

I use something called 'LogMeIn'. It's a web service that allows me to remote control computers - and it's FREE!

I created an account and installed the software on my show computer. It doesn't matter if your show computer or your laptop are wireless or not. So long as both can get on the net, your are all set.

I then sit out in front of my house with my laptop. With the laptop I log into 'LogMeIn', and then connect to my show computer. Once it's connected, my laptop controls the show computer just as if I was sitting in front of it. I can test to my hearts content.

LogMeIn is also great for during the season maintenece... I use it to reset the show, take it off-line during rain, even reboot the machine when needed.

The only thing LogMeIn free doesn't do is send sound. NO PROBLEM! Hook up your FM transmitter to the show machine and grab an FM radio. There are pay options, but the free version works just fine.

https://secure.logmein.com/home.asp?lang=en

[ChuckHutchings]

We use LogMeIn a lot at work whenever we need a quick connection to a remote system but if security is a concern you might want to consider using VNC.

I know it's probably overkill for most of us at home, but still...

[christmaslover012]

I currently use VNC for connection between the "show" desktop and my laptop... I don't really care for it.

I had used LogMeIn awhile ago and forgot about it.... Thanks for the 'reminder' oldcqr!

[lkcubsrule]

I've just used the Remote Desktop feature of Windows...that's worked great. I think I will try LogMeIn...it sounds pretty cool