TV ARIEL MODS

[AdamW]

How easy is it to do that?

I've had a TV output since I bought my computer a year ago. As a result, it's possible, through my distribution system, to copy the output from the PC to the lounge TV, kitchen, bedroom, and even bathroom! What's the range from wireless keyboards/mice? If I bought one, could I surf from any room that has a TV?

Well, the way I did it was to take the composite video from the PC video out, and plug that into my home cinema amp (the centre of my equivalent to your distribution system). This has VCR loops on it (i.e. a set of video and audio ins and outs so you can hook a VCR into your home cinema). So, the composite video signal was then directed to the VCR via the scart socket. When the VCR was switched to the "auxiliary" channel, it would then display the PC (or whatever input the amp was set to) on the kitchen TV, via the aerial socket (it had no scart).

You have a bathroom TV? I had considered mounting a TFT behind a sealed glass panel set in the wall, but realised I am not staying here long enough to make it worth my while.

Wireless keyboards and mice generally have a range of 10 feet or so, not really enough to use it in another room. You can get more powerful ones for conference centres and the like, but like anything intended for business use, it is overpriced.

The way I did it was to use a PS2 keyboard and mouse (not USB). I bought some suitable cable at Maplin (shielded 6 core, I think it was) and some suitable connectors (mini-din plugs with I think 6 pins). I bought a keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) switch for about £10 and place it on the PC. This meant I could switch to a second keyboard and mouse.

You can get a fully waterproof keyboard for bathroom use now. I will post a link later on, it is very cool!

A word of warning: browsing the web on a TV output from a PC is not that great, the resolution is too low to be nice on the eyes. If your bathroom TV is a TFT monitor with a VGA input, use that!