thin client? zero client?


luca2

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Hi,

Now that I have my unraid (production) up and running, and I also use it to generate my windows (desktop and gamig) vm´s, I want to move one step forward.

Actually I connect (passthrough) my mouse, keyboard, usb, monitor to my vm´s desktop and gaming. So I cannot share this hw with both vm´s up at the same time, but that is not a problem right now.

 

The point is now I want to create 2 new vm´s (windows) for my wife and my son. Main aim of usage is as a desktop pc: browsing, youtube videos, movie playback and office. This vm´s will be accesed from different rooms at home where I plan to use a thin/zero client or similar (keyboard and mouse will be connected to this clients).

 

My doubts:

-which hw do you recommend for the clients? surfing, video watching should run smooth!

-which connection method you propose I should use?

 

I hope hearing from your experiences, since after much reading I still cannot find answers that suit my needs.

 

P.S. Some months ago I tried an HP thin client (entry level),  that I connected via RDP, but video playback was not smooth, neither web browsing.

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I never moved forward with the hardware solution it as it was just as easy to acquire a used Dell laptop.

YMMV.

Hi,

Thx for support! I guess this is not exactly what I am looking for. I don´t want to pay for a propietary solution.

 

There must be out there a way to setup a hw piece like i.e. raspberry pi/nuc stick/or similar that is tiny and I can connet to my tv, plug in my cat5e cable in it´s ethernet adapter (gigabit and not 100Mb like in raspberrypi2), and just connect it "somehow" to my host (unraid).

 

I did it like this with the basic HP zero client.

 

 

 

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What are you trying to accomplish?  Just the cool factor of your unraid server playing an integral part of the setup, or are you actually trying to solve a problem?  Cause I'll tell you, you could probably put together or buy a computer capable of what you're describing for the cost of a thin client.  Hell, even one of the higher end thin clients are capable of doing what you want with applications running locally, if you are willing to do some tinkering with it. 

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As I said before, I want a thin client or similar (think also about a raspberry pi) that when I switch on it lets me connect to a VM based in Unraid. It´s simple.

The only issue I want to make sure is it supports smooth video playback & internet browsing. Anyone that has tried a thin/zero client knows what I mean.

Raspberrypi or similar hw costs 50$-100$. Thin clients are more expensive.

I just wanted to ask if anyone in the forum has experience with any inexpensive hw and could propose which model he tried.

I know raspberrypi runs smooth with some linux distributions, but I want to run windows in my VM. That´s the complicated part for finding the hw.

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Perhaps build a vesa based mini machine that runs windows.

With all the time invested and special requirements, the problem can be solved simply and elegantly.

Why does it need to run on unRAID?

 

You don't want a proprietary solution, but you really do because you want specialized hardware in a specialized function connecting to vm that has to run in some specialized hardware/software environment.

 

The ncomputing solution is designed for smooth video playback on a thin client.

 

Frankly for the cost of one of these boxes or rasperry pi with vesa case and all, you could get a refurbished dell laptop from newegg with windows 7 license and be done with it all.

 

Then there are the dell USFF machines. Refurbished from newegg it's also quite cost effective when you factor in time and effort.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just replied in that other thread as well, thought I'd chime in here.  If the use case here is the same but without the game streaming requirement, you're basically looking for a thin client to access a virtual desktop.  Your requirements are essentially to provide the performance of your server to devices that don't have it.  Browsing the web, using office, and other similar tasks aren't a challenge.  Streaming video performance, however, can be impacted by three big things:

 

  • Wired vs. Wireless Network
  • Physical vs. Virtual GPU (physical GPU can do encoding/decoding better)
  • Windows vs. Linux based RDP client

 

I know that RDP from Mac OS X and from other Windows devices is very solid, but a Linux RDP client may not be as solid for streaming video.  Honestly don't know because I haven't tested it yet.

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  • 4 years later...
  • 1 year later...

I have a thought as I am looking for a solution as well. 
 

R-pi as a Remote Desktop “thin client” I’m sure Xrdp in Debian can do the job of remotely connect to your windows KVM host or something like WTware (gotta pay if you can’t program a UI to do something as end user friendly as possible as this with automated start up. 

 

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/raspberry-pi-windows-thin-client/

 

hdmi connection from the pi to any TV/monitor input for visual astronomy. 

 

now for the gaming part. R-pi has usb connections can handle HID devices and if this xrdp or WTware is anything like MS RDP then it should pass through usb HID devices.

 

I’m actually looking to get into iRacing and a Logitech steering wheel. I have no idea how the force feedback will work, any lag, or if any of this will work. but the wife would love my company in our bedroom suite and not spend any more hours in the home office. So I thought, let’s bring the server and VM’s to the bedroom with RDP displayed on the 60in 4K tv and work on my hobby’s in here. 
 

just a thought. 
 

Reply with any feedback/suggestions 

 

 

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