I think my personal IT landscape could do with a bit of rationalisation

RichAC

Hi everyone. Sorry for the longish post - I wanted to get the detail across. This thread was partly inspired by @M1ck 's thread about KVM switches, but it's something I've been thinking about for a while.

I'm lucky enough to have a dedicated office room at home (the smallest bedroom, so not a huge space). Over time, and partly driven by home working, I've ended up with a bit of a rats nest of equipment and cabling. Here's a diagram:

The main things are:

• Work issue laptop (bog-standard Dell something or other, running Windows 10). I can't do anything to this, it's very locked down.
• An ageing Mac Mini (2014 vintage). This is my main personal device, and will be upgraded when Apple release the M3 version, or when it finally gives up the ghost, whichever happens sooner.
• A monitor that sometimes is a second screen for the work laptop, and other times is a second screen for my Mac. I switch the input depending on what I'm doing.
• A monitor that is permanently connected to the Mac, so that it always has at least one screen available. This monitor lives in vertical alignment, which is useful for code and documents.
• Each computer has its own set of keyboard and mouse (all wireless) - so I have two keyboards and two mice cluttering up the desk.
• I also have a USB headset for the work computer, AND a set of headphones connected to the audio interface which is connected to the Mac. All my Mac outbound audio goes through the interface and the headphones, not just DAW audio.
• The USB webcam connected to the Mac has a built in mic which I use for personal Zoom calls etc.
• Everything apart from the work laptop itself (and it's PSU) is owned by me, even the docking station etc.

That's a lot of stuff, and it makes my small space feel quite cluttered. I'm willing to compromise on workflow (a bit) in exchange for less clutter - so not having a dedicated Mac monitor, keyboard and mouse for example, and losing the vertical monitor in exchange for one big one.

One obvious idea is a KVM for the mouse and keyboard, and I'm interested in replacing the two monitors with a single 34" 4K one. I've done the maths, and I'd lose a small amount over overall screen real-estate, but it would look loads neater. There's room for a 34" curved screen where the two monitors are now.

I don't know much about the current state of the monitor market, and even less about KVM, so I'm open to comments, thoughts etc. One last point to note is that I don't think my poor old ten-year-old Mac Mini will drive a 34" 4K screen, so I would need to the desktop and the screen at the same time. 

All input welcome. 

ChrisRG

I have a similar setup but with a PC. I have a personal PC with a monitor and a work laptop with a external monitor.

I have a wireless keyboard and mouse that can have multiple connections. The wireless ‘dongle’ is plugged into the PC and I use normal Bluetooth to connect them to the laptop. 

All I then do is press ‘1’ or ‘2’ on the keyboard and mouse to swap from controlling the PC to the laptop. 

It’s a Logitech MK850 keyboard/mouse set. 

Chris

RichAC

ChrisRG said: I have a similar setup but with a PC. I have a personal PC with a monitor and a work laptop with a external monitor.I have a wireless keyboard and mouse that can have multiple connections. The wireless ‘dongle’ is plugged into the PC and I use normal Bluetooth to connect them to the laptop. All I then do is press ‘1’ or ‘2’ on the keyboard and mouse to swap from controlling the PC to the laptop. 
It’s a Logitech MK850 keyboard/mouse set. 
Chris Thanks @ChrisRG - that’s helpful. The mouse I use with Mac (a Logitech something or other) can already do that, so that might be one option to cut down on clutter, especially if I got a keyboard that can switch as well.

ChrisRG

I’d be interested as to which way you go with the monitors. I’ve toyed with the idea of 1 ultra wide to replace my 2 but I think I like being able to separate apps/uses between screens. I quite often have Spotify going on the PC whilst the other screen is used for work along with the laptop screen. 

crosstownvamp

Not so long ago I had a pair of monitors both with dual input switching, plus a KVM. I had a Mac Mini with two outputs, my PC with two outputs and an elderly PC for my music DAW stuff. I did have a  pair of keyboards which was a bit weird but it worked  well once my muscle memory learnt it - I could do switch arounds in about 20 seconds.

I also quite often had the PC on one monitor and Mac on another so it was very flexible.

I still have two monitors and it's far more flexible than one big monitor. I can put one document on the second monitor while working on the main one. I also hate screen snap but I guess if you like it it's ok for a single large monitor scenario.

topdog91

I'm not being funny and I'd like to help, but what are you actually asking? Seems like a fair setup.

ToneControl

Sad to say, that looks like a remote corner of my rats nest....

skullfunkerry

I can't help with any of the technical stuff but I was going to say about one keyboard & mouse too. I use a Logitech MX Keys, which actually has Mac & Windows layouts (and switches automatically according to which computer I'm using), and a Razer Basilisk mouse* which has Bluetooth & USB dongle connections: I use the dongle in my work laptop & switch to Bluetooth for my Mac.


*it's a gaming mouse but it's very comfortable and doesn't look like a prop from a sci-fi movie

digitalscream

That really doesn't seem like all that much stuff there. Perhaps the trick is in how you arrange it? For example, can you find a way to mount the Mac Mini behind one of the monitors (not necessarily mounted to the monitor)?

Also, are you using monitor arms, or the stands they came with? I've found that using monitor arms massively increases the amount of usable desk real estate.

Then you could use a remote desktop app to handle switching between the laptop and the Mini.

ChrisRG

@digitalscream makes a really good point. I use a dual monitor arm which clamps to the back of the desk. Made a huge difference to me. Loads more desk space. 

snowblind

I use an HDMI switch so similar you your idea of one large screen with input selectable for desired focus. Switcher has a remote so I can just bounce between laptop and desktop unit. I do have two keyboards/meeces (wireless) so the laptop stays in the desk undertray folded up out of the way. In days gone by I did have the full kvm switcher but that is all VGA with wired ps/2 style connectors. The room I so grandly refer to as my office is a tiny 6x10 box but I keep it warm with 130W worth of valve amps. Guitars are on hangers around the walls.

marxski

Practically identical to my home setup.

Just a note about replacing the old Mac Mini with an M3… there’s been a lot of people complaining about DAW performance on this new chipset. Word on the street is the M1 is still fantastic especially if you go for 16gb RAM and a bit of a bargain used. 

stickyfiddle

When you say "cluttered", what else is on the desk? Do you have any shelves? 

For me having the multiple mice & keyboards would do my head in, so that would be something I would personally aim at.

But beyond that I've found I gain a lot of sanity just by straightening things up and minimising the other shite that accumulates. Tidy cables (Velcro ties, power strips mounted to the underside of her desk etc) tidy up pens & papers and remove anything that doesn't strictly need to be there makes a big difference. 

I've been using shelf risers on various desks for years. I built one with an IKEA Lack shelf and some feet from a sofa I think - like this https://ikeahackers.net/2015/12/10cm-lift-desk-shelf-monitor-stand.html ;

At work I have one of these https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/vattenkar-laptop-monitor-stand-birch-80541565/

And at home I treated myself to a desk shelf and laptop stand from Grovemade, which were admittedly really expensive but superb stuff for to improve the environment where I spend hundreds of hours a year. 

Otherwise a big +1 to screens on clamped boom arms. It also makes it easy to move them as you need to. I'm not sure I would want to swap 2 screens for a single one, as I prefer to have different windows segregated rather than side by side on one screen, but YMMV

Sporky

I'm not sure my setup can be drawn any more.

fastonebaz

I use 2 separate rooms.  One for home office. One for home studio. Different equipment in each.   

Axe_meister

Like you I have work and personal computers with dual monitors.
I use the MX master keyboard and mouse, which you can switch between devices. Dongle in the windows machine Bluetooth with the Mac.
I have have two video outputs from each device going to each of the monitors, and switch the monitor inputs to what ever requirements I have. I then have the audio interface and the audio out from the PC going to a small 2 channel mixer.
Now an issue you may have is you can't install the software on your work laptop. The only way round that would be a KVM switch.

RichAC

Hi everyone, thanks for all the replies. Regrettably, paid employment means that I haven't had a chance to read through the responses properly yet, but I will do tonight. 

Sporky

This says your Mac Mini can do 3840x2160 at 30 frames per second, I think:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/111931

I just got a pair of these, though they're 32-inch rather than 34-inch. I am very pleased with them, even though they've dropped another £50 since (grrr, argh etc).

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/32-msi-mag323upf-monitor-ips-3840x2160-160hz-1ms-freesync-pp-hdr600-100m1-600cd-m-hdmi-dp-usb

PolarityMan

Sporky said:

I'm not sure my setup can be drawn any more.

I'm kinda in a similar position but might be funny to try, I might do that do avoid doing some drum editing tonight