[Technic] SFF PC's

[Steve Wilmes]

   We've been going with Dell's USFF Optiplex 745's for our latest 
round.  We've been very happy with them, as we are/were with the Optiplex 
620's.

   These are not overgrown laptops by any means.  They have standard SATA 
hard drives, normal desktop memory, etc..., and run 24/7 with no 
problem.  They are small desktop PCs that sit on a special LCD monitor 
stand.  This design has worked great for us -- you can easily use the PC 
and monitor separately with non-USFF counterparts if needed, and you don't 
have to send the whole thing in just because the screen went out.  If you 
have any Gateway Profiles, the screen *will* go out.  I would recommend NOT 
going with the Gateway Profiles -- not to mention they are just plain ugly.

    Another nice thing about the Dells is the ability to restrict access to 
the ports.  The BIOS has lockdown considerations, and the USFF models come 
with a nice cover for the back of the PC to hide and restrict the cables, 
which can also be locked in.  This makes for a very nice clean look on a 
public service desk, and it helps with the cooling issue since the PC isn't 
crammed into a shelf somewhere under the desk.


     -Steve


       Steve Wilmes, Network Administrator
       St. Charles City-County Library District
       stevewilmes at gmail.com



At 08:50 AM 8/8/2007 -0500, you wrote:
>Trails Regional Library has purchased 15 USFF pc's (used Dell's) in
>the past year and have had no problems with them.  I have discovered
>that basically the USFF's are overgrown laptops, i.e., they use
>notebook size hard drives, mini-atx motherborards, and modular
>cd/dvd/fdd drives.  They can be set horizontally, vertically, or
>under a flat surface.  We buy them from a company that purchases them
>from leasing companies and refurbishes them (w/a 3 yr warranty) for
>about half the price.
>
>
>At 08:17 AM 8/8/2007, you wrote:
> >Does anyone have any negatives about Small Form Factor PC's? Their
> >planned use is for teachers and would be located on a metal computer
> >cart. Most would be left on all day but would be in A/C.TIA, Leroy
> >
> >Leroy Adams Technology Coordinator
> >Taneyville R-II  #106-002
> >302 S. Myrtle St.
> >Taneyville, MO. 65759
> >
> >e-mail: Leroy.Adams(at)Taneyville.K12.MO.US
> >voice:   417 546-5803
> >Fax:     417 546-3075
> >_______________________________________________
> >Technic mailing list
> >Technic at lists.more.net
> >http://lists.more.net/mailman/listinfo/technic
>
>Bill Thoms, Ass't Director
>Technology & Facilities
>Trails Regional Library
>Warrensburg, MO 64093
>thomsb at trl.lib.mo.us
>P:  660-747-1699 / 660-747-9177,x104
>F:  660-747-5774
>
>_______________________________________________
>Technic mailing list
>Technic at lists.more.net
>http://lists.more.net/mailman/listinfo/technic