Design Goals

When planning my project, I tried to achieve a list of design goals.

General

• Make it as flexible and extensible as possible
• Do not even get the idea of using more than two cabinets and the desk for the computers and additional stuff (WAF)

Energy

• Save as much electrical energy as possible

Mechanics

• Use standardized 19" rack mountable cases where possible
• Reduce cable mess as much as possible
• Build it in a way it can be dismounted as good as possible for transport
• At least try to have a reasonable airflow in the setup to optimize cooling

Computers

• Have one computer installed from every important x86 CPU generation, starting from the 8086
• Try to keep the computers in their original state, but use a powerful configuration for the time they were built, do not become too unrealistic
• Emulate media for all the computers to be able to insert virtual media remotely

Controls, Video and Sound

• Break it all down to one console and split it to different output consoles from this point, involving the following connections:
  • HDMI for picture (and sound)
  • S/PDIF
  • Analog sound (including 2.0, 4.0, 5.1 and 7.1)
  • Dedicated USB 1.1 connections for keyboard and mouse
  • USB 2.0 for peripheral devices, e. g. game controllers
• Have the following consoles:
  1. Local console at the desk
     • DVI-D/HDMI for picture (and sound)
     • Analog sound (2.0/4.0/5.1/7.1)
     • S/PDIF (for direct connection to the receiver, and for feeding into HDMI)
     • HDMI sound
     • USB 1.1 for keyboard and mouse
     • USB 2.0 for additional hardware
  2. Remote console in the living room
     • HDMI for picture and sound
     • USB 1.1 for keyboard and mouse
     • USB 2.0 for additional hardware
  3. KVM over IP console
     • HDMI for picture and sound
     • USB 1.1 for keyboard and mouse
     • USB 2.0 for virtual media
• Be able to use one or two USB Game Controllers at the same time for every computer in focus

Networking

• Try to be able to exchange data to and from every computer

Automation

• Automate as much as possible, including:
  • Power switching
  • Signal switching and routing
  • Device controlling
• Create a remote control daemon for automation which can be controlled via a web client and a CLI client