Travel Office Idea

[jyl]

For geeks/workaholics only

What a weird year we’ve had, huh? It feels like Covid has many of us cooped up - even if we are still going to an office instead of WFH, we’re not traveling outside of our home town or city that much. I’ve found myself spending a week at a time at the coast, in a friend’s vacation cabin that we can rent fairly cheaply, just to get the hell out of the city.

These aren’t vacations. I’m still working, but just in a different place and that’s kind of what I need.

So, I bring the laptop to work on at the cabin, and then the problem starts. The laptop keyboard is awful. There is only one screen. The laptop webcam is abysmal - what is Lenovo’s problem? The speakers don’t do justice even to Spotify. (I guess I sound kind of unhappy with this laptop, huh?) I always forget something - a cable, a dongle. The power cords don’t reach. There’s not enough USB ports. I feel like I’m fighting to get work done. I’d like to work really efficiently, get everything done, and knock off at 1 pm and head to the beach. But I find myself alt-tabbing between windows and cursing the mushy keys well into the evening.

Which brings me to my idea. I want to assemble a “travel office” which will be my laptop, two or three portable monitors, something to stand the monitors on, mini speakers, a full size keyboard that is a pleasure to type on, a wired mouse, headset, all the cables and dongles and powerstrips, calculator, notepad, even a pen. It will all live in an equipment case of some sort. The idea is that I can just grab the case and go, and set up a passable replacement for my office workstation, at the beach house or wherever, without any hassle or forgetting.

The office setup I want to make a travel approximation of is shown below. I can’t take that many screens on the road, but I’d sure like four including the laptop screen. Ideally the screens would be in a 2 x 2 grid.



What do you think? Anyone used “portable monitors”? They are pretty cheap in 15.6”, actually. Any ideas how I can make/adapt a monitor stand that will pack down and not weigh much? What very small powered speakers do you like? Is this ridiculous?

[Alan A]

If 3 works look at this

https://www.thexebec.com/products/xebec-tri-screen?variant=31999295520820&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic

[jyl]

Oh, the laptop will drive up to three external HD monitors - two from Thunderbolt, one from mini HDMI. It might drive another from the USB-C ports, I’m not sure. It won’t drive that many 4K screens, but I don’t use 4K screens: pictures that nice are wasted on my work stuff.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by Alan A

If 3 works look at this

https://www.thexebec.com/products/xebec-tri-screen?variant=31999295520820&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic

Woah, that’s cool. I didn’t know anything like that was made.

[Alan A]

There are a couple of types from different mfrs. Google is your friend.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Pack it all in a Pelican case and away you go! I feel your pain, I spend a lot of time at the lake in the summer and always cuss my laptop. But when I’m doing work on a deck overlooking the lake I can’t complain too much.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Pack it all in a Pelican case and away you go!

I'll bet you could nest three displays, a bracket to hold 'em, foam to protect 'em, the laptop, the keyboard and all the wall warts and power strips into a regular overhead wheelie suitcase.

[Eric Hahl]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Pack it all in a Pelican case and away you go! I feel your pain, I spend a lot of time at the lake in the summer and always cuss my laptop. But when I’m doing work on a deck overlooking the lake I can’t complain too much.

A Pelican case, how fitting, lol.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by jyl

Woah, that’s cool. I didn’t know anything like that was made.

Me either. When I start traveling again I'll order.

I do, however, think you idea has merit: I keep a separate travel brief case with all the extra fiddly-bits that drive you nuts on the road if left behind.

Power cords (computer, phone and IPad - which I travel with), mouse, my spare logitech BT keyboard (I hate MacBook keyboards), rental car power cords, battery back-up, flash light, car keys, EZ Pass since they are free now, glasses (prescription regular and sun), thumb drives (which I keep current), $100 scooters, ID, credit card with a $500 limit, gum, eye drops and now masks and other PPE.

The kit is based on mistakes and things I have left behind, trust me.

I'll figure out how to take the screens in the link with me.

Cool idea.

[thor66]

Can you leave the bulky stuff in that cabin and just move the laptop around?


Be glad you aren't hoping to buy the first Compaq portable.

[Scott Douglas]

I have the perfect case for this out in the garage. Picked it up at a garage sale for cheap. It had an old VHS video camera in it. It's about the size of a medium sized Samsonite suitcase. I can't get it down to measure it as I'm not supposed to lift stuff yet.
Here's a picture of it sitting on the shelf though.



I'd look for one of these if I were doing a traveling office setup.

[Scott Douglas]

Here's a case for cheap, if you win the auction:

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/114146314

And here's another one that looks a little nicer:

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/114129830

[tdw28210]

Our "friends" at HF sell something similar for fairly cheap. Certainly putting a dent in Pelican's (case) business. Like $40

[stomachmonkey]

I had a rig like that a few years back.

Surface Pro with USB portable monitor.

Bunch here. The AOC is fine for the price and resolution or one of the Asus offerings.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=usb+monitor&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

They start to get pricey when you go above 1080.

I had an AOC, was lighter than my iPad.

External keyboard and mouse.

All of it fit in one laptop backpack.

Not sure if I'd carry external speakers, if it's for calls a good quality headset is the way I would go.

[jyl]

Headed back to the coast in March, so I’ve got a month to put something together.

This sounds silly but I’m sitting here at home getting ready for a Zoom with the laptop and it blows. Trying to get documents and images in windows to juggle in Share Screen on the single monitor, constant typos due to the absymal keyboard - actually, I think it’s bad enough to be a warranty claim - then I think about the Zoom I did today from the office setup and how easy that was.

I do so appreciate this safe nuturing place. It is sooo special, when a geek can open up about his deepest geek-hopes and geek-fears. You lovely people never judge or mock. You just respond with support and full throated enablement. “Three monitors? No honey, you deserve four!” I . . . I just can’t talk to my family about these things. Not when she has the divorce lawyer on speeddial.

[cstreit]

I was goi g to suggest that triple monitor setup linked above. Throw in a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard I think you’re in pretty good shape if you want to be Uber portable and only need it for a few days,

If I were remote for 4 weeks or more Id opt for a couple of slim monitors in a pelican case.

[jyl]

Shopping now! Hey, who can make an Aeron chair collapse down into a Pelican case?

[rusnak]

Well. If you really were a geek/ workaholic, then the answer would be to move into your office.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Well. If you really were a geek/ workaholic, then the answer would be to move into your office.

I have a bed there. But I’m trying to get away sometimes.

[onewhippedpuppy]

If you are used to 2-3 full sized monitors, a laptop really is like going back to the dark ages.