Bored - rearranging stuff - new desk setup

Homescreens & Office Setups
#1

This is WIP (work in progress). Because there are no evening activities (thank you, Corona), I decided to rearrange my workspace at home.

Goals:

  • rewire everything. Cables suck. Wall warts suck even more.
  • use space better
  • fight Corona-boredom

Please don’t nag about the cables, I will try this setup for some days, and if I don’t rearrange anything, I will tie them down. That’s why I didn’t take a picture from the underside of the desk; it’s still…messy.

I bought 2 “cable trays” and screwed them under the table. All the multiple connectors, wall warts, etc., go into them. There won’t be a single cable hanging down or on the floor.

Setup:

  • Desk:
    • EIZO CG monitor (also USB hub)
    • OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock. Just one cable to my MBP (power, data, monitor, everything)
    • Epson V600 Photo scanner (I am into photography…this one is a must…but I still struggle with the placement)
    • Apple Extended Keyboard II (the best keyboard ever made by Apple)
    • Mighty Mouse
    • I care about sound: Shiit (no joke, that’s the name of the brand) Modi 2 Uber DAC and Shiit Magni 2 Uber headphone amp, Beyerdynamic 990 Pro cans. Glorious sound!
  • Sideboard:
    • top left: ScanSnap iX500 - before you argue, it’s not easy to reach: it used to have a more prominent space, but I managed to move almost everything (credit card, utilities, rent, bank statements, payslips, most invoices) to PDF. And at work, I earned the reputation of “hating paper.” So, it doesn’t get much use. I keep it because scanning multiple pages with the V600 is a PITA, and I have several workflows set up.
    • top right: Intuos Pro L tabled with grip pen and 3D open
    • low (from left to right): HP OfficeConnect 1820/8G switch, Synology DS 1019+, Drobo 5D (just keeping it because I don’t want to create more e-waste), Mac mini+2 HDs, Samsung laser printer (10+ years old, good enough for the occasional print)

To-dos:

  • tie down all the cables (behind the monitor, behind the sound stuff)
  • have a photo printed for the wall

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2 Likes
#2

I enjoy these threads. Thanks for sharing.

I would rotate the ScanSnap 90 degrees. It would look better to my eye and the out-feed would be on the table and not in the floor.

Interesting choice of keyboard :smile:

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#3

I might rotate it…but it will remain in the “back row”.

As for keyboards: at Work (PC) I use an IBM Model M. :smiley:

#4

indeed, all that white space deserves a photo or two

Just curious, the monitor is 24 or 27 (or other size)? I’d say 24 but can’t really figure out.

Love the wood, very nice :smiley:

#5

It’s a 27. The keyboars makes it look smaller. :smiley:

As for the wood: solid indian rosewood. Oiled and polished.

2 Likes
#6

whoa, the keyboard is massive! :scream:

#7

I remember using that keyboard on my second job in 2003. Love that keyboard to bits until my boss replaced my PowerMac desktop to a Bondi iMac.

#8

Nobody takes away my keyboards! :smiley:

#9

I just saw that you also love your Schiit! Mine is just the Fulla but It’s one of the reason I still plug my wired Grado SR325 headphone even though its much more convenient to use the wireless Grado GW100.

#10

I do! I was considering the Fulla but went for the Modi/Magni. Especially because I wanted to drive high-impedance headphones. The 990ies are 500Ω and sound significantly better than the low-impedance models.
As for Schiit: great value. You won’t get more hi-fi per buck with others.

#11

Can I come by and mess it up!?

Nah– it looks nice.

1 Like
#12

Not so much the office but the library. A place to reflect, read and do research. New IMG Space 57.57 chairs arrive soon. (Billed as Eames but better! Certainly cheaper! :joy:)Library (2)

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2 Likes
#13

Since I tidied up some more this weekend…no!

#14

IMG_2062
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The key to productivity is the second 27" monitor. A Dell something but it works just fine and I am really impressed how the Mac software manages having side by side monitors easily moving windows from the Retina Mac screen to the non-Retina Dell without any glitches. When you are actually doing graphic design work, it is nice to have both monitors to see the product in the two environments.
Bare minimum number of reading glasses (three) and two scanners (Scan Snap on ancillary table and Epson Flatbed on floor) Couple of pens and scratch paper for notes (sadly does not sync). Broken left arm rest makes slipping in and out of desk chair easy.

3 Likes
#15

Interesting. I also settled for ScanSnap+Epson flatbed. One for speed, one for quality.

#16

I am guessing a rotatable Dell monitor DELL P2717H.
Great monitor! I use it exclusively instead of my 13" Macbook Pro screen.

I often switch landscape → portrait with a script too:

The .applescript command

I call the script with Raycast, hence the comments.

#!/usr/bin/osascript

# Required parameters:
# @raycast.schemaVersion 1
# @raycast.title Flip Screen 90 Big
# @raycast.mode silent

# Optional parameters:
# @raycast.packageName ybbond

# Documentation:
# @raycast.description Flip screen 90° on big monitor.

use scripting additions

if running of application "System Preferences" then
	quit application "System Preferences"
end if

tell application "System Preferences"
	activate
	reveal anchor "displaysDisplayTab" of pane id "com.apple.preference.displays"
end tell

tell application "System Events" to tell process "System Preferences"
	set currentCount to 0
	repeat while currentCount < 5
		-- display notification "Inside first 'repeat' loop. Run for" & space & currentCount & space & "times"
		if exists tab group 1 of window "DELL P2717H" then
			set currentCount to 5
		else
			delay 0.5
			set currentCount to currentCount + 1
		end if
	end repeat
	
	if exists tab group 1 of window "DELL P2717H" then
		tell window "DELL P2717H"
			tell tab group 1
				tell pop up button 2
					if (value) contains "Standard" then
						set currentAction to "Flipping"
						click
						click menu item "90°" of menu 1
						-- click button "Revert" of sheet 1
						-- click button "Confirm" of sheet 1 of window "DELL P2717H"
					else
						set currentAction to "Reverting"
						click
						click menu item "Standard" of menu 1
					end if
				end tell
			end tell
		end tell
	end if
end tell

log currentAction & space & "display succeed"

tell application "System Preferences"
	quit
end tell

tell application "System Events"
	quit
end tell
#17

I was so excited to look that chair up. Alas, out of reach geographically for this Canuck. :wink: Looks like just the thing to relieve my Eames envy.

1 Like
#18

Sorry to hear that! :wink: The chairs have arrived and I have to say it means more time living in the library.
IMG_3176

5 Likes
#19

…and the envy continues. :upside_down_face:

1 Like
#20

Ohhhh… that Red Leather chair speaks to me in ways that I can’t post here.

1 Like