What do you guys use for getting your PC to a LAN? I'm going to be attending the LANFest next weekend, and this will be my first time bringing a PC instead of a laptop. It's local for me, so it only really needs to get me from my apartment to my car, and from my car to my table space at LAN, in an efficient and safe way.
Failing anything else, I have a piece of luggage and some towels/blankets, but I'm wondering if there's anything less cumbersome out there. I've looked around, but I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to be looking for, so my searches have been fruitless.
What do you guys use for getting your PC to a LAN? I'm going to be attending the LANFest next weekend, and this will be my first time bringing a PC instead of a laptop. It's local for me, so it only really needs to get me from my apartment to my car, and from my car to my table space at LAN, in an efficient and safe way.
Failing anything else, I have a piece of luggage and some towels/blankets, but I'm wondering if there's anything less cumbersome out there. I've looked around, but I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to be looking for, so my searches have been fruitless.
Just make sure everything is seated properly and secure, then buckle it up in a seat. That's what I did when I went to Pittco. I did wrap my monitor in a blanket though.
Just make sure everything is seated properly and secure, then buckle it up in a seat. That's what I did when I went to Pittco. I did wrap my monitor in a blanket though.
There are some carts that you can borrow at LANfest to help you move your equipment.
There are some carts that you can borrow at LANfest to help you move your equipment.
I just went to my 1st lan last month, can give you something from experience.
My case is a CM storm trooper so its reaaaally really big, I couldn't fit it in any luggage I had, so I just wrappped it in a lot of towells and put it literally inside 5-6 garbage bags and tied everything up, I took the pc on a 2 hour train ride tho, since you're going in your car I guess you don't need half the things I did.
Main thing is the screen for me, I covered in like 15 towells and a pillow, put it inside a piece of luggage and carried it normally.
Both things went all the way over there and back not a single scratch as far as I noticed, and it was a fairly bumpy ride (2h train ride + few kms in car)
I just went to my 1st lan last month, can give you something from experience.
My case is a CM storm trooper so its reaaaally really big, I couldn't fit it in any luggage I had, so I just wrappped it in a lot of towells and put it literally inside 5-6 garbage bags and tied everything up, I took the pc on a 2 hour train ride tho, since you're going in your car I guess you don't need half the things I did.
Main thing is the screen for me, I covered in like 15 towells and a pillow, put it inside a piece of luggage and carried it normally.
Both things went all the way over there and back not a single scratch as far as I noticed, and it was a fairly bumpy ride (2h train ride + few kms in car)
Take out an insurance policy on it. I know it sounds like overkill, and way to complicated for just a LAN, but it's always best to be safe.
Take out an insurance policy on it. I know it sounds like overkill, and way to complicated for just a LAN, but it's always best to be safe.
I've traveled to many many LANs. Take it from me... Stand your tower upright behind the passenger seat. Use the back seat, and the back of the passenger seat to keep it from moving (wedge a pillow or blanket in there if it doesn't feel secure. If you still have the original box your monitor came in, repack it in the box for transport and lay it down on the back seat behind the tower. If you don't have the original box wrap it in a blanket with a pillow under it, and place it on the seat screen side up (drive carefully).
I've traveled from Philly to Boston for pax (an 8 hour trip each way) several times like this, and lots of other LANs. Never once had a problem.
I've traveled to many many LANs. Take it from me... Stand your tower upright behind the passenger seat. Use the back seat, and the back of the passenger seat to keep it from moving (wedge a pillow or blanket in there if it doesn't feel secure. If you still have the original box your monitor came in, repack it in the box for transport and lay it down on the back seat behind the tower. If you don't have the original box wrap it in a blanket with a pillow under it, and place it on the seat screen side up (drive carefully).
I've traveled from Philly to Boston for pax (an 8 hour trip each way) several times like this, and lots of other LANs. Never once had a problem.
they'll have plenty of carts available for you @ lanfest to transport your PC from your car to the LAN so that trip will be plenty safe
set your desktop somewhere snug in your car and wrap a towel or something around your monitor and you should be fine
they'll have plenty of carts available for you @ lanfest to transport your PC from your car to the LAN so that trip will be plenty safe
set your desktop somewhere snug in your car and wrap a towel or something around your monitor and you should be fine
i always save the boxes for this kind of thing, makes it so simple to put your computer in your car
i always save the boxes for this kind of thing, makes it so simple to put your computer in your car
Thanks for the info, guys. Last LANFest I only showed up on Sunday, and with a laptop, so I guess I completely neglected to notice the carts and stuff. That helps this along a lot more. I may still try out the luggage just for the car ride, to keep everything nice and snug, but you guys have eased my worries immensely. I noticed some guys with those 4ft tall phallic compensation towers, and I wasn't really impressed, just confused about the logistics of transportation.
Thanks for the info, guys. Last LANFest I only showed up on Sunday, and with a laptop, so I guess I completely neglected to notice the carts and stuff. That helps this along a lot more. I may still try out the luggage just for the car ride, to keep everything nice and snug, but you guys have eased my worries immensely. I noticed some guys with those 4ft tall phallic compensation towers, and I wasn't really impressed, just confused about the logistics of transportation.
Do remember that if you lug your laptop around with you, you need to keep a sticker on it, and it stays behind after 10PM (or whatever the time was).
Another thing I suggest to do if you want to minimize the chance of damage to anything during transport is to determine which things would vibrate the most on a car ride (most likely the graphics card) and remove it if it's practical.
Do remember that if you lug your laptop around with you, you need to keep a sticker on it, and it stays behind after 10PM (or whatever the time was).
Another thing I suggest to do if you want to minimize the chance of damage to anything during transport is to determine which things would vibrate the most on a car ride (most likely the graphics card) and remove it if it's practical.