Thinspace ships zero client for virtual desktops

The TST1000 has no operating system and needs no configuration

Thinspace is the latest vendor to unveil a zero client, a device designed to provide user access to virtual desktops hosted in a datacentre and which requires no configuration or management.

The Thinspace TST1000 is based on a chip from Teradici that implements its PC-over-IP (PCoIP) protocol in hardware. It thus has no operating system or firmware that might require updating, and is effectively just an appliance.

PCoIP is supported in VMware's View 4 platform for virtual desktop infrastructure, which Thinspace sees as the chief market for the TST1000.

"One key area we expect to see demand is in secondary and higher education, replacing thin clients because the multimedia experience is still not what it should be on a thin client," said Thinspace technical director Paul Craddock.

Unlike some remote screen protocols, PCoIP is pixel-oriented and thus independent of the operating system running on the host. It provides high resolution, full frame-rate graphics and audio, enabling demanding applications such as 3D graphics, video editing and computer-aided design over a remote connection.

The TST1000 has twin DVI outputs to connect two monitors, and supports a maximum screen resolution of 1,920 x 1,200. Four USB ports are also fitted, which get linked back to the virtual machine so that users can plug in peripherals such as Flash drives.

The TST1000 is available now for £330.