(TRAVEL) Taking your SFF build on a plane and getting it past Security check

iamtheqi

Cable Smoosher
Sep 24, 2019
12
6
Just to piggy back off this thread. To all the guys that travel with your SFF, do you bring along a screen or something? Or is it more like just bringing along the brain to places where you know you have peripherals available?
 

Choidebu

"Banned"
Aug 16, 2017
1,198
1,205
Just to piggy back off this thread. To all the guys that travel with your SFF, do you bring along a screen or something? Or is it more like just bringing along the brain to places where you know you have peripherals available?
This is why this thread exists. 30 pages of glorious questions "have anyone tried *insert model name here*? How is it?" that sometimes gets answered with "yes... see 5 pages behind", "eww... it's not Asus", or met with complete silence.
 

polarium

Trash Compacter
Aug 31, 2019
35
8
Just to piggy back off this thread. To all the guys that travel with your SFF, do you bring along a screen or something? Or is it more like just bringing along the brain to places where you know you have peripherals available?
Only the PC for me, though my friend tried it. He packed his 24" monitor (must not be super thick) inside his luggage padded with all his clothes. Works great though
 

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
I'll be bringing my modded Optiplex on a trip in a week or so, and I will be travelling monitor-less. There's a TV I can hook it up to where I'm going, so no worries there.
 
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annasoh323

Master of Cramming
Apr 4, 2018
424
314
I just traveled for three weeks on a work trip with my Salvo S401. I lugged it in my carry-on both ways and the only problem I faced was wearing out one of the wheels ?. I also relied on the hotel TV and was a little disappointed it was limited to 720P (I think... definitely not 1080P). I have a little project going on where I try to salvage my laptop screen as a portable monitor and if that works then I'll have a 1080P portable monitor. But the traveling itself was fine other than the weight. Granted, I would only do it on a longer trip where I would have a check-in and could afford to take up the whole compartment in my carry-on. Plus, the S401 is a tank, so that helped my confidence level too.
 
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Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
I just traveled for three weeks on a work trip with my Salvo S401. I lugged it in my carry-on both ways and the only problem I faced was wearing out one of the wheels ?. I also relied on the hotel TV and was a little disappointed it was limited to 720P (I think... definitely not 1080P). I have a little project going on where I try to salvage my laptop screen as a portable monitor and if that works then I'll have a 1080P portable monitor. But the traveling itself was fine other than the weight. Granted, I would only do it on a longer trip where I would have a check-in and could afford to take up the whole compartment in my carry-on. Plus, the S401 is a tank, so that helped my confidence level too.
Heh, I'm doing the same with an ancient laptop LCD I saved from the trash a few years back. Finally got around to getting a controller board for it a month or so ago (and confirming it works - it's been stored in a plastic bag with near zero protection since I took it out of its case), and I'm hoping I'll be able to rig together some sort of housing for it before I travel next weekend. As I said there's a TV I can use, so no worries, but a monitor would be nice to have nonetheless. It's a rather mediocre 1680x1050 resolution and a rather crappy TN panel, but it was free (and will be very cheap even when finished). If this works out I'll likely want to move on to a more premium panel (say a 15.6" FHD 120/144Hz) and a FreeSync controller board, though that's a bit into the future.
 
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giraffesinmybalcony

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Dec 15, 2018
95
88
That is amazing...and hilarious. Just imagining someone pulling out a 24" monitor out of their luggage gave me a good chuckle
i do this quite often too, just with a smaller 20" monitor.

by the way, is anyone worried that customs might slap a tax on their rig? how do you guys deal with that? i travel internationally quite often and it's such a bother especially when i have to move overseas for months and could only bring my lower-end rig because i'm afraid of being taxed
 

Valantar

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 20, 2018
2,201
2,225
i do this quite often too, just with a smaller 20" monitor.

by the way, is anyone worried that customs might slap a tax on their rig? how do you guys deal with that? i travel internationally quite often and it's such a bother especially when i have to move overseas for months and could only bring my lower-end rig because i'm afraid of being taxed
I've never heard of that unless you're transporting a distinct product (say, a GPU) in its retail packaging. Customs can't assume that any piece of technology you're carrying is being imported by you - if so they'd have to demand receipts for phones, headphones, laptops, tablets, etc. - which they don't have the resources to do (not to mention it would be a PR nightmare.

Btw, if they sold the Acer SB220Q in Norway, I would likely just buy that instead of rigging up a travel monitor. 22" 75Hz FreeSync IPS for $90? That's a really good deal.
 

polarium

Trash Compacter
Aug 31, 2019
35
8
Just an update for those wondering, I recently traveled from the US to Indonesia and no major problems faced.

In the US, TSA told me to get the pc out (like a laptop) in a separate bin. They said any large electronics must be in a separate bin. Other than that I went through easily.

In Japan as a stopover, they didn't care.

In Indonesia, they also didn't care.

So all in all, traveling with a PC in those countries should be a-OK
 

ignsvn

By Toutatis!
SFFn Staff
Apr 4, 2016
1,710
1,649
Just an update for those wondering, I recently traveled from the US to Indonesia and no major problems faced.

In the US, TSA told me to get the pc out (like a laptop) in a separate bin. They said any large electronics must be in a separate bin. Other than that I went through easily.

In Japan as a stopover, they didn't care.

In Indonesia, they also didn't care.

So all in all, traveling with a PC in those countries should be a-OK

Indonesia airport security are quite laxing.. Don't use them as a benchmark :)
 

Rolling9Deep

Caliper Novice
Sep 5, 2018
21
2
It would be good if everyone reporting would list if they have any water cooled components and/or AIO. It would make your post a lot more useful. Thanks!
 

McTeags

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Feb 18, 2017
130
148
I used to travel with my fat OG PS3. I got pulled aside at security once. They asked if it was a bomb. I said no. They asked if I could open it for them. I said no. They told me they trust me and let me go on my way.
 

ignsvn

By Toutatis!
SFFn Staff
Apr 4, 2016
1,710
1,649
I used to travel with my fat OG PS3. I got pulled aside at security once. They asked if it was a bomb. I said no. They asked if I could open it for them. I said no. They told me they trust me and let me go on my way.

LOL which airport security is that?