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Using your VEGA to extend your windows desktop


Guest philhaz

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Guest philhaz

The easy way:

1. Download iDisplay from the android market

2. Install the server software

3. Hit connect.

Having tried this out for about 3 minutes, however, it was clear that it wasn't up to scratch (just read the reviews, I'm not the only one who thought this). There was far too much lag in the display, and it crashed too often to make it useable. So...

The hard (but rewarding) way:

Note: This was all done using Windows XP, although I don't expect things will be too different for any other OS.

1. Download ZoneScreen - this is used to simulate a second screen (or third, if you have a second already).

2. Download RealVNC free edition - this is used to broadcast our second screen. In theory any VNC server will do, provided you can set it to serve a specific screen (more on this later).

3. Download VNC Viewer from the android market - this is how we view our second screen on our VEGA. Once again, any VNC app should do, so feel free to try one of the free alternatives.

4. Open a command prompt in the directory where you extracted ZoneScreen, and enter the command "zsserver /installdisplay". You should be prompted to install some drivers, just click continue at each step. Once this is finished, restart windows.

5. Double-click zsserver.exe to run the wizard, and select "act as a server". You should now be able to select your new virtual monitor from the drop-down box. If it isn't there, go to "file -> attach zonescreen display" and try again.

6. Once you have your new monitor selected (it will be called something like "\\.\DISPLAY2"), you need to create a new custom resolution to match the VEGA. You can do this via "options -> add custom resolution". Width needs to be 1024, and height needs to be 568 (this is because Android's notification bar takes up part of the screen in my VNC viewer. If you can figure out how to hide this, feel free to use the full 600px height). Colour depth should be 32. Click add, and the display should flicker.

7. Launch VNC server, and set up all your default options (password, auto-start etc.). Then you need to go in to "configure -> expert" and set "DisplayDevice" to the name of your display (e.g. "\\.\DISPLAY2"). This will make sure that only our "virtual" monitor gets served to our vega.

8. Launch the VNC app on your VEGA and connect to the server (you may have to enter your PC's IP address).

9. Voila! You should now be seeing an extra desktop on your VEGA's screen, and it's silky-smooth and bug-free.

Further enhancements:

- Buy (or make) a dock, and set up your VEGA next to your current monitor. Then go into windows display properties and reposition the second display to match the position of your VEGA. Boom, seamless dragging of windows from one screen to the next!

- Use EventGhost to detect VNC connections and automatically enable/disable the second monitor. This means you won't get "lost" windows if you disconnect your VEGA, and you won't have to fiddle about in display settings. Tip: Setting up the macros is a bit fiddly, but if anyone wants any pointers just let me know.

Personally, I use this to have winamp running on my VEGA whilst working on my main PC. This means I can always see what is playing / lyric display / visualiser, and if I want I can pick it up and use it as a wireless remote!

So there you have it: let me know what you think!

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  • 2 months later...
Guest tony barnes

Cool, will try that. Can the 2nd screen (i.e. vega) display video smoothly?

If so this could be a big bag of win for streaming HD stuff :P

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest HypoTurtle
Cool, will try that. Can the 2nd screen (i.e. vega) display video smoothly?

If so this could be a big bag of win for streaming HD stuff ;)

I tried this a few weeks ago and no it doesn't stream video smoothly or at least not well, I have seem some fullscreen mirors that do stream it well so it is possible i.e. mirror image of PC/laptop screen onto Vega

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  • 1 year later...
Guest SageDesign

I have tried iDisplay and it works with the Vega, but gets confused when used from my notebook, which has a 1920 x 1200 display - part of the picture gets lost and there is no mouse.

As another thought, could your alternative method be modified to make the Vega work as a monitor for a Raspberry Pi?

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