Any way to use my laptop as a monitor

[WingZero94]

I don't wanna lug my 21" monitor to a lan party. Case is Al though, so it's light. I've don't have video in, but was wondering if there was another way.

 

[FinalLasttt]

I would like to know also.

 

[Matthias99]

Yes; there's software you can get that basically runs like VNC in reverse, and lets you display a virtual desktop from your computer on another system's monitor. Most (all?) laptops do not have a VGA/DVI input that would let you drive them in hardware as an external display. I know there have been threads about this in the past.

I'm not sure if it would work at all for 3D gaming, though... and even if it does, it might lag too much to be useful.

 

[piasabird]

Might be better off buying a small LCD Monitor with a good refresh rate Like 16?

I know this is costly, but what are you gonna do!

 

[Tarrant64]

I posted about this a long time ago i believe, and read up a bunch on it. The LCD's on laptops are way different than other LCD's and/or CRT's(from what i read and understand anyways), there's no clear way to really use a laptop as another monitor for let's say a desktop or whatever. Even if you do happen to find a 'reverse' VNC type program, as mentioned, there won't be much benefits for it, and you probably won't be able to game properly with it. I would just suggest purchasing an LCD monitor or something, it's not worth the risk of possibly damaging your laptop just to use it as a second monitor.

 

[ribbon13]

It CAN be done, and I've done it, but unless your intimately familiar with soldering, electronics, and don't mind disassembling your laptop, it wouldn't be worth it.

 

[ribbon13]

$309 - Samsung 710N
Panel Type: a-si TFT/TN LCD
Native Resolution: 1280 x 1024
Pixel Pitch: 0.264 mm
Brightness: 300 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio: 600:1
Response Time: 12 ms
View Angle: 160 / 160 (Horizontal / Vertical)
Input Connectors: 15-pin D-Sub

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=24-001-171&depa=0

 

[Tarrant64]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
It CAN be done, and I've done it, but unless your intimately familiar with soldering, electronics, and don't mind disassembling your laptop, it wouldn't be worth it.

lol. that's why i said it's not worth possibly damaging you're laptop. i didn't meant to say it's impossible. i think when researching it before i was told the same thing, that if you know a lot about electronics you could do it.

 

[TantrumusMaximus]

There was a MUST HAVE software in one of the old Maximum PC magazines about a year ago that allowed you to use a laptop screen as your monitor for another system. I'm going to look it up.

Ok, It appears it allows you to use a laptop as a Second monitor. Here is the link:

http://www.maxivista.com/

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
It CAN be done, and I've done it, but unless your intimately familiar with soldering, electronics, and don't mind disassembling your laptop, it wouldn't be worth it.

How did you do that? Any links?

I have a laptop I dont mind cannibalizing.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: TantrumusMaximus

There was a MUST HAVE software in one of the old Maximum PC magazines about a year ago that allowed you to use a laptop screen as your monitor for another system. I'm going to look it up.

Ok, It appears it allows you to use a laptop as a Second monitor. Here is the link:

http://www.maxivista.com/

Way cool!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Might I simply suggest a Cardbus video-in device, and then run the TV-out from the main computer to the video-in on the laptop? Assuming that the laptop has a decent video card, and both devices support the newer standard for video-in via a Cardbus PC-card (forgot what it was called), then you could get a half-decent display, with as low as a 1-frame lag, although the resolution might get "fuzzified" due to the conversion involved.

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser

Originally posted by: TantrumusMaximus

There was a MUST HAVE software in one of the old Maximum PC magazines about a year ago that allowed you to use a laptop screen as your monitor for another system. I'm going to look it up.

Ok, It appears it allows you to use a laptop as a Second monitor. Here is the link:

http://www.maxivista.com/

Way cool!

 

[SpokeLee]

How about using your laptops touchpad and keyboard on your desktop?

 

[Penth]

That maxivista program does look pretty sweet, but I don't think it would work for LAN parties. Maybe though. If I had a laptop I'd for sure try it out.

 

[TantrumusMaximus]

I think Max PC's take on it was if you had an old run of the mill obsolete laptop... at least you could still use it for the extra screen real-estate.