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Using a laptop as second screen ?

B

boran

Golden Member
I will get myself a laptop in a few months, and I was wondering, is it possible to use the laptops screen as a secondary display, I know a laptop does not have a video in, but maybe there would be software to emulate a second desktop ? It's not for use in games, It's mainly for use of my developer tools (Together, PaintShop Pro, Photoshop) and my VM's if possible.

I had tought software to do stuff like this would be available, especially on a lan (very smal lan, between my rig and my laptop 😉) VNC has the option to select which display number you connect to, but I think I would need a monitor actually connected for that.

anyone has any ideas?

thanks.
 
I don't think RealVNC does what he wants -- I *think* he's looking to actually use the laptop's screen as a secondary display for his computer, not just to view what's on the other computer on his monitor. However, I found this, which points towards a utility (MaxiView) that looks like it DOES do what you want.
 
Dualview functionality is built into XP. See this link:

Scroll down about half way and look under Dualview

The only caveat here is that when using a laptop's LCD, it has to be the primary screen. Also, the display drivers for your laptop must support it (anything recent should do ok). I'm using an Compaq Evo 620c with a Radeon 7500 chip, and it works like a charm. If you're wanting good functionality and wanting to keep it free, this might be your best option. Otherwise, MaxiVista works great, too. I'm just too cheap to get it, and I hate having to use another PC to do the job.
 
Again, what you posted is not (I think) what the OP was looking for. Unless I'm misunderstanding him, he wants to have a laptop sitting next to his PC, and be able to use the laptop's *display* as a second monitor for his desktop. Hooking up an external monitor to a laptop is no problem; it's getting a laptop to act AS an external monitor that's difficult.
 
As noted before yes, I have no problem connecting a second screen to my lappy, but all of em support that I guess, the thing is to actually use my laptop as secondary display device for my main system, and since I'm going for a lightweight laptop, it's preferred to have the main rig do the actual work and let the laptop just work as a dumb display.

thanks implicit1 an Matthias99, maxvista is the tool I need, and its cheap too (compared to buying a whole new second monitor, now I can buy a lappy and get a second monitor for practically free so to say)

thanks all the rest for replying.
 
Do either of these programs allow you to do overlay or any kind of video on the external screen? is the speed (fps) decent?
 
Originally posted by: SpaceWalker
Synergy
Click to expand...

Synergy, however maybe usefull, does not do what I want, since together and photoshop etc are all one program, multiple windows. hence If I set the colors on one screen, it wont have an effect on another screen, synergy is more like a KVM but in software whereas maxvista is a second monitor.
 
Doh... I was thinking you were actually wanting multiple displays on using your laptop as the actual PC. Now that I read it more carefully, I realize that wasn't the case. Sorry about that...
 
I gave MaxiViewer a try. I installed the server on my desktop and the viewer on my notebook. Both are Windows XP SP1 machines.

I can move my cursor around my notebook screen as a secondary display, but when I try to move any window over from my desktop screen, it freezes the notebook display. It doesn't work at all.
 
The demo works fine with my bro's PC as client and my sisters as server, but since I do not have my laptop yet I cannot say how it'll go on that one eh, if it's not working send a mail to the maxivista guys eh, they'll have ears for it, they're the ones trying to sell it eh 🙂 but as it is now i'll definetly buy it.

 
The maxivista trial works fine on my setup too. Main display is a Dell 2001FP at 1600x1200 on a Quadro 280 card... maxvista display is my Fujitsu P2120 at 1280x768. Surprisingly responsive as well. I may try dragging out my old P166 notebook (12.1" Active matrx 800x600 screen) to see how it behaves with it. Hack that screen around backwards like a tabletpc and hang it on the wall as an extra display.
 
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