This comes up from time to time so here is a sum

[WNewquay]

This comes up from time to time so here is a summary of several ways in which you can use your Tablet PC's display in conjuction with another machine.

A: Same image on both machines
http://www.tabletpcbuzz.com/forum/uploaded/WNewquay/200411111154_2monitorsAA.gif
Products:
VNC = RealVNC (http://www.realvnc.com/) or variants like Ultr@VNC (http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net/) - open source
MaxiVista (http://maxivista.com/) see site for current pricing (Note: also does scenario B)

Applications:
Remote control or remote display. Commonly used to control another machine at a distance, but also useful for "cloning" displays. Great for making the desktop a remote display of what you are doing on your Tablet PC.


B: Tablet acts as Extended Desktop
http://www.tabletpcbuzz.com/forum/uploaded/WNewquay/200411113740_2monitorsExtended.gif
Products:
MaxiVista (http://maxivista.com/) see site for current pricing (Note: also does scenario A)
Applications:
Extend your Windows desktop across to machines. Basically treats your Tablet PC as a second monitor.

C: Tablet runs software independently
http://www.tabletpcbuzz.com/forum/uploaded/WNewquay/200411111236_2monitorsSEPARATE.gif
Products:
Synergy (http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/) open source
ShareKMC (http://www.tabletpcpost.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownloaddetails&lid=3&ttitle=ShareKMC) - shareware

Applications:
This situation is different as you running your Tablet PC as a separate machine, but using only one keyboard and mouse to control both machines. You get to use the processing power of the Tablet PC and the Inking capability if you pick up the pen and use it.

[jamescj]

Thanks for another informative thread WN!

I use Synergy with my tablet PC, an external TFT screen (via the docking station) and my Thinkpad A31. The TC1100 has a wireless K/board mouse (MS) and I use Synergy with the TC1100 setup as host. At home I have a slightly similar setup although the host is my web-server (a Shuttle XPC) and the TC1100 the client - at home I use a wireless connection (802.11b) and I find that there is quite a delay in the mouse movements (also wireless, logitech this time) on the TC1100 screen.

http://www.tabletpcbuzz.com/forum/uploaded/jamescj/2004111114621_desktop-setup.jpg

[Bryhawks]

James, I don't know what it is exactly, but I love your diagram! (and your train, WNewquay!)

[jamescj]

quote:Originally posted by Bryhawks

James, I don't know what it is exactly, but I love your diagram! (and your train, WNewquay!)


Thanks. Aren't TabletPC's great! :-)

[jsco]

Are there any other programs like MaxiVista?

[Spencer]

quote:Originally posted by jsco

Are there any other programs like MaxiVista?


Not that I know of. MaxiVista just came on the market this year, and before that I'd never seen an application that could do what it does.

WNewquay & jamescj, nice diagrams! Good information there.

[adamgolding]

has anyone had success using two tablets connected together to read one document across 2 screens, kind of like a normal book?

you see, i want to use this for playing music at the piano, and if i have 2 tablets running, i only have to advance pages half as often--is there an easy way to dispay something, (say, in acrobat reader) with a page on each tablet, and so i can hit one button to advance to the next 2 pages?

there is a specialized device that does this, called MusicPad Pro

http://www.freehandsystems.com/

and it lets you hook up a pedal for the page turns as well, but i want to do it using my 2 tablet pcs... any ideas?

[WNewquay]

adamgolding,

I'm using an M200, and right this moment, because I saw your question, I am running MaxiVista (and the NView option to maximize a window to the desktop), and I have IE spread across the width of two Tablet PCs.

So it is doable.

[Knubbi]

@Justin: What are you missing in MaxiVista?

Knubbi

[BioTechieCR]

I guess Synergy is the one that I like the most, I like the fact that I can still use processor capabilities of the machines. Also like the fact that it is getting closer to be something like a Linus Cluster. hmmm interesting.


BTCR

[WNewquay]

BTCR,

I think that these two applications (MaxiVista and Synergy2) address different needs.

For example:
I have an older SGI desktop machine with a terrific screen (1600 x 1000). I use Remote Desktop to open a third faster desktop machine, then move the Remote Desktop window to the SGI Monitor (thanks MaxiVista). This is more complex than the model that MaxiVista uses for demo - being able to use an older laptop as an extended monitor, but the principle is the same.

I also use MaxiVista in lecture halls where there is a desktop machine connected to a projector.

I run MaxiVista client on the desktop and server on the Tablet PC (I have also used several variants of VNC for this). MaxiVista has been the most stable.

The net result - wirelessly - whatever I do on the Tablet PC comes out on the projector as I wander around the room.

I also run VNC server on all the student machines. This allows me to "hookup" to a student machine so we can share issues up on the projector.

Student via VNC to Tablet PC
Tablet PC to Desktop machine via MaxiVista.
Desktop machine to projector.


I also use Synergy2 to run between my three Tablet PCs.

From Left to Right

TC1100 in docking station in portrait mode
M200 - laptop mode
M200 - Slate mode in a stand in landscape mode

I run Synergy2 server on the middle machine and have the processing power of all three machines - and it feels like I have a screen approximately
768 + 1400 + 1400 wide
and approximately 1024 tall.

Very cool.

[JoJa15]

What I am trying to do is setup my M200 Tablet PC so that when it is docked in the Toshiba Multi Dock my desktop monitor has my icons and windows task bar and my tablet PC has the extended desktop (second monitor) to the right for note taking using the Tablet PC functionality. Then if I undock my Tablet PC I would like the M200 to get the task bar and icons and for the Tablet PC to function in single monitor mode.

Is there any way to achieve the above? Are there any tools to do this that can sense if I am docked or not and change settings when I do so?

I have tried it using the Toshiba NVIDIA drivers but when I undock it still things I am in dual monitor mode.

- John