Android App for LCD Smartie {DEVELOPER NEEDED}

[limbo]

Hi
I'm just calling out for any experienced developer out there to adopt an idea and create an application for android phone which will convert the phone to active LCD screen.
There is a similar solution for Windows Mobile but since Android is very popular OS I think my post will excite some folks.

I'm waiting for your responses here. Hopefully my idea will become true!

Thanks
Limbo

[dperrow]

Hi Limbo,
there are at least two programs that allow an Android device to act as an extended desktop with windows. If you used one of these in combination with my device driver, VirtualLCD, then it should do what you want. I can't test this as i've not got an Android phone but if you do try it let us know how it goes.

Dave

[limbo]

Really? didn't knew about these android apps... i will check it and post here with the results....

[dperrow]

Have a look here:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/tablet ... ablet/1570

Dave

[limbo]

Hello again

I followed dpperow's advice and after a quick search on internet I was able to make some tests with an app called "Air Display". (http://avatron.com/apps/air-display).
After few tries I was able to run this program and have a virtual display on my android based mobile phone - Check the following image

IMG_20121101_132407 (Small).jpg

However i'm not impressed by the update rate and the app reliability. I would expect something better than that. I will make more test on this and I will come back with more info.

[limbo]

Probably you can't see a lot on the image posted so I created a demo video:


But I'm still not satisfied with the solution...
Any ideas or improvements?

[dperrow]

What's frustrating you? There's quite a few config params in the VirtualLcd.cfg

When you say update rate do you mean the scroll rate or the screen refresh in general from the PC?

Dave

[limbo]

What's frustrating you? There's quite a few config params in the VirtualLcd.cfg
When you say update rate do you mean the scroll rate or the screen refresh in general from the PC?
Dave

Hi Dave
It's not VirtualLCD which causes problems but the PC-Mobile phone connection which is not as expected.
I spent half a day testing with two different mobile phones and three computers in order to find a way to connect and reconnect without problems with the android device but Air Display doesn't fulfill my needs. There are lot of issues caused either by disconnections, either by the program inability to switch to use the phone in landscape mode (without sizing the portrait image), either by connection issues (most of the times the program doesn't respond as additional display ).
Maybe I should move to a different android application.

For the moment it is a good starting point but not as it should be in order to advice other users to use it

UPDATE
Switched to iDisplay:
This application seems to be better on connection and update speed. I will make some tests more and I give you the results ASAP.

2nd UPDATE
The behavior is more or less the same with iDisplay. Although this app eliminates connection issues (at least with my setup) strange things are happening to desktop arrangement when android device is switched from portrait to landscape mode. Additionally virtual display moved to main monitor if connection between virtual monitor and computer is lost.

Conclusion
I'm able to display LCD Smartie to android device (and i think this is possible to iOS based devices too). However the solution is not what I would describe as "Support for Android"
I still need a robust solution.

[dperrow]

Hi Limbo,
that may well be VirtualLCD behaviour as there's code in there to move the display around dependant on what windows thinks the screen arrangement is. I'll have a look at the code when i get a chance and let you know.

Dave

[dperrow]

Hi,
it's kinda complex this but I'll try and explain.

When a virtual display driver (e.g. iDisplay etc.) is used it is added to windows virtual desktop and a bounding rectangle created which cover all displays (depends where the secondary display has been placed - right click on the desktop and select screen resolution to see).

Assuming that the VirtualLCD.cfg file contains 0,0 for x and y then it will try and place the LCD at 0,0.
When a screen change occurs (e.g. rotating the device) windows will recalculate the bounding rectangle and VirtualLCD will move the LCD back to 0,0

I have no idea what iDisplay does to the virtual windows screen when it rotates - you can probably check with the screen resolution function.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Dave