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Ideas for a portable monitor
Slimy38 - 17/8/17 at 04:18 PM

I'm frequently finding myself using a second monitor, but not all contracts I'm on can provide a second monitor. I want to get a screen that I can put in my bag alongside my laptop.

There are specific USB monitors that are designed to be portable, unfortunately the USB input is like working through glue. And for some reason it's not 'cool' to include something like HDMI or VGA in these monitors.

On the other hand, there are plenty of 15 inch monitors available that are quite slim, but they come with non removal bases that are often more bulky than the monitor itself.

So what I'm after is;

1. A low profile screen (up to 1 inch thick max), max about 17 inches diagonal. Lightweight would be nice, I was looking at resurrected laptop screens but I'm not sure I could do what they were doing. Oh, and an external power brick is fine (and probably preferred)

2. A simple foldable stand that will either detach or will fold flush.

Now, the stand just cries out for some locost creativity. At minimum I was thinking some sort of hinged metal that had VESA fixings on one face, and the other face then folds underneath to a specific angle. A bit like how you can fold a door hinge back on itself and it ends up about 30 degrees open (or 330 degrees if you look at it the other way!).

Or perhaps something like a tablet case that folds into a triangle to become a stand?

Has anyone got any ideas, or even something they've seen or done before like this?


gremlin1234 - 17/8/17 at 06:43 PM

I would have thought turning a laptop into a second display would be trivial, however, there doesn't seem to be much available

however when searching, it may be possible to make a modern ipad etc into an extra display for mac or win
https://www.duetdisplay.com/#


tajgreidotu - 17/8/17 at 07:09 PM

After searching a lot, same challenge as yours, I found myself using an old Microsoft Surface RT (mk1) and an app called Splashtop www.splashtop.com

Works over wifi, and latency is a bit slower than the USB ones, so quite happy with this.

Locost rules


Slimy38 - 17/8/17 at 07:33 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tajgreidotu
After searching a lot, same challenge as yours, I found myself using an old Microsoft Surface RT (mk1) and an app called Splashtop www.splashtop.com

Works over wifi, and latency is a bit slower than the USB ones, so quite happy with this.

Locost rules


Splashtop is the thing that got me thinking about this, I think it was their 'xdisplay' or something similar? It was an Android app, and as you say it works quite well. It was certainly well behaved enough to have things on display to refer to, while I work on the main screen. I did then look into getting a large enough tablet (even one with a big screen but weak processor), but 10 inches was the biggest I could have, and that's what I was working on.

Gremlin, that duetdisplay is very similar, anything with an Apple logo is unfortunately well out of my price range.


gttztt - 17/8/17 at 07:33 PM

Try a search for Slidenjoy.
These are detachable laptop screens which fix to the back of your own laptop and plug in via usb.
They are not out in the wild yet but I am still waiting.....

Also NOT Locost 😞


gremlin1234 - 17/8/17 at 07:48 PM

IF you have usb3 on the computer this may be good
http://www.ebuyer.com/544465-asus-mb168b-15-6-led-usb-portable-monitor-mb168b
apparently it should also work on usb2 too, though slower.


Chris_Xtreme - 18/8/17 at 08:20 PM

a friend bought a usb C one and says it is just fine. not sure about high speed gaming, but for office work. power comes from the usb C connection as well as the video signal, no only one more wire.

I tried a usb 2 one, a proper displaylink certified one - oh sort of, it was a usb to vga dongle, any way the usb 2 ness of it made it naff.


Slimy38 - 19/8/17 at 09:38 AM

quote:
Originally posted by gttztt
Try a search for Slidenjoy.
These are detachable laptop screens which fix to the back of your own laptop and plug in via usb.
They are not out in the wild yet but I am still waiting.....

Also NOT Locost 😞


Yep, I've seen the video. Fantastic idea, I didn't dare to look at the price!


Slimy38 - 19/8/17 at 09:41 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Chris_Xtreme
a friend bought a usb C one and says it is just fine. not sure about high speed gaming, but for office work. power comes from the usb C connection as well as the video signal, no only one more wire.

I tried a usb 2 one, a proper displaylink certified one - oh sort of, it was a usb to vga dongle, any way the usb 2 ness of it made it naff.


It's the display link ones that I want to avoid if possible, I have USB 3 but even then it's meant to be a bit pants. I can understand the concept of 'one less wire', but I'd be fine with two wires if it gave me a decent user experience. Usb power and hdmi video makes far more sense to me.


gremlin1234 - 19/8/17 at 10:09 AM

you can get adaptors for laptop screens
http://www.instructables.com/id/Old-laptop-screen-into-Monitor/