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Show HN: Use an old tablet as an extra monitor

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Re: Show HN: Use an old tablet as an extra monitor

#81

Post by mixmastamyk »

Unfortunately, I find systemctl hard to type. If you start/stop services somewhat frequently, I recommend this alias:

    alias sc='sudo systemctl'
This has the nice property in that it mirrors the "service control" (sc) utility in later versions of Windows NT that I grew up on. Should work in bash/fish.

I have these others also when doing service development, because many of the subcommands start with 'st*' and also having to change the second parameter each time is annoying. These work in fish, but are easily ported:

    function sce --description 'systemctl stop # end'
        sc stop $argv;
    end
    function sci --description 'systemctl status # info'
        sc status $argv;
    end
    function scs --description 'systemctl start # start'
        sc start $argv;
    end

Re: Show HN: Use an old tablet as an extra monitor

#82

Post by lexlash »

takluyver wrote: post #54
zackmorris wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd even go one step further: we should have had a standard communications protocol like TCP for all devices. So a display would show up as just another device that we could use to read/write bytes. All devices would have a standard queryable HTTP/HATEOAS self-documenting interface. And HDMI/DisplayPort or USB A/B/C/.../Z would all use the same protocol as gigabit ethernet or Thunderbolt or anything else, so the band…

In fairness, there are standardised protocols for a lot of these things already, even if they're not all part of one giant meta-protocol. Cameras in particular have mostly appeared as a folder full of files, with no need for special drivers, for something like 20 years. There's definitely no need to invoke a conspiracy for the lack of 'one protocol to rule them all'. It's often hard agreeing on a standard even for a…

The meta protocol exists! Sort of. Check out the USB-C specs, which tried to answer a ton of this. It’s taken years for power delivery to reach the point where I don’t feel compelled to carry a USB-C power meter to check cables and chargers in the wild. My Switch still requires some out of spec signaling to charge/dock properly.

Meanwhile, half of the stuff I get off AliExpress only charges from A to C cables due to a missing resistor.

I don’t think the markets (yet) incentivize implementations. Like how when my mortgage gets resold, autopay will only transfer over if it’s once a month; anything more complex and I have to endure a new account setup and a ton of phone trees. Same with paperless settings. The result? I just live with the MVP.

Re: Show HN: Use an old tablet as an extra monitor

#84

Post by Rudism »

nunez wrote: post #33

I don't know how folks can use a ton of screens like this. I had four 32" monitors at one place and it was incredibly overwhelming. I've been rocking a single 27" screen for years. Even that's too big. I prefer 24" screens but it's difficult to get a good one. I can hold context in multiple virtual spaces, and key bindings make switching between them super quick. I guess this is in the same camp as "I don't understan…

I agree. My opinion is that once you've trained yourself to use virtual desktops efficiently, multiple monitors becomes more of a hassle than a benefit.

I think multiple monitors is the solution for people who would rather solve the problem by spending their money instead of the effort it takes to configure and become accustomed to switching between virtual desktops. Given that it is a strict biological limitation that the human brain can only focus attention on one thing at a time, I don't believe there is any valid argument for why moving your eyeballs between physical monitors is any better than hitting a key combo to switch between virtual desktops on a single monitor once those key combos have become muscle memory. Additionally, the number of physical monitors you have is limited by how much money you have to burn and how much physical space you have to place them, whereas virtual desktops are theoretically unlimited.

Re: Show HN: Use an old tablet as an extra monitor

#85

Post by jmbwell »

switchbak wrote: post #64
nunez wrote: post #33

I don't know how folks can use a ton of screens like this. I had four 32" monitors at one place and it was incredibly overwhelming. I've been rocking a single 27" screen for years. Even that's too big. I prefer 24" screens but it's difficult to get a good one. I can hold context in multiple virtual spaces, and key bindings make switching between them super quick. I guess this is in the same camp as "I don't understan…

I think a lot of this depends on how you arrange your windows. I've used a bunch of monitors in the past, but found that my neck started to hurt after looking to the side too much. And having the bezels right in the middle of your view makes the most valuable real estate effectively unusable (unless you have 3!). 4 32's would be way too much for me, no doubt. Having a single widescreen monitor has been better for me.…

I have my primary display in the center, directly in front of me. Whatever needs my primary focus for my current task goes there... Outlook for email, vscode for code, Terminal for admin, web browser when web browsering, etc.

To my left is for monitoring things, previewing things, and reference. Browser for checking changes to code, logs for monitoring changes to system, documentation for thing I'm working on, etc.

The result avoids the bezel in my direct field of view, avoids strain and RSIs from awkward posture, and, incidentally, kinda degrades gracefully when I'm at home with only one display or traveling with only my laptop's display.

But the second display to my left allows my peripheral vision to monitor things for changes without diverting my focus, and helps me keep documentation or source material for comparison handy without having to switch away from the thing I'm working on.

Re: Show HN: Use an old tablet as an extra monitor

#86

Post by [deleted] »

nunez wrote: post #33

I don't know how folks can use a ton of screens like this. I had four 32" monitors at one place and it was incredibly overwhelming. I've been rocking a single 27" screen for years. Even that's too big. I prefer 24" screens but it's difficult to get a good one. I can hold context in multiple virtual spaces, and key bindings make switching between them super quick. I guess this is in the same camp as "I don't understan…

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: Use an old tablet as an extra monitor

#87

Post by trevcanhuman »

I've used Weylus [0]. It works over LAN, lets you control the mouse from your tablet. Sometimes it's laggy, but you can configure the resolution so it's not using too much bandwidth. I'm not sure if it's stable at all. Haven't used it on a regular basis.

[0] https://github.com/H-M-H/Weylus

Re: Show HN: Use an old tablet as an extra monitor

#88

Post by sfink »

mixmastamyk wrote: post #81

Unfortunately, I find systemctl hard to type. If you start/stop services somewhat frequently, I recommend this alias: alias sc='sudo systemctl' This has the nice property in that it mirrors the "service control" (sc) utility in later versions of Windows NT that I grew up on. Should work in bash/fish. I have these others also when doing service development, because many of the subcommands start with 'st*' and also hav…

I agree, though I find journalctl to be even worse to type.

Re: Show HN: Use an old tablet as an extra monitor

#90

Post by danielvf »

wkat4242 wrote: post #32
Netcob wrote: post #12

> I have a couple old kindle fire tablets lying around. One of them has a battery that lasts about ten minutes. You might want to check if the battery is going "spicy pillow".

Yeah for this reason I replace the battery of old tablets that I use as control panels, with a DC-DC converter. Simply removing the battery isn't enough because most tablets refuse to run on usb power alone.

URL to an example of what you use?
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