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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

#131

Post by da39a3ee »

very cool!

> I also never have enough screens and never know where to put my terminal when I need to tail a log or something

What I do is just don't think of the terminal as competing for screen space. My terminal is always full screen, and a single "hotkey" toggles between the world of GUI apps, and the terminal world. Then, you can divide up the terminal however you want; I use tmux.

I've been trying this for more than 10 years. initially with iterm2, which has a built in "hotkey", and now with Alacritty, using hammerspoon for the hotkey. (the hotkey is sometimes called a "visor" key in this context, I think to do with first-person shooter games).

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

#132

Post by wkat4242 »

londons_explore wrote: post #91
wkat4242 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

You can also replace the battery with a much smaller one - eg. a coin cell, and it'll normally run fine.

But what will a coin cell do when it's trying to get charged? That sounds a bit worrying.

But I didn't realise that. Perhaps I could use a voltage divider then or simply input 5V. 5V is too high for a battery but most devices accept it there anyway.

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

#133

Post by wkat4242 »

danielvf wrote: post #90
wkat4242 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

I use cheap ones from Amazon (link below). I power them with 12V adapters which I "shucked". 5V is not enough to provide enough voltage because you lose some in the conversion.

https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B07PBCYTFW

These adapters seem similar to what's used in that instructibles link. I didn't pick these for any specific reason other than they were available on Amazon. It uses the same LM2596.

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

#134

Post by stonecharioteer »

seizethegdgap wrote: post #15

For Windows, the paid program SuperDisplay will also allow you to use an Android device as a second screen, works wireless or over USB. My Galaxy Tab S7+ is great as a second monitor. https://superdisplay.app/

I also have an S7+, and I've been very happy with the device. How do you feel about it in 2023? I'm tempted to get the S9 Ultra as an upgrade but I'm on the fence right now.

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

#135

Post by bluearchon »

seiferteric wrote: post #123
butz wrote: post #24

Got to mention that you can use your tablet on Linux GNOME DE not only for terminal: https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2022/06/use-ipad-as-second-monit... . Still waiting for even better solution, like streaming games to such second tablet "monitor".

Just tried this but got "this device needs iOS 15 or later" when trying to install Microsoft rdp client, which isn't available for my old iPad. So I guess you can't actually use an old iPad for this. But maybe I can find another rdp client that will work.

Do you have the RD Client app installed on an iOS 15+ device? If you ‘own’ the app (and the developer allows it, I think) the App Store will let you install the latest supported version on an older iOS. I was able to install RD Client on my iOS 10 iPad that way a little while ago, but maybe something’s changed in the meantime.

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

#136

Post by londons_explore »

wkat4242 wrote: post #132
londons_explore wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can also replace the battery with a much smaller one - eg. a coin cell, and it'll normally run fine.

But what will a coin cell do when it's trying to get charged? That sounds a bit worrying. But I didn't realise that. Perhaps I could use a voltage divider then or simply input 5V. 5V is too high for a battery but most devices accept it there anyway.

> But what will a coin cell do when it's trying to get charged?

You can get rechargeable lithium coin cells. It will just recharge fast.

The cell usually has enough internal resistance and surface area that it can't overheat or violate the charge current limits.

I still wouldn't recommend this approach, simply because the DC/DC converter approach you specified is slightly more power efficient (onboard chargers tend to have poor energy efficiency - many are simple linear regulators from 5v!).

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

#137

Post by nunez »

brainlessdev wrote: post #62
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…

Totally off-topic, but while reading this I was thinking "that is exactly what I would say". Then I saw your username... it looks like we share not only a taste for monitors but also a surname!

No way! That's cool!

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

#140

Post by roessland »

guraf wrote: post #69
roessland wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

tmux + ttyd (or gotty) could be used in a similar way. But it's not like an extra screen, it's more like mirroring a terminal to another device.

Someone asks for a webpage and not only do you propose tmux, you also acknowledge it doesn't even do anything like what's asked. Typical Linux user.

Gotty serves a terminal window as a website. Tmux can be used to force the terminal size, so that you can a small window for typing, like OP does.

The person on the other end does not have to learn either of them.

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