Dual Monitor

[J1mbo]

We had had a VGA PCB HAT developed specifically for this and achieved passes with EN 55032:2015 and BS EN 61000-4-2, meaning it can be CE marked (home or business use) with appropriate manufacturing techniques and indeed FCC marked for Class A (business use). However, there are further costs to bring it to market. Right now there is no market because there is no product that could use it to run dual-head RPi, because of the framebuffer driver problem. wtware might be able to solve that, but even if they (or the kernel guys) do, the product will be about the same price for the end user to buy as a second Raspberry Pi.

This is why, notwithstanding the not insignificant money invested in that PCB already, I've personally come to the conclusion that using a second RPi with network master/slave configuration is the way to go. Of course that then opens up three or four (or more!) screens and each gets an hdmi interface and its own GPU too.

I do agree that a dual(+) screen RDP facility is required functionality but there are lots of hurdles to making a VGA or HDMI interface for the RPi, which in any already has all of that built-in and likely costs less money. It just needs software

[Jack]

Hi guys, any news from WTware to support dual monitor for RPi?

Best Regards,
Jack

[aka]

Not yet. We're waiting for the device. Post is veeeery veeery sslooowww

[netadmindave]

Any news on using the VGA666?

I've personally come to the conclusion that using a second RPi with network master/slave configuration is the way to go. Of course that then opens up three or four (or more!) screens and each gets an hdmi interface and its own GPU too.

can you explain more about how to achieve this?

[Jack]

I would be very very grateful if you find solution for dual monitor on RPi3.

[J1mbo]

Basically my idea is that one RPi would be the master and have the keyboard, mouse, network and screen attached as per usual. But we would be able to configure the wtware component to extend the display on another (preferably, several other) wtware RPi's that themselves only have a screen and network connected (no keyboard/mouse).

When the primary RPi (with the keyboard/mouse) connects to RDP, it would present itself as the combined desktop size. So in a 3-display configuration, we might configure it to be the centre screen and have one 'slave' RPi (with no mouse/keyboard) each side. So the primary RPi would display the centre screen on it's own physically attached screen, and simply send the content for the other two screens to the appropriate slave RPi, which would of course then display the content on it's own physically attached screen. Actually RDP is generally not network intensive so maybe it just sends the entire RDP stream to the other two RPis, which similarly display just their own portions as per configured location (left, middle, right, etc).

This way it's entirely software - no custom PCBs and the certification effort required for the same, no custom cases, no fiddly assembly, no availability problems. We just add RPi units.

Hopefully that will help the devs.

[akatik]

...to extend the display on another (preferably, several other) wtware RPi's

...and simply send the content for the other two screens to the appropriate slave RPi

Simply

Hopefully that will help the devs.

Devs are not ready to this idea.

WTware on x86 supports dual monitors on hardware with two hardware video outputs. "no custom PCBs, no custom cases, no fiddly assembly, no availability problems".

[arapozo]

Creating a slave RPi I imagine it is extremely difficult.
Each board boots independently.
In order to make both of them connect with each other and share the mouse and keyboard while an RDP connection is sent to the main one and the second screen is sent to another RPi requires a lot of coding.

Now, adding the 2nd display might not be as difficult since the GPIO is already part of the hardware.
It is basically adding and adapter to be able to display the second screen with VGA.

https://www.geek.com/chips/adding-a-sec ... r-1604080/

There are people already setting raspbian with 2 screens:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTcU5YSq-Ww

The problem here is that WTware needs a driver for the RPi to be able to configure the 2nd screen, the same way in the configuration is specified the driver for an x86, after the video card is specified in the configuration file then the 2 monitors need to be specified in the configuration file and both monitors will be working.

I know that adding the driver is not a piece of cake either, but should be less complicated.

I am really hoping that you can do it.

[J1mbo]

Ha yes simple for me to say

In my mind the RDP client on the RPi would need little change, specifically to be able to accept a raw stream and display one selected screen area of it. All three devices (in my example) might be internally rendering the full display area, just pushing their own assigned area to the physical display attached. That way the master could send the whole stream to the other devices, minimising CPU effort of splitting things out.

[akatik]

The problem here is that WTware needs a driver for the RPi to be able to configure the 2nd screen,

The problem here is that there are no digital (HDMI, DVI, DP) hardware for 2nd screen for the RPi. Only ancient VGA. Come back to "image on screen is moved left!!111"

Ok, we have VGA Shield V2.0 Expansion Board For Raspberry Pi and will add driver for it. A bit later, after remote update will go.

[robertvg]

I'm also interested in a solution to add a second display.
Because I would like to use vtware to replace some notebook configurations.
These staff members usually work with their notebook and a second larger display in extended display mode.
With the RPI I would give them a second older monitor.
But as far as I understand all expansion boards are just with VGA connections ?

[arapozo]

If you are going to install vtware on those notebooks then it might probably be working already if the video drivers specified in the configuration include the drivers the notebooks have.

You can check it here:

https://wtware.com/docs5/twomonitors.html

If you are going to use RPi to replace them, then you are one the same boat as me, just waiting for the driver to be available so I can add my VGA RPi Hat and use my second screen.

If you check, most monitors already come with HDMI, DVI and VGA connections, so using one HDMI and one VGA shouldn't be a problem. VGA might be old but monitor manufacturers still use those connectors and I am glad because I will be able to use the RPi with one of those connectors when the driver is ready.

[akatik]

all expansion boards are just with VGA connections ?

Yes.

x86 hardware runs well with two digital monitors. Not Pi.

[robertvg]

Also, another one can be found here: http://www.dxsoul.com/product/raspberry ... -901369600
I like this one more because it is located on top of the HDMI port.
So, is it supported?

arapozo, where are you located & did you order this board ?
I'm in the EU, any experience with delivery time of it ?

[Jack]

Any news about driver for VGA Shield 2.0?
Im impatient, everyday checking forum for any news

Thank you very much.