So, there are Mini PC available from Ricomagic, that have MHL linkups to home theater PC's, and allow for an easy Android Display.
http://rikomagic.co.uk/
Could these devices be stuffed into Phone and Tablet Form Factors so it's effectively one device that you can run Android on, mix and match your brains with your outside form, and have a universal device of sorts?
Related
Hi there
I'm embarking on an ambitious project and i was wondering if anyone could help me by giving suggestions.
I am making my own home automation system, and I already have the necessary hardware to get it up and running, but I want to take it a step farther.
I have this (Use google translate lol) http://cba.sakura.ne.jp/kit01/kit_399.htm kit, which is basically a set of 8 relay switches that can be used to turn on and off mains devices (such as lights, powerpoints, ect) that are controlled by a computer through a DB25 printer port. I also have an old Dell D600 laptop that has said printer port, and the software needed to drive the circuit board. This is all well and good, as everything is working so far, but before I bother to install this thing in my roof and hook it up to control my lights, power points, ect, I was wondering if there is a way to use my android phone (HTC Legend, unrooted ) or tablet (Motorola xoom wifi rooted with Tiamat, o/c to 1.7ghz) to control this board through a computer.
I already have a client that remote controls the computer (splashtop remote), and I can achieve this with some difficulty by remote controlling the computer and using the PC software through my phone/tablet, but I was wondering if there is an android home automation program and its PC client service that supports DB25 printer port pinout settings, so I could directly control the circuit board through the app, like the leading home automation apps already available (minus the extremely expensive proprietary hardware that you need with them). If not, has anyone else considered developing one? If anyone could give me any help on this it would be greatly appreciated.
I am interested in building a prototype of a device for testing vision which would be basically like the the devices you may have used when renewing your drivers licence. You basically look in to a "binocular like" eye piece and have to read different size letters and preform a few other tasks. Here is a pic of the type of device I am talking about.
http://www.southpointesurgical.com/images\optical1000.gif
These devices are purely optical and just use a light to illuminate a slide where I am interested in building a device that uses two small oled or amoled or similar type screens(one for each eye). Is it possible to connect and drive these types of screens from a standard desktop computer? Ultimately I would like to have the device powered buy a raspberry pi style micro-computer and communicate to the results of the tests to a laptop connected through a usb cable but I don't think the current generation of raspberry pis support multiple displays. I have tried to google the question but was unable to turn anything up.
Hey, from what I gather DEX mode gives you a desktop style experience with the note 9 on an external screen. But does anyone know if it's possible to use it on the screen of a tablet running Windows 10? Not run in windows, but just essentially make use of its screen? Although I'm sure I saw a video of a guy plugging the phone into a laptop and using its screen. The tablet is a lovely 12 incher with a great screen and a built in stand, I just think it would be cool to use it's screen while playing games through the phone with a Bluetooth controller. The tablet has a full size usb port and a mini HDMI which I don't know if it would be an input as well or just output.
Any ideas?
No you can use teamviewer as a remote though
nopez. there is no way a normal Tablet or even Laptop lends just the screen to an external source.
Unless a niche product i am unaware, No video input (HDMI or whatever) input to be found. Just Output.
So a software solution is needed to replicate the phone on the Tablet screen. And that will not make the phone desktop to switch to Dex mode.
Samsung Sidesync program is what you need to run in your Windows 10 Tablet. Hopefully a future iteration of Samsung soft will allow for kind of "dex mode" desktop, as it would allow a better use of screen realstate in the Win10 device landscape format screen
I remember back in 2011 when I was working at Toshiba in Cyprus that they had a 10 inch Android laptop (no touchscreen), those type of devices seem to have been discontinued. On the same note, I wanted to convert my 2016 Sony Xperia Z5 compact smartphone into a desktop instead of throwing it away after it got dead zone on the touchscreen that keeps on getting worse and makes the device almost useless (The lighter piezo solution did not work for my device).
The 1st method is from videos that are available on Youtube that are not tested by me. The 2nd method is my own way that I tested on two devices. One is Running Android Lollipop 5 and one running Oreo 8. Each one has a different solution because the floating of any app option only works on Android Nougat 7 or above.
Method 1:
The below videos explain about benefit of using the dock. It requires purchasing a Dock and might only work with USB-C devices. There are many more videos available for this subject. The dock will also charge the device while in use. Tips from the 2nd method may improve some features for this method. I did not fully research this method as it can easily be researched by anyone because it is a readymade solution. You can research it further if it interests you to find out if your device will work well with this solution.
Videos on the dock solution
Method 2:
Not tested for gaming
The two devices that I tested this solution on are Sony Xperia Z1 Compact smartphone 2014 model running Android Lollipop and Sony Xperia Z5 Compact smartphone 2016 running Android Oreo Custom ROM. Both devices have been rooted for maximum features. Both devices use micro USB connection so it might work differently with charging for USB-C devices. Results may differ with different devices and different versions of Android but I believe that it will work very similarly to mine.
Flagship devices should work well and should be able to support all the below requirements for this method.
Holder
To have the camera for video chatting or close to the face then you will need a phone / tablet holder like in one of the below links.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gritin-Phone-Stand-Adjustable-Holder/dp/B07C3MQYQV
or
https://www.amazon.com/Phone-Holder-Gooseneck-Stand-Recording/dp/B07JM5435F
External Screen
To display the Android device onto an external screen then you will either need a screen that supports screen mirroring or a Miracast device. Miracast include Chrome cast and any other screen mirroring dongles. I tested the method with Anycast version 1 and a Chromecast knock off one, it worked well on both of them. If you get the Error HDCP then it can be solved with an internet search and a rooted device. These devices come with two modes and only one of them will work with your Android device. Mircast uses HDMI and will send the image and the sound to the connected external screen wirelessly. (Compatible with any screen that supports HDMI connection, make sure that your device has screen casting support before purchasing).
If your device does not support screen mirroring, then you will need to purchase an original Chromecast device and connect it to the screen and install Google Home on your device and configure Google Home to detect the Chromecast device to use it. Chromecast will need to be configured in network mode and both devices need to be connected to the same LAN network. (It is possible that not all Android O/S systems can support this function).
Example on connecting VIA Google Home to Chromecast video:
Google Home might also be able to cast to other supported devices. Check the internet for more information on that if needed.
Keyboard and Mouse
For this you will need an OTG cable (OTG cable converts USB to micro USB or to USB-C connection) with a standard USB hub as well as the keyboard and mouse. Or you can also get the OTG hub that is a combo between the OTG cable and the USB hub. USB Wired or wireless keyboard and mouse should work normally.
On some devices the USB mouse and key board need to be connected before the device is turned on. USB mouse and keyboard can also work in TWRP recovery.
It should also be possible to just get the OTG cable with only the wireless keyboard and mouse that need only one USB receiver connection.
If there are issues for the device to detect the Mouse & keyboard then connect them before turning on the device.
On most devices the on screen keyboard will automatically stop appearing while the USB keyboard is attached. This can be controlled from the phone settings options.
If there are issues using the external keyboard then of the apps from the below links should resolve your issue as they are made for the external keyboard.
Null Input Method - Apps on Google Play
Get rid of the soft keyboard when using your bluetooth or USB keyboard.
play.google.com
External Keyboard Helper Pro - Apps on Google Play
Take full control over your external Bluetooth or USB keyboard.
play.google.com
External Keyboard Helper Demo - Apps on Google Play
Take full control over your external Bluetooth or USB keyboard.
play.google.com
USB Storage
I tested this with USB flash drive and external USB drive and worked well with both. It is possible that not all the USB flash drives will work with the Android device. Sandisk did not work well on my devices but other models worked normally.
For USB flash drive. Connecting USB devices one by one might not work well enough. It sometimes will not work unless I connect all the devices to the USB hub and then connect it to the Android device while the device is on.
Connecting the USB external drive might need extra power. So plug the 2nd connection that comes with the external drive into either a USB device charger or a power bank. I recommend using this in all situations to avoid causing damage to the Android device. Connect the drive after the device has already loaded the O/S (The reason is explained under charging section below).
The apps in the below link are the best free app for browsing External USB devices. The app in the 1st link did not detect USB on Lollipop but it worked well on the newer Android O/S and the one in the 2nd link did not open on Oreo. So test both until satisfied. If you get the message that the drive is empty and needs formatting just ignore it and try the below apps.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mobisystems.fileman&hl=en
http://www.estrongs.com/
Charging: It is not possible to charge and use the USB devices at the same time even if all are still connected (might not apply to USB-C Android devices, I don’t have one to test that on.) Connect the External USB drive that is using external power after the device is already on because it might start charging the device when the power is connected and if that happens then it will ignore the connected USB devices. It is an either or situation. Some devices have a 2nd way to charge the device, like a 2nd USB port or Qi charging (wireless charging). I was able to keep the Z1 compact charged with the 2nd option that it has.
Alternative all wireless connections
Android devices can handle 2-5 Bluetooth Devices simultaneously.
So it it possible to connect Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Bluetooth or Wireless storage device. This will allow to keep the phone charged while it is using all the external devices.
Printing
To be able to print from your phone then you will need to use the below option
The below video will show how to print from specific printers:
Print photos from Google photos App:
Google Photos - Apps on Google Play
The home for your memories. Relive, share, and organize your photos.
play.google.com
Create and print Documents from WPS App:
WPS Office-PDF,Word,Excel,PPT - Apps on Google Play
PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Form & Notes, powerful as Microsoft Office.
play.google.com
Apps for desktop mode
There are many available in the play store but I found the below to be the best amongst them.
SecondScreen - better screen mirroring for Android
SecondScreen App from the below link needs either a rooted device or an ADB command. The ADB command will appear after installing the app and loading the profile. Multiple profiles can be created with this app. This app has several features. Some of the features include changing the resolution and density of the screen as well as reducing screen backlight. The lower the density the higher resolution will be which is to fit more things on the screen. The device might do a soft reboot when loading and unloading the profile.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farmerbb.secondscreen.free&hl=en
Taskbar
The below app is only useful on Android Nougat 7 and above because it has a feature that is called freeform that allows to float any app when it is launched from this app for multitasking. It is made by the same developers that created Secondscreen and has a feature in the Secondscreen app to auto launch when the profile is loaded.
Set this app as default launcher. It does not have an option to minimize the apps to taskbar. To restore apps to freeform after being maximized then go to recent apps and click on the 1st icon on the left.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farmerbb.taskbar&hl=en
For Lollipop 5 & Marshmallow 6 devices. Use the app in the below link It works on newer Android devices as well. It will creates a landscape desktop with a taskbar and launcher. It comes with its own set of apps and more apps can be added from the 2nd link which contain the additional apps. Only the apps that are provided with this program can float and to open multiple apps on the desktop at the same time.
This app will lock the screen in Landscape mode. To get out of this mode you will have to turn off the features that are turned on during the setup process. You might also need to force stop the app. That can be done from settings or by installing a specific app for that like the one in the below link.
KillApps : Close all apps running
KillApps - Close all apps - Apps on Google Play
Close all apps running in background
play.google.com
Sentio Desktop
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andromium.os
Sentio Apps (Lollipop, Marshmallow)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sentio.apps
The below link is from the same developer and made for newer Android devices to float any app for Nougat 7 or above but it did not work for me so you can try it if you want to.
Sentio Desktop
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sentio.desktop
Hanna Baggili (John)
Hey. I've been working on the same goals for years now. I see you used Sentio desktop app for the desktop experience. However, Sentio seems to have gone under. Their app store entry is gone, and their website doesn't function.
What would be your best alternatives for a desktop environment setup, SW & HW? If I want a large display, I prefer to Miracast to a compatible device.
It's 2022. What would be your setup now. FWIW, I use and *older* LG V20 running Android 8, which is almost perfect for me (albeit not 'waterproof'). I have desire to upgrade to newer phones, with much more invasive versions of Android, tracking everyone and everything. Plus, screen casting (Miracast) isn't crippled as it now is in newer versions of Android.
Your choices?
I did not use all the apps for my setup that are in the guide. The provided solution is a general solution that I tested and works well.
Any app that is no longer in the Google play store can still be found online, in other non-official app store.
I did not test the solution for the later versions of Android.
From my own experience I found that the best Android version for the Android Desktop PC is Android 7.
What version of Android did you try your solutions on?
You can always check if there is a docking station for the phone that you want to use as a desktop. Take a look at YouTube videos in regards to that and consider it for your setup.
I did the conversion because I am an IT guy and lost the use of my phone. So I then converted it to a desktop and for the fun of it. I tested it on the older model that I have.
I know how to drive a DisplayLink monitor from an android device, but I was wondering if there was a way to set up a burner tablet to be a USB monitor. So you would connect it to a PC and the PC would say something like "Oh look. A Zenscreen"
MB169B+｜Monitors｜ASUS USA
ZenScreen portable monitors are designed to boost productivity and enable entertainment while on the go. Compact and versatile, they’re easy to set up anywhere and can be used in various scenarios.
www.asus.com
and the tablet would then behave as a second monitor?