Remote display Mac desktop on iPad - control not needed

[Cagle]

Is there an app that just allows remote displaying of your Mac desktop on the iPad? I've tried a number of remote desktop apps but i don't require the built in controls, I plan to use a Bluetooth mouse instead, and the refresh rates on these apps can be too slow. Air-display was promising but it looks like its just an extension of one screen, not the whole desktop.

Would an app that didn't have to use resources on controls be snappier at the refresh rates or should I just stick with something like logmein?

 

[jtara]

I don't think that not having inputs on the iPad is going to do anything at all for speed. I can see that being useful to avoid inadvertent input, but if that is a need, I would look for an app that has a setting to turn off input.

The needed refresh rate is dependent on how much is changing on the screen - period.

Too bad AirDisplay won't work for you, because it has a great refresh rate.

In general, VNC is pretty awful on refresh. It just moves bitmaps (or compressed bitmaps). Other protocols work at a lower level, and can, say, send text as text, vector graphics as vector graphics, saving bandwidth. If your need was to access a Windows desktop, I think you'd do much better with RDP than VNC, and on Linux perhaps with X.

 

[jtara]

Perhaps AirDisplay will work for you after all!

You have a couple of options. They both involve going to System Preferences, Displays, Arrangement, after starting AirDisplay and selecting the iPad in the AirDisplay menu in the status bar.

1. You can simply check "mirror displays". This will give you a copy of the desktop on both your main computer display and iPad. Now, the desktop will resize of 1024x768, and you will get a fuzzy display on your main display (assuming your main display resolution is > 1024x768. Yes, you get a smaller desktop, but you won't have to endure a fuzzy display on the iPad, nor will you need to pan a larger desktop, which is a pain in the butt.

2. You SHOULD be able to move the status bar from one display to the other. But that doesn't seem to work for AirDisplay. I think you are supposed to drag the status bar depiction on the Arrangement window. But you can't select it.

Ah, this seems like a bug. If I open my Macbook (I normally run it closed on an external monitor), I can move the status bar from the external display to the internal Macbook display OR to AirDisplay. But I can't move it with just the external monitor and AirDisplay enabled. Not sure about Macbook/Airdisplay combo as that's not something I'd commonly do.

The dock doesn't go with the status bar. Not sure how to move the dock, but if you can figure that out, you are golden!

(Edit: I figured it out. The dock DOES go with the status bar. However, there is no way to access the dock from AirDisplay, unless you set it to not "disappear". You can, however, use your Bluetooth mouse or built-in trackpad to access the dock.)

You will would have control from the iPad, however.

Basically, what I'm trying to do in this case is to reverse the roles, so that the iPad is the "primary" display and the internal and/or external display(s) "secondary".

But this really isn't what you want to do. Sounds like #1 would work for you though!

 

[Cagle]

Perhaps AirDisplay

Thanks, I decided on your option 1 and downloaded airdisplay, and everything seems fine using the mirror mode, except I get a grey slab down the right hand side which I can't shift no matter what settings I try.

Its even there on the normal non-mirrored setting....I wondered if you knew what was causing it.

 

[jtara]

I get a grey slab down the right hand side which I can't shift no matter what settings I try.

Check for updates for the server. I got an update this morning when I was testing this, and it eliminated this problem. Current server version is 1.1.0 (7175).

Oh, and if you haven't noticed this yet, you really need to lock the orientation of the iPad when using AirDisplay. Otherwise, it will disconnect every time you flip the display.