Wouldn’t it be great if you could use your Android large-screen tablet as an extended laptop display if they were just lying there waiting for you to pick them up?
I’ve been thinking about this for my 10.1 inch Samsung Note 2 tablet for a long time. I know it will work just as well as my laptop’s extended screen. But there were no apps compatible with Windows 8 at the time. Fortunately, now that iDisplay has released a beta driver for Windows 8, this driver seems to be working pretty well. So let’s see how to connect wirelessly and use your Android device as a desktop computer that complements your laptop screen.
Extended desktops can be useful in many ways. You can open a music video and let it play on your tablet while you’re working on your laptop. For more productive people who need to analyze data, they can work side-by-side on charts and graphs without wasting their laptop screen space.
iDisplay for Android for extended display
iDisplay is a nifty app for Android that can help you set up your Android tablet as an extension display for your computer. The app is paid and does not come with a trial version. However, if the app doesn’t work on your tablet, you can always uninstall it within the first 15 minutes and get a refund.
To get started, the first thing you need to do is download the iDisplay driver for Windows. iDisplay has separate drivers for Windows 7 and Windows 8 and you will need administrative rights to perform the installation. Once installed, restart your computer and launch the application. Please make sure that you unblock the application on any firewall you are using on your computer.
Note: Users on Windows 8.1 will have to install the iDisplay driver for Windows 8 in compatibility mode. Just right click on the installer file, open Property and select Windows 8 in compatibility settings.
Once you have the drivers installed, connect the tablet and computer to the same Wi-Fi network and install the iDisplay app from the Play Store ($4.99 an app). After you have installed the application, launch it. If the iDisplay driver is running on your computer and both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, the application will automatically detect your computer.
Now, all you need to do is tap on the computer name displayed in iDisplay. If the automatic connection fails for some reason, you can add the computer manually.
Hover over the iDisplay icon in the Windows system tray and enter the port and IP information in the iDisplay Android app.
Last Touch
Your screen may flicker when a connection is made. Alternatively, the mirrored display can just duplicate the Windows desktop. Press the Windows + P keyboard shortcut to select the extended desktop connection. You can move the screen from Windows Screen Resolution Settings and switch home screen.
The app also supports audio streaming and can be controlled from the app settings.
Currently, the app is best designed for 4:3 aspect ratio and displays above 16:9 which may have some black borders on the sides. Changing the resolution didn’t help in Windows 8.1, but you might want to try it in Windows 7, it might work for you.
Conclusion
So that’s how you can use your Android tablet as an extension display for your computer. The performance of the app is great and I can watch videos without lag. iDisplay automatically optimizes the connection depending on what you’re running on your device.
However, if you’re not getting optimal performance on your wireless display, you can always connect a cable and opt for a wired connection. Overall, $5 isn’t too much of a price to pay for this functionality if you ask me. Also, from what I’ve tested, this seems to be the only solution available if your computer is running Windows 8 or later. If you come across a free tool, let us know in the comments.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
