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Laptop Converted to 2nd Monitor

Step 8Smoke Test

I have a friend who claims computers run on smoke, because "Once you let the smoke out, they don't work anymore." Well, I sure wasn't going to let the smoke out of this one...

What, me worry? It's fine!

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10 comments

May 10, 2010. 5:54 PMalextravi says:

and ....the 2nd monitor ????????

Dec 2, 2009. 4:03 PM

Turnip123 says:

Your friend must be running on smoke to actually think that hahaha

Oct 13, 2009. 2:51 PMurbanprimate says:

Great instructable, but like many others that have probably stumbled onto it, I just wanted to used the laptop's lcd, presumably without needing extra software. I've been using dual monitors on my laptops for awhile, but all my monitors are crts and I'm running out of desk space. I have 2 matching gateway laptops (one was purchased to replace the fried motherboard on the other) and have wanted to connect the dead machine's screen to the monitor port on the other, mainly just because they match. How cool would it be to have a second monitor that slides out from behind (or hinged to...whatever!) the built-in screen? The idea is to take the multiple monitor arrangement on the road without lugging crts or investing in still-overpriced (imho) flatscreens?
I keep hearing that it can be done, but nobody seems to know how to do it.

Dec 4, 2008. 7:35 AMbruticusmaximus says:

Yeah, the most important step is left out. How do you plug it into your computer?

Dec 4, 2008. 12:50 PMpunish3r (author) says:

Please see Step 9: "Once the monitor has booted Knoppix off of its CD, A program called MaxiVistaViewer (running under wine) takes over. The main system picks up the Viewer off the network, and with MaxiVIsta Server, creates the equivalent of a super fast RDP. The main system then stretches its screen onto the 2nd monitor."

Dec 4, 2008. 1:21 PMbruticusmaximus says:

Ok, so this isn't really using the flat panel as a second monitor as much as it's using the whole laptop and software to simulate a second monitor?

Dec 4, 2008. 1:32 PMpunish3r (author) says:

As noted in both the Instructable and previous comments, yes.