VMware View desktops multi monitor support

[shanfont]

I'm currently evaluating VMware View 3.0 and finally got it working. I'm aware of third party apps out there that supports multi monitors for virtual desktops. We have dual monitors on all of our desktops. I tried splitview and iShadow but they are not what I'm looking for because it's not true dual monitor support. We are looking for something that will be familiar to the user and not something that you have to totally manipulate to get it working. I'm kinda leaning towards XenDesktop by Citrix. I'm not familiar with the product at all and just looking at the eval software and admi guide it looks difficult to setup but may be just what we are looking for. Does anyone else currently run dual monitors in your environment and what do you prefer to use to support your setup? Thanks to all.

Shane,

[admin]

I've seen a lot of people working with Wyse Multi Monitor Support. You will need Wyse devices for that.

[KARacing]

The current build of VMware Fusion for MAC (2.0.1) does have multi-monitor available and it is working for me.

I have Vista Ultimate on a MacBook with dual displays working.

At first in the VM both "displays" were shown on one monitor (laptop display) but by default the MAC OS is set to clone.

After I enabled the dual display in the Mac OS then it worked as expected (mostly) in the Vista VM. This is set up just as you would natively in Vista.

I am still having issues with DX operations in the secondary display.

[EXPRESS]

shanfont, I ran the Wyse TCX Multi-display v1.1.0.9 on a vm and it worked fine.

Thank you,

Express

[ryuuken]

Express,

I've ran the Wyse TCX Multi-display support also.. the problem with the Wyse terminals and RDP is the DVI splitter just splits the connection between two different inputs so no matter what, the display is just spanned. RDP doesn't have true multi-display support. The TCX multi-display support for XP does essentially what the Wyse thinOS does (for those using the V10L and other clients that aren't running XPe) which is splitting the width of the desktop in half.

Basically put, you probably WON'T get native multi-display support. From what I've seen, I like SplitView as a solution.. I'm currently using it and it is quite efficient.. the closest I've seen to getting the same native multi-display feel. The user will always have to rely on software to snap windows to display monitors as a solution.

[jjovanovski]

I agree. The Wyse TCX extensions / DVI splitter are rather usable. True Multi-mon is the one thing I miss since using VDI as my work desktop.

[Bart_Moons]

is there a free alternative for splitview.

39$ / VDI is alot if you need 1000 licenses

[cking2]

We are using the V10L with the splitter box (not just a DVI 1-2 cable) and get true multi-monitor support. Wyse TCX Multi monitor support works fine.

What I can't seem to get working is multi monitor in VMWARE view. If you run VMWARE client on a pc and set it to sue multiple monitors, the Wyse software does NOT detect this as separate monitors but rather just one wide monitor. Anyone know if that can be set up in the VMWARE client?

-c

[ryuuken]

Which is the name of the splitter box you are using for this? I run into the same issue with View and VDM.. it sees as one big huge monitor. The TCX Multi-display software does a decent job at splitting the window regions, but I've seen some issues where some programs will fail to render windows correctly because of the TCX software. For instance, running the calculator program with TCX enabled causes the program to be garbled.. I can't see the text boxes, but when I turn TCX off it works. I've ran into some weird glitches. I just wish that there was TRUE multi-monitor support.

[cking2]

DV20 Dual VGA adapter. This is Wyse's product.

I don't see the issue describe with Calculator. I would of course sugggest latest Wyse firmware/latest rev of TCX but you may already have tried that.

Also, I guess from a practical standpoint, I see this as true multimonitor support. At least on the Wyse. Maybe I am missing the point.

[cking2]

I am guessing you could get a pretty hefty discount for 1000 seats. I use Splitview on my 'admin' RDP session and it works well.

[shanfont]

TRUE Multi-monitor support is the only thing keeping us from moving to VMware View. I mean how can you move a user to VMware View when they've been using physical desktops with dual monitors that works. VMware needs to get this right for those of us who plan to use existing hardware for virtual desktops and not have to add any hardware or buy third party software to get this to work. I bet VMware View would have more sales if everything worked through VMware. That's how I feel anyway.

Shane,

[J_Baio]

Check out the HP RGS (Remote Graphics Software) with VMWare view thats coming soon. This should provide the multi monitor experience you are looking for. RGS is used by HP on their enterprise desktop blade solutions. Iv tested it and it works fatastic with the blades, so integrated with Views should be great as well. I will be testing very shortly.

[TAFVMWare]

I've tested the View broker's multi-monitor support on HP and Dell thin clients. Each thin client has a VGA and DVI port. I hook a monitor up to each and select multi-monitor. The View broker spans the desktop across both monitors just fine. Have you tried using the multi-monitor feature of the View broker? What negative aspects are you finding?

Ty

[admin]

That's right, it SPAN's the screen. What you also should do is using a software like Splitview or with Wyse Thin Clients the MDS software to get a full dual screen feeling. i.e. open an application only on one monitor when maximized

[shanfont]

@TAFVMWare

What model thin client did you test with on the Dell systems? We are a big dell shop and I didn't think the fx160's had dual capable vid's. But if there is another model out there that does have that capability I would like to know. Thanks.

[TAFVMWare]

The HP Thin client is a t5730. It has a single video card but the card has both a VGA and a DVI output which you can hook monitors up to. The video card allows you to span across both screens. Chris is correct that it will span across both screens when an application is maximized so they need to be the same size monitors. The behavior isn't exactly the same as a PC. On a PC a maximized application will only maximize itself to one monitor. My end users prefer to have their Excel spreadsheets span both monitors so it isn't a big deal for us.

Ty

[TAFVMWare]

The HP Thin client is a t5730. It has a single video card but the card has both a VGA and a DVI output which you can hook monitors up to. The video card allows you to span across both screens. Chris is correct that it will span across both screens when an application is maximized so they need to be the same size monitors. The behavior isn't exactly the same as a PC. On a PC a maximized application will only maximize itself to one monitor. My end users prefer to have their Excel spreadsheets span both monitors so it isn't a big deal for us.

Ty

[TAFVMWare]

We are also a big DELL shop and are in the process of switching (evaluating) DELL FX160s with Windows XPe. They work the same way with the dual monitors as the HP t5730s.

Ty

[TAFVMWare]

If you have any other questions about the FX160s, I've been working with them for a few months now. Feel free to ask me but I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for it. We may have to exchange work emails.

Ty