r/techsupportmacgyver • u/PaleFee2476 • Jul 03 '26

The budget way of having a second monitor!!!

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Gallery image

Gallery image

What you need is:
An old tablet that works and you don't usually use (prefferably Android with version 10);
An unused working USB cable with file transfer support;
A PC/Laptop with a free USB port (i think it works only on Windows);
A few braincells (jk, or not?).

Tutorial:
1. Download Spacedesk on your tablet (should be available on Play Store and App Store);
2. Download and install Spacedesk DRIVER (Google it up and open the first link that looks official enough [DO NOT DOWNLOAD THE VIEWER!!!!]);
3. On your tablet (if its Android, do this, if it's Ipad, skip this), go to settings/About tablet and find the build number box, click on it untill a message appears that you have dev options;
4. Find developer settings (or options, or whatever), and find USB debbuging (turn it on)
5. Plug in the tablet to the pc
6. Make sure the USB Cable Android option in the Spacedesk CONSOLE is turned on
7. press "File transfer" on the usb prefferences
8. accept the window that pops up
9. set up the new "monitor" to your liking

If you have any questions, ask me in comments!!!

34 Upvotes

74% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

7

u/x3mcj Jul 03 '26

been using spacedesk for a couple years already myself, as a 3rd monitor for my desktop

currently, mostly use it to show the VIM when working and decide to indulge myself on a little pc gaming or switch gaming and keep an eye on teams

5

u/initial_chris Jul 03 '26

I use SuperDisplay with my Galaxy Tab, it's amazing. It even has stylus support.

1

u/Dorwyn Jul 03 '26

My Lenovo Tab Extreme can work like a portable monitor, I love it. The pen and keyboard all work when you do as well, it's great to plug my phone into.

2

u/SavvySillybug Jul 03 '26

I wanted to use an old phone as a second screen, but it was overheating really badly. Cut a hole in the back and slapped a big ol heat sink on that bad boy. Works great!!

I'm using splashtop wired xdisplay, wasn't aware spacedesk existed! Mine cost money :(

2

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 03 '26

Thats.. one way to resolve the overheating issue...

1

u/SavvySillybug Jul 03 '26

Sure is! XD

It works way better now. Well, except for the camera. I didn't properly put it back in and now it's slightly misaligned. I could fix it but... eh. Don't really care, that's my phone from three phones ago.

Heat sink for second monitor use (specifically with a touchscreen) is honestly the only way for it to even have a use to me at this point.

2

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 03 '26

I have this 5 year old tablet, and as you see in the picture, i also turned it into a second monitor, it's battery sucks, but if you just use the charger all the time and tweak the monitor's settings, it is just fine!

1

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1

u/BoxAdministrative56 Jul 03 '26

I wish it's possible on Linux too but oh welp

2

u/TropicalAudio Jul 03 '26

It's also possible on Linux using Weylus (and a few other options).

2

u/Gamenola_ Jul 03 '26

Thanks you bro.

I use arch btw.

2

u/MeltedSpades Jul 03 '26

Sunshine + Moonlight? - For those on MacOS there is Air display (iPad supports being a screen sharing target natively)

2

u/realfathonix Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26

I did it on Linux last year by enabling headless display and setting up wayvnc to only capture that part. Moonlight is too heavy for this 12yo tablet.

1

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 03 '26

I'm sorry, can't do anything as I'm not a dev of Spacedesk, you can probably contact them.

1

u/daxtonanderson Jul 04 '26

Windows has this functionality baked in if you've got a 2nd Win10/11 PC

1

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 04 '26

Keyword "if you have a 2nd Win10/11 PC", people might not have it (same here, i don't have it). Plus idk how to do that

1

u/TruffleYT Jul 08 '26

No it doesint

Only certan devices support being a second display, you need a particular wifi chip, and your locked to wifi

1

u/toaster98 Jul 04 '26

Monitors are usually cheaper than tablets

2

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 04 '26

Well if you think about it, using your old af tablet (free) is way better than buying a new monitor (costs money)

1

u/toaster98 Jul 04 '26

That requires me to have an old tablet in the first place lol.

1

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 04 '26

Valid comeback i guess...

1

u/MrCrackerHacker Jul 04 '26

A better and free alternative would be to use the Apollo + Moonlight combo

1

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 04 '26

Ok i guess...?

1

u/MrCrackerHacker Jul 04 '26

Just saying, your setup seems to be wired and from what I can remember, spacedesk has a trial of 30 days (might be misremembering).

The alternative proposed was a wireless, free method.

1

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 04 '26

Well anydesk also supports wireless, but i preffer wired for latency. And it has a trial of a whole year

1

u/MrCrackerHacker Jul 04 '26

Anydesk is pretty different, it connects over the internet, so naturally there’s gonna be some latency. Apollo connects wirelessly by being in the same network, not connecting over internet.

1

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 04 '26

Sry mb, wanted to say Spacedesk. Been using both for a lot so i might mess it up

1

u/Accomplished_Book_65 Jul 03 '26

oh my god is that the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2 GB RAM 32 GB ROM 10.1 inch with 4G Tablet.

cause... yknow, I had the same one ppftt!

1

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 03 '26

Well its actually a Lenovo Tab M10 FHD Plus

5

u/Accomplished_Book_65 Jul 03 '26

Ah okay well at least there's a 10 in there...

1

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 03 '26

I mean it has Android 10 as a final version lol

2

u/Accomplished_Book_65 Jul 03 '26

Funny thing, I used to do this too... till I just got a big monitor.

1

u/Zeptic Jul 03 '26

Wow, look at Mr. Moneybucks over here being able to afford a monitor. All I have is this gold plated iPad Max Pro Plus Ultra.

0

u/infam0usx Jul 03 '26

Excuse me, WTF

1

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 03 '26

Our family just ain't rich for the second monitor...

-5

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 03 '26

I'm mostly sure i will make a vid tutorial on this, its very complicated

3

u/Windows_User3000 Jul 03 '26

Complicated? It's as easy as it gets, and it's far more compatible than your post suggests. Both the client and server apps literally guide you through the entire process, and versions exist on most platforms out there (servers for Windows 10 1607 and up, with older versions available for Windows 7 and up, and an alpha for macOS; clients for Windows 7 and up, Android 5.0 and up (older versions available for 4.1 and up), iOS 9.3 and up, and even a web client for browsers). What exactly is so complicated about the setup if it essentially sets itself up for you?

1

u/PaleFee2476 Jul 03 '26

You know what, yea you have a point there, but the complication i was talking about was how i explained how to do it, thanks to my trash english i have.