I Need a Robust VNC/Windows emulator Client!!!

DirtyCzech · #1 March 20th, 2007, 07:32 PM

I was using a freeware app called Chicken of the VNC, to remotely log in and use a windows server. This app is also a windows emulator, to work from the windows server desktop, all within a window on my Mac. The problem is that I need a BETTER VNC/emulator client that will accept input from an external peripheral that will be hooked up to my Mac.

any suggestions would be greatly apprecitated

nixgeek · #2 March 20th, 2007, 08:07 PM

Um, VNC is not a Windows emulator. It's a remote management tool that allows you to view the desktop of a remote computer that's running a VNC server. A VNC server can run on other operating systems such as Mac OS X, Mac OS 9, Linux, and the BSDs. Even some hobbyist operating systems have versions of VNC that run on them. So this is not just limited to Windows.

No matter what VNC viewer you use, the experience you get from the remote computer running the VNC server is dependent on the speed of the network connection, especially because VNC redraws the entire screen. You can make it only redraw a section that the pointer is over, but that can get annoying. Really, the faster the throughput on the network when accessing the VNC server, the better your experience will be. The slower the connection, the choppier the experience will be.

Also, connecting a peripheral on your Mac and then accessing your remote computer through VNC will not make it accessible to that computer. VNC is only meant to be a way to remotely control another computer....nothing else. If you want that peripheral available to that remote computer, you'll have to connect it to that remote computer directly....no ways around it.

nixgeek · #3 March 20th, 2007, 08:14 PM

I just came across this blog link from Digg.com that talks some more about VNC:

http://macapper.com/2007/03/19/vnc-r...ktop-for-free/

DirtyCzech · #4 March 21st, 2007, 11:14 AM

Ok ok ok, I admit that when it comes to this stuff, I'm a novice. My goal is to connect a device via USB, into my Mac, that I can control through a window emulating a Windows Server 2003, that is two floors up. Right now, that device, is two floors up, attached to the Windows server. You can't imagine how annoying it's getting when I need to keep running up and down two floors. I hope SOMEWAY, this is possible.

ora · #5 March 21st, 2007, 11:19 AM

What kind of device is it?

DirtyCzech · #6 March 21st, 2007, 11:21 AM

Does anybody think Parallels would work? I'm using a MacPro. From my Parallels window, could I VNC into my Windows server upstairs?

DirtyCzech · #7 March 21st, 2007, 11:22 AM

It's an Xrite DTP70, used to calibrate color proofing devices.

ora · #8 March 21st, 2007, 11:53 AM

Hmn, I don't quite undertand:

Mac connected to calibration device at your desk. Upstairs in Win 2k3 server, which needs to access results of calibrations, is that right?

If so, why not make the Xrite output to somewhere on a shared drive the Win server can access. Then either somehow automate the Win server to pick up the file, or as you are doing now, VNC into the Win box and open the file.

You say you need a better system, i guess as this runs slowly, but that may just be the screen refresh as nix says, in which case more bandwidth is the best answer. Another kind of fix I use for VNC (in fact the apple equivalent) is to set the remote machine to output at a low res, like 640x480, which helps it refresh more quickly. Also, the remote machine then runs at actual size in a nice small window on my main machine.