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mogui · 01-22-2007, 07:17 AM

So you want to flop on the sofa and read a novel. I understand. It is a nice feeling to get away from the PC screen and enter the world of fiction. All of what we are about here is in aid of the "reading experience".

What if we build a simple handheld touch-screen that used a VNC (Virtual Network Computing) client running over WiFi? The handheld need be nothing more than a screen, a low-powered microcontroller, a WiFi connection and a battery. The handheld could be simple and low-tech -- needing only to transmit and receive the RFB (Remote FrameBuffer) protocol over TCP/IP over WiFi. The handheld could be simple, light, inexpensive and standardized. It could even be open-sourced hardware design.

VNC: http://www.realvnc.com/ and http://www.tightvnc.com/intro.html

VNC is proven technology. All of the intelligence in the system interfaces to the VNC server running on the PC. The PC runs applications that present whatever interface can be devised running readers presenting whatever document format is desired. The server end of the system can be, and perhaps should be, open-sourced too.

But, you ask, what if you want to take the the VNC Rover beyond the range of the wireless connection? Why, you simply run the server application on your Palm T|X which you cleverly hide in a pocket! After all, the point of it all is to have a good read and to have the screen with which you feel comfortable.

01-22-2007, 07:17 AM	#8
mogui eNigma Posts: 503 Karma: 1335 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: The Philippines Device: HTC G1 Android FBReader	Creative alternatives -- the VNC Rover! So you want to flop on the sofa and read a novel. I understand. It is a nice feeling to get away from the PC screen and enter the world of fiction. All of what we are about here is in aid of the "reading experience". What if we build a simple handheld touch-screen that used a VNC (Virtual Network Computing) client running over WiFi? The handheld need be nothing more than a screen, a low-powered microcontroller, a WiFi connection and a battery. The handheld could be simple and low-tech -- needing only to transmit and receive the RFB (Remote FrameBuffer) protocol over TCP/IP over WiFi. The handheld could be simple, light, inexpensive and standardized. It could even be open-sourced hardware design. VNC: http://www.realvnc.com/ and http://www.tightvnc.com/intro.html VNC is proven technology. All of the intelligence in the system interfaces to the VNC server running on the PC. The PC runs applications that present whatever interface can be devised running readers presenting whatever document format is desired. The server end of the system can be, and perhaps should be, open-sourced too. But, you ask, what if you want to take the the VNC Rover beyond the range of the wireless connection? Why, you simply run the server application on your Palm T\|X which you cleverly hide in a pocket! After all, the point of it all is to have a good read and to have the screen with which you feel comfortable. Last edited by mogui; 01-22-2007 at 07:21 AM.