Onyx Boox as monitor

[sogaiu]

IIUC, the most recent one is at:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...&postcount=458

[Staphoent]

Originally Posted by mdp

And when you use Grayscale Update ("normal") mode instead of A2 ("fast") mode, e.g. through my modification of the original app, what happens - video effect anomaly wise and battery wise?

EDIT: in A2, because of the specific computation of its joint dithering, when you change a minimal part of the screen (e.g. mouse cursor position),_all_ of the pixels are recomputed and most dots of the display change.
In GU, if you move the mouse cursor (or any other displayed item etc.), only the relevant dots change.

I have just used your monitor mod3 app and in both modes, A2 and LU I now see the swarming, I didn't see it before as I was using my Mac in 'dark mode' and it was less noticeable. Is there anyway to disable this dithering that is causing the swarming? the swarming def exists in both modes on the mod3 app at the moment

[mdp]

Originally Posted by Staphoent

I have just used your monitor mod3 app and in both modes, A2 and LU I now see the swarming, I didn't see it before as I was using my Mac in 'dark mode' and it was less noticeable. Is there anyway to disable this dithering that is causing the swarming? the swarming def exists in both modes on the mod3 app at the moment

Swarm means that maybe it was not a good idea to throw a rock into that beehive - look at the angry bees and that's a swarm. In A2 rendering an animation, you see the dots changing every frame, black to white to black... Like a mass of moving insect; like brownian motion.

I was pretty sure you have that. That is the reason why your battery is dropping.

I have no swarm effect on GU mode. I have instead flashing areas - those corresponding to a pretty strict mid-grey. If most of the dots changed every frame - that's an equivalence to a swarm -, most of the screen would flash!

There is no dithering on GU mode. If you see dithering, you are in A2. If you are in GU, open some images and look better: you are to see bands, not gradients.

The dithering is a minor impactor in the swarming effect in A2. That the screen changes every frame while it should remain static, that is the major impactor.

The closest thing to a ticket was raised with Onyx. Otherwise, the matter - including solutions - was commented in past posts.

Your best bet is to see if your video settings remove the swarm. Then, stay in GU and measure the battery performance.

[hirotop]

Dear mdp,

Thank you so much for your mod. I really appreciate it, and enjoying using max2 as a secondary display.

I was wondering whether I could used touchscreen in your mod3 or not. My understanding is yes, but I cannot click with my finger touch with your mod3.

I installed mod2, before I installed the mod3. Maybe this is why.

Thanks!

[mdp]

Originally Posted by hirotop

Thank you so much for your mod. I really appreciate it

You're welcome!

Originally Posted by hirotop

I was wondering whether I could used touchscreen in your mod3 or not

Yes you certainly can, touchscreen is now prominently part of its features. Just run, on your desktop, the python script distributed with the mod. The touchscreen feature only works if you also run the client side: the app on Android transmits the touch events, the script on the PC reads them and transforms them to mouse events.

[Staphoent]

Originally Posted by mdp

There is no dithering on GU mode. If you see dithering, you are in A2. If you are in GU, open some images and look better: you are to see bands, not gradients.

Hi Mdp, thanks a lot for your responses, I was wondering if you could clear this up for me as I didn't fully understand your message above. How can I determine if a mode that I am using is utilising dithering or not by looking at pictures? Furthermore, could it be the case that your mod as it applies to switching between a2 and GU does not work for me because I am using. Mac as apposed to a windows system as I notice no difference whatsoever when I switch from a2 to GU in Mod3.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by Staphoent

Hi Mdp, thanks a lot for your responses, I was wondering if you could clear this up for me as I didn't fully understand your message above. How can I determine if a mode that I am using is utilising dithering or not by looking at pictures?

Do you know what dithering is? You diffuse the smaller graphical elements to obtain gradients, when your graphical elements are per se not fine enough to constitute a gradient when laid out linearly. If you only have black and white, how can you represent a skydome fading towards the horizon? If you do not dither, you would have a two-bands black-and-white flag! If the original was a gradient, and the rendering shows bands, there is no gradient there... Look at pictures of skies, and you will have to see a difference from A2 to GU, because if GU does not use dithering - and it currently does not - you will see skies rendered with many grey bands one on top of the other! It will be very evident, when you will just look at it. Without dithering, and with limited colours, a sky may look like the German flag.

Originally Posted by Staphoent

Furthermore, could it be the case that your mod as it applies to switching between a2 and GU does not work for me because I am using. Mac as apposed to a windows system as I notice no difference whatsoever when I switch from a2 to GU in Mod3.

Most certainly not: the switch happens on the tablet. And, I do not use Winz.

It is (almost - excluding the most inconceivable eye condition) impossible not to note the difference between A2 and GU, at least because a dot switch in GU has a characteristic flashing effect that, if done on an element as big as the screen, will be as big as the screen. Have you used in general the tablet (Android) in normal (GU) mode and in A2 (fast) mode? Notice that difference.

[Staphoent]

Originally Posted by mdp

Do you know what dithering is? You diffuse the smaller graphical elements to obtain gradients, when your graphical elements are per se not fine enough to constitute a gradient when laid out linearly. If you only have black and white, how can you represent a skydome fading towards the horizon? If you do not dither, you would have a two-bands black-and-white flag! If the original was a gradient, and the rendering shows bands, there is no gradient there... Look at pictures of skies, and you will have to see a difference from A2 to GU, because if GU does not use dithering - and it currently does not - you will see skies rendered with many grey bands one on top of the other! It will be very evident, when you will just look at it. Without dithering, and with limited colours, a sky may look like the German flag.



Most certainly not: the switch happens on the tablet. And, I do not use Winz.

It is (almost - excluding the most inconceivable eye condition) impossible not to note the difference between A2 and GU, at least because a dot switch in GU has a characteristic flashing effect that, if done on an element as big as the screen, will be as big as the screen. Have you used in general the tablet (Android) in normal (GU) mode and in A2 (fast) mode? Notice that difference.

That is a good explanation, I always understood the theory behind dithering just didn't put two and two so as to understand how it would appear in a visual. So for some peculiar reason GU mode is not applied in the Mod3 app on my Boox Max2 regardless of weather I select it or not. As you say the difference between the two is very clear when operating as a tablet, however when I select GU (deselect A2) in monitor Mod3 mode the monitor displays as if in Tablet A2 mode as there is not flashing whatsoever.

[mdp]

I am doing the first actual real world tests of using the Max2 as a monitor, and I must say the results are quite satisfactory.

The set-up is composed of:
-- the Max2 using the modified HDMI Monitor app, and the touchscreen functions;
-- a MiniPC, that * for its very low price provides a speed compatible with not-so-old high-end desktops, * weighs like the tablet and is as big as a fist, * is almost completely noiseless, and * consumes an unbelievable 10 watts, measured;
-- a BlueTooth keyboard that also offers a mousepad, the luxury of a numpad and a slot to host your devices, slanted.

I am typing on it right now (and have been for the past two hours). It is very, very, almost-third-very satisfactory.

Now my goal is to have a good environment for LibreOffice, to have more features than on Kingsoft when it's good to have them. I tried briefly, and I am almost impressed.

The attached picture was edited on the Gimp with this set-up. As is understandable, using the Gimp on EPD has been the perplexing and not so easy experience in the whole - but that is just with relevance to getting a result, while operating on the interface was reasonably quite comfortable. Of course, the whole interaction is a mix of keyboard, touch and pad.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by Staphoent

when I select GU (deselect A2)

Are you really tapping in the SW corner, below the corner of menu, left to the corner of A2, opposite to the corner of refresh?

[mdp]

About the use of the modified Onyx Monitor app: the commands placed on the corners (menu, refresh, A2 mode, GU mode) are triggered on "tap-up": this means that you do not necessarily need to tap on the right spot - you can just drag starting from another point and release out of the corner. Instead of tapping precisely there, you could swipe and release on the corner.
This is useful to avoid triggering GUI elements that are placed on the corners of the desktop OS interface (some buttons, icons, application start, computer shutdown etc).

It is probably the fourth day I am on-and-off using the Max2 as a monitor for a portable desktop (including right now as I type), and I have to say: it's great, it works really well!
Of course, the modifications I implemented are required for a good experience and the touchscreen is a game changer. The "touch to mouse" commands we implemented work even better than other solutions.

(I am now considering finding a good stand, adjustable in height, tilt etc.)

[gimble]

Originally Posted by mdp

It is probably the fourth day I am on-and-off using the Max2 as a monitor for a portable desktop (including right now as I type), and I have to say: it's great, it works really well! etc.)

One thing I am concerned about is the effect of continuous USB power on long term battery health.

In future, perhaps onyx should look into providing a battery 'bypass' switch for this usage scenario where the device can be powered directly off USB.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by gimble

One thing I am concerned about is the effect of continuous USB power on long term battery health.

In future, perhaps onyx should look into providing a battery 'bypass' switch for this usage scenario where the device can be powered directly off USB.

Yes, it was discussed and the idea that emerged was to try USB cables without power sub-cable.

We should discuss the matter of the "battery bypass / direct supply" with Onyx on the BBS.

Anyway, I am reassured as I understand that the batteries of Onyx tablets are, in general, replaceable. I am not sure if we ever discussed about the Max2 battery.

[mdp]

The feature of a blinking cursor is, in desktop OSs, typically a global configuration.

Suppose you are using LibreOffice on Xfce, and you want a static cursor instead of blinking:
go to the Settings Editor ("Graphical settings editor for Xfconf") > Xsettings > Net > CursorBlink, and untick.

This affects most cursors you will meet - for example, the cursor in the text editing area of this web form has become static.

(Of course, non-blinking cursors may easily be preferable on EPD.)

These links mention similar blinking cursor setting location an amount of Operating Systems:
https://ask.libreoffice.org/en/quest.../cursor-blink/
http://www.jurta.org/en/prog/noblink

[Staphoent]

Originally Posted by mdp

Are you really tapping in the SW corner, below the corner of menu, left to the corner of A2, opposite to the corner of refresh?

Hi, turns out I wasn't doing this ha. do you think theres a possibility to have a A5 mode similar to what is found on the Dasung Paperlike pro whereby there is no dithering but also no 'flashing' either, due to the fact that there are only 5 gray levels there seems to be very little ghosting to. I like the non-dithering appearance on the GU however the flashing is incredibly annoying.