Remote Desktop Connection to the same screen as on the monitor?

Question

I'm running Windows Home Server. It's in my entertainment center, hooked to my TV, and I use it to listen to music and watch movies. Right now I have a keyboard and mouse stuck beside my TV so that I'm able to load a movie. It would be nice, though, to be able to remotely control the screen.

Remote Desktop Connection seems to open its own session in the background, separate from the session shown on the monitor. This doesn't do any good because things started via remote desktop must be closed or changed via remote desktop, and I can't start a movie with remote desktop and then see it from the screen.

Is there a way to get Remote Desktop Connection to connect to the visible screen?

(I am currently using UltraVNC; it was doing the job, but it has its quirks, e.g. upon trying to connect, it says "Server closed connection - The server running as application". There are many other quirks and I want something that is as reliable and low-maintenance as the built-in Remote Desktop Connection. And hopefully free.)

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 05 '20 at 05:23

1

You can use Mouse without Borders which allows the mouse to move from your computer screen to the server screen (and when the cursor is on the server screen your keyboard sends keystrokes to the server instead) without the need for Remote Desktop Connection.

edited Nov 05 '20 at 05:23

Community

1

answered Jan 28 '17 at 23:25

Dimitri

11

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 13 '10 at 21:06

Your answer is:

mstsc /console

This connects to the console session (which is what's being displayed at the local console, aka the local monitor).

Quit Remote Desktop client first, then run the command above from the commandline. There will probably be no visible indication you're running MSTSC any differently, but it will work.

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 09 '21 at 07:53

1

Why don't you purchase a wireless keyboard and mouse or one of those combination remote control sized keyboard/air mouse devices and just run it from your armchair!

answered Sep 09 '21 at 07:53

Ian Lovell

11

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 13 '10 at 20:08

Unfortunately, Remote Desktop doesn't allow you to control the session shown on the screen. VNC is the best solution. You may want to see if different VNC programs work better for you.

Another solution might just be a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Another idea which just came to mind would be using something like PSEXEC to remotely run the program if you know the path to the executable and the file. That would be kind of a silly way to do it, but it might work.

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 13 '10 at 20:45

0

There is LogmeIn only downside is you need to be online at the time of use.

answered Mar 13 '10 at 20:45

Unfundednut

7,190

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Feb 06 '15 at 23:25

I don't recommend RDP for this use case, nor VNC unless you pair it with a remote app for a smartphone. What you'd want in the case of using a laptop (i.e. touchpad and keyboard) to remote control a system which has a visible monitor: Share Mouse or Synergy.

The former works on OSX and Windows, is well designed and works flawlessly in my opinion, and is free for home use. The latter is open source and also works for e.g. Ubuntu/Debian.

score -1 · Answer 7 · answered Mar 13 '10 at 20:15

-1

You could give Radmin Remote Control a try.

It's not free, but there is a 30 day trial period.

answered Mar 13 '10 at 20:15

fretje

10,732

Remote Desktop Connection to the same screen as on the monitor?

7 Answers7