[mythtv-users] OT - VGA -> USB - NOT - USB -> VGA

David Brodbeck gull at gull.us
Thu Dec 20 17:44:43 UTC 2007


On Dec 20, 2007, at 8:24 AM, Trey Thompson wrote:

> I've been having a very hard time finding such a beast.  Then I
> figured, hey, who better than the video experts with Myth!!!  :)
>
> I'm looking for an adapter that will take VGA and convert it to USB,
> or something similar, for video display.  Why would I do something so
> crazy?
>
> I own an IT company, and it would be REALLY nice for a technician to
> be able to plug in this "Mythcable", and see the screen output from a
> server, right on their laptop.  Instead, now we have to find an unused
> monitor in the office, haul it around, etc...
>
>
> Anyone know of such an animal?

Don't know of one offhand.  There are some companies that sell VGA-to- 
network devices, for use as remote KVM switches, but they tend to be  
pricy.

Are these machines running some kind of GUI, or is it just text?  If  
it's text, and you have a free slot, there's always the PC Weasel:
http://www.realweasel.com/pcivga.html
It emulates a VGA card (in text mode only), and gives you a VT-100  
compatible terminal interface on its serial port.  It's not cheap  
either, however.

If you're running Linux or BSD and don't need access to the POST, you  
can of course configure the system to use a serial console without any  
extra hardware.  I do this for my "headless" servers.

If all else fails, see if you can find a monitor from an IBM cash  
register.  They turn up at surplus outlets sometimes.  They're  
monochrome VGA and very compact, only about 9" diagonal...we used them  
as server rack monitors in one place I worked.  The best part is  
they're so tiny no one tries to steal them to replace dead desktop  
monitors. ;)



More information about the mythtv-users mailing list