DeskExtend: Second Monitor App

Vizo Apps

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About this app

Use your tablet as a second monitor for your PC or laptop: a portable monitor and dual monitor setup, with tools a normal monitor doesn't have. No PC app or drivers needed.

DeskExtend is a second monitor app that turns an old Android tablet into a wired monitor through a USB HDMI capture card. Your computer treats the card as a real monitor, so you can extend your display from Windows, Mac or Linux with no software to install on the computer and no Wi-Fi. Then use the tablet's touch screen to work with what you see.

It works as a portable HDMI monitor and external display for your computer. It's plug and play: connect any compatible USB UVC HDMI capture card or capture adapter and your HDMI source opens fullscreen on the tablet.

✏️ DRAW ON YOUR PC SCREEN
• Draw on screen with a pen and highlighter over the live picture, using a stylus or your finger
• Mark up documents, designs and slides, then save the result as an image

🗒️ KEEP YOUR TOOLS BESIDE YOUR WORK
• A side panel next to the picture from your second monitor
• Notes and a to-do list saved on the tablet
• Focus timer with 15, 25 or 50 minute sessions
• The panel keeps working while your PC sleeps

🔍 SHOW JUST ONE PART OF YOUR SCREEN
• Region view: drag a box over a chat, a meeting window or a document
• That part alone fills the tablet, large and easy to read

🎤 PRESENT WITH CONFIDENCE
• Presenting profile: your slides beside a presentation timer
• The timer changes colour as you near your target time
• Large speaker notes on your tablet

💻 MADE FOR THE DESK
• Desk profiles: Extended desktop, Vertical screen, Video, Night desk and Presenting
• Vertical monitor mode for code and long pages
• Opens automatically when you plug in the capture adapter, and resumes when it's reconnected
• Fit, fill or stretch the picture, at 60 or 30 fps
• Step-by-step setup for Windows, Mac and Linux
• Touch lock against stray taps
• Warm eye-comfort filter
• Standby clock, low-battery warnings and break reminders
• Screen test for dead pixels

🔌 WHAT YOU NEED
• A USB HDMI capture card, sold separately, usually about $10 to $25. This is required: the app can't work wirelessly or with a cable alone, because tablets have no HDMI input.
• An HDMI cable, plus an adapter if your laptop only has USB-C
• A tablet with Android 7 or newer and USB host (OTG) support

❓ QUESTIONS
How do I use my tablet as a second monitor for my PC?
Connect your computer's HDMI output to a USB HDMI capture card and plug the card into your tablet. Your computer sees it as a monitor and extends the desktop onto the tablet.

How do I connect a laptop to tablet as a second screen or external monitor?
Any laptop or mini PC with HDMI output works, as an extended display, or USB-C with an adapter if that port outputs video.

Does it work without a capture card, or over Wi-Fi?
No. DeskExtend needs a USB HDMI capture card, because tablets have no HDMI input. It doesn't work wirelessly.

Can my tablet work as an HDMI monitor?
Yes. Tablets have no HDMI input, so a USB UVC HDMI capture card brings the signal in, and DeskExtend shows it fullscreen.

To use my tablet as monitor, do I need to install anything on my PC?
No. There are no drivers or apps to install on the PC, and it doesn't need Wi-Fi.

Can I control my PC by touching the tablet?
No. Use your PC's mouse and keyboard to control it. Touch on the tablet is for the pen, notes and timers.

Does it play sound or record my screen?
No. Sound keeps playing from your PC, and the app doesn't record your screen.

Is it good for gaming?
A capture card adds a small delay, so DeskExtend is made for documents, slides, reference pages and video rather than fast games.

Why can a video look black?
HDCP-protected video, like certain streaming apps, can show black through a capture card.

Why does the app ask for camera access?
Android only lets apps open USB video devices, like capture cards, if they have camera access. DeskExtend never uses your tablet's camera.

What’s new

First release of DeskExtend: use your tablet as a second PC screen with a USB HDMI capture card, then draw on the picture, keep notes and timers beside it, show one window full size and present with speaker notes.