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mirror video driver ; video hook driver

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redge
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Joined: 2004-07-03 17:05
Location: Switzerland - Geneva

mirror video driver ; video hook driver

Post by redge »

*** do not install UltraVNC video driver remotely during active VNC connection ***


What is it ?
The Mirror Video Driver is a driver that UltraVNC (for instance) can use to be quickly and efficiently notified with screen changes. Using it on an UltraVNC server results in a excellent accuracy. The video driver also makes a direct link between the video driver frammebuffer memory and UltraWinVNC server. Using the framebuffer directly eliminates the use of the CPU for intensive screen blitting, resulting in a big speed boost and very low CPU load.

What all software below ?

- winvnc video hook driver (name shown to device manager, display adapter) aka mirror video driver
- UltraVNC Video Driver Setup (interactive user install)
- UltraVNC Video Driver Silent Setup (without user interaction, automation script, batch)
- UltraVNC Mirror Driver

All are same but different name (alias) and different ways of installation
that's all


Mirror driver is only for UltraVNC server nor other vnc flavor nor others software.

Mirror driver still inactive until UltraVNC viewer connected to UltraVNC server,
Mirror driver back inactive while viewer disconnected of ultravnc server.

Mirror driver is not open source. and require aknowledge of the owner Rudi De Vos aka uvnc bwa for commercial usage.


only first install of video hook driver can run immediately
upgrade (uninstall/install video hook driver need a reboot before use

UltraVNC viewer (vncviewer) don't need the video hook driver.
only UltraVNC server (winvnc.exe) need the optional video hook driver.

OS supported
2000/ XP / 2003 server / Vista/ 2008 server

OS not supported
95/95B/98/98SE/ME and NT4
only supported by System HookDLL (DDI Hooking) of winvnc (default) if no driver installed.


colors depth
8/16/32 bits supported and mirror driver active on server when viewer is connected
15/24 not supported and mirror driver still INACTIVE

screen scaling not multiply of 4 would crash.
1024x768 OK (value standard multiply of 4 or can be divided by 4)

Rudi De Vos wrote:While the mirror driver is active(vnc has a connection), overlay is not supported.
The mirror driver in general disable hardware acceleration while being used.

But vnc can not capture hardware accelerated or overlay images, switching to non hardware acc. allows vnc to capture
your TV card ....
Rudi De Vos wrote:Video driver

1) Better speed, less cpu needed to get the screen content
2) You can view the primary+extended display together in the viewer.
Without driver you need to switch between them.
Rudi De Vos wrote:The problem is not the driver, but vnc that handle 24bit internal as 32bit.
For 8/16/32 i can replace the vnc buffer by the driver buffer.

Perhaps in Beta2, but it require breaking compatibility...

UltraVNC Mirror Driver doc
http://doc.uvnc.net/features/driver.html

Since UltraVNC 1.0.1
Video hook driver was removed from UltraVNC full package setup,
now available as 2 differents UltraVNC-Driver setup, see below:
Rudi De Vos wrote: setupdrv.exe is the installer application, it also require the driver
sys,dll,inf files
Installation is done via setupdrv install/uninstall

driversetup.exe is a package that contain all files. Inno setup exe.
The package also create a uninstall link
if UltraVNC was downloaded from sourceforge or www.uvnc.com
there standalone video hook driver installer/uninstaller
UltraVNCDriverSetup(silent).exe done,
the subfolder driver + setupdrv created to UltraVNC folder.
no need to start again setupdrv if UltraVNCDriverSetup(silent) was done.

UltraVNC Video Driver don't support overlay, you need to disable hardware acceleration, actually, support only GDI (Graphic Device Interface),
Last edited by redge on 2008-07-03 17:50, edited 21 times in total.
UltraVNC 1.0.9.6.1 (built 20110518)
OS Win: xp home + vista business + 7 home
only experienced user, not developer
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