VNC multi-watching app?

[nwbell 1]

I'm trying to find a VNC client that would allow me to view the desktops of a bunch of boxen at once, automatically - I provide a list of addresses and passwords, and it tiles the live displays across my screen. Kinda like what Apple Remote Desktop does, in a limited kinda way.

After thoroughly Googling, I'm at a loss. I know I could simply open several VNC sessions, but I don't want to go through connecting to a dozen VNC servers by hand every time.

Platform really doesn't matter - I use OS X, Windows, and Linux.

Can anybody point me in the right direction?

[livinded 9]

The os x remote desktop will do this, but it doesn't do vnc (as far as I know).

[zal91 1]

The os x remote desktop will do this, but it doesn't do vnc (as far as I know).

OS X does VNC out of the box.

[nwbell 1]

OS X does indeed have a VNC server out of the box. And yes, ARD does do this (multi-watching) - IIRC, recent versions can view/control both ARD and (to a lesser extent) VNC clients. But I'm too poor/cheap to buy it, and don't really need or want all the other features.

I just want a program that will show me a "thumbnail" view of all my VNC servers, and allow me to click a thumbnail to see that server full-screen (or full-window size) and/or take control of it.

This is kinda what I'm talking about - the screenshot on said page shows ARD viewing several servers in a single window, along with other non-essential things (CPU loads, disk capacity, etc).

[techteacher 0]

Shameless Plug:

VncThumbnailViewer

I needed the same thing you are talking about. I wanted to observe all the computer screens in a computer lab. A good free solution didn't exist, so I'm working on one right now.

[Gregor 0]

Shameless Plug:

VncThumbnailViewer

I needed the same thing you are talking about. I wanted to observe all the computer screens in a computer lab. A good free solution didn't exist, so I'm working on one right now.

OK, maybe it's a Shameless Plug - but it's a nice piece of work! I'll be watching the development closely. As you use it in a lab, I guess it's only of use in a LAN but there might be scope for use at a remote location. I'm glad that it doesn't need lots of configuration as I'm no java expert.

Edited January 31, 2008 by Gregor

[livinded 9]

Nice find, unfortunately it looks like there is no linux version (yet). However it's written in Java so I wonder how difficult it would be to port.

[aussieninja 0]

Excuse my unfamiliarity in java, but isnt java designed to be ported extremely easy?

Hence the use of a virtual machine, which is interpreting the code to run,

keeping it abstracted from low level code?

Ninja

[billybobjoe1984 0]

If you don't mind dropping 60 bucks VNCScan will allow you to setup thumbnail views of multiple computers and you can set the interval for updates. http://www.vncscan.com/ It's pretty sweet and you can adjust the size of the thumbnails.

[livinded 9]

Excuse my unfamiliarity in java, but isnt java designed to be ported extremely easy?

Hence the use of a virtual machine, which is interpreting the code to run,

keeping it abstracted from low level code?

Ninja

Yes, it's designed to do that but there are still libraries available that use hooks or parts of other operating systems.

[mickeyporkpies 0]

http://www.tightvnc.com/projector/

but it is a purchase option not tried it but looks like what you want?

[voltagex 0]

This may be a stupid suggestion, but how about a shell script that spawns the vnc sessions and positions them side by side?