Android VNC Server

[Josh Guilfoyle]

I started a project to "demonstrate" Android on existing handsets by
way of a VNC server running inside the Android emulator. After
further exploration I discovered that one already exists, apparently
inside of /system/lib/libsurfaceflinger.so and actually does work.
The performance of this implementation is terrible, and ultimately
would not run well connected to my Moto Q running .NET VNC Viewer
(http://dotnetvnc.sourceforge.net). So, I found an existing project
implementing a framebuffer VNC server and adapted/rewrote it to work
on Android. Performance is still bad, but it is workable and does
let you "see" Android running on a 320x240 mobile LCD which is
certainly very cool.

The project (and binaries) is hosted at:
http://android-vnc.googlecode.com

Screenshots at:
http://devtcg.blogspot.com/2007/12/android-vnc-part-deux.html

For reference, see my original android-dev post:
http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_thread/thread/b4fc2a71fa377baf

And also my blog entry on the existing RFB implementation:
http://devtcg.blogspot.com/2007/12/android-rfb-vnc-implementation.html

[Bill Cox]

Awesome hack, Josh!

On Dec 29, 12:53 am, Josh Guilfoyle <jast...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I started a project to "demonstrate" Android on existing handsets by
> way of a VNC server running inside the Android emulator. After
> further exploration I discovered that one already exists, apparently
> inside of /system/lib/libsurfaceflinger.so and actually does work.
> The performance of this implementation is terrible, and ultimately
> would not run well connected to my Moto Q running .NET VNC Viewer
> (http://dotnetvnc.sourceforge.net). So, I found an existing project
> implementing a framebuffer VNC server and adapted/rewrote it to work
> on Android. Performance is still bad, but it is workable and does
> let you "see" Android running on a 320x240 mobile LCD which is
> certainly very cool.
>
> The project (and binaries) is hosted at:http://android-vnc.googlecode.com
>
> Screenshots at:http://devtcg.blogspot.com/2007/12/android-vnc-part-deux.html
>

> For reference, see my original android-dev post:http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_thread/threa...

[Josh Guilfoyle]

Thanks, I had hoped the performance would be better but I guess I am
not surprised. Oh, I did notice I made a small mistake with the
keyboard emulation driver, and have uploaded a corrected binary (and
committed the fix). It should let you simulate keypresses now.

[Bill Cox]

Now that you've done a VNC client, how hard would a VNC server be?
It's near the top of my wish-list :-)

On Dec 29, 4:40 pm, Josh Guilfoyle <jast...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks, I had hoped the performance would be better but I guess I am

> not surprised. Oh, I did notice I made a small mistake with theSo,

[Josh Guilfoyle]

Hmm? My project is the server. The client I am using in my tests is
http://dotnetvnc.sourceforge.net/ running atop my Windows Mobile
smartphone.

[Bill Cox]

Sorry, Josh... I meant the other way around. I'd like to vnc into
work through my Android phone. Do you know of any effort in this
area? Thanks for the awesome server, though! I gave it a quick spin,
and it's very cool... I'm trying to think of good uses for it, like
maybe when I forget my phone and leave it at home. I really liked
your use: getting Android to come up on a real phone! Kudos, and nice
hack.

-- Bill

On Dec 30, 4:22 pm, Josh Guilfoyle <jast...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hmm? My project is the server. The client I am using in my tests ishttp://dotnetvnc.sourceforge.net/running atop my Windows Mobile