Avnc

[motorollin]

Anyone used Avnc?

Accorrding to the documentation I have to remove my monitor driver (Voodoo) and replace it with the Avnc one. Doesn't that mean I won't be able to see anything on the Voodoo?

--
moto

[PiR]

I decided to reply, not to leave you left so lonely. ;-)
No, I've tried only vva (viewer), as I have CGX, not P96 which is a must for a server.
The viewer is quite good.

I've seen this requirement to remove the monitor driver, so I can understand the reasons that you're affraid to do this, but I don't know personally. I think the real purpose is to start VNC driver before the original driver, as in the section bottom tips you may read:

using the server:
-----------------

when you need to use the Avnc server, lauch the monitor (from
SYS:Storage/Monitors), then launch Avnc

start an RTG application and choose the screen mode "P96fb xxx"
(you won't see it)

connect a vnc client to the port you have have setup, type the
right password, and then you may use your favorite Amiga software
remotelly !

[motorollin]

Thanks PiR  :-) I don't suppose I can have the avnc monitor driver in addition to my voodoo driver? Would it then display on both?

--
moto

[mgerics]

No, but now I want to try it.

I've used VVA and RDesktop successfully.

I've had to resort to the Amiga at one point - a brother of mine in NY had problems; I had him install UltraVNC. Tried to connect with the Windoze box(es) I have, neither worked. Jumped on the A4k, worked like a charm!

Now I just HAVE to give AVNC a try.

[motorollin]

The reason I wanted to get Avnc working is so I can see and control my Workbench using a VNC client on my iBook. But I don't want to have to swap monitor drivers every time I want to use it  :roll:

--
moto

[PiR]

You know, when I think of it a bit more I think that author designed (as he claims) very fast VNC server as result of kind of lie.

I've read the quote from my first answer once again and I think that the used trick is sort of virtual screen.

If you have to choose screen mode from that other driver and there is a sentence '(you won't see it)'. I think, because that window is open on the virtual screen of VNC server access only.

So, if I'm right, there shouldn't be problem to run two monitor drivers, but this gives you two screens - one real on the monitor, and one virtual for VNC. Now there is choice on wich screen you'll decide to open your window, but this also menas that you can open it only on one of those screens = you can have it EITHER to be displayed on the monitor OR for VNC.

But... this is only, what I guess. :-)

[Cass]

I`ve tried AVNC some time ago, and I`ve managed to open a screen remotely (running CED with a P96fbxx monitor).

Last week, I couldn`t do this, the connection failed repeatedly, showing a (10061) error from the client part, and a "VNC fatal error getting screen info" from the server (AMIGA).

Any suggestions?


P.S. Maybe the 060 CPU(MMU)? Once I had a 040 config, but I don`t think it matters.
GFX board: CV-3D

[Boot_WB]

Funny this should come up, as I've been trying this lately too.
I haven't removed my voodoo monitor file.
Reading the installation instructions, it says to install the vnc monitor files to STORAGE: not to DEVS:.
I've interpreted the instructions to mean that once P96 installation is complete the PREVIOUS graphics driver (eg DBLPAL) should be removed from devs/monitors.

I've not yet been able to establish a connection though.

Thus far I get a lot of connection refused (***61) errors when trying to connect from my PC.
I believe the problem is partly amitcp related.  I've set the AVNC file to run on port 5900, and I think I've enabled this port for clients on my network 192.168.1.* in genesis.

Once I got to the "enter passwork to connect" stage, but all the other tiems it either times out, or I get the connection refused error message.

So I think there may also be an encoding issue, or perhaps VNC4.0 viewer is not backwards compatible with previous servers?

Have given up for now.

As for VVA (VNC viewer for Amiga) - it works, but the refresh rate is depressingly slow when the screen has several colours (or anything non-black).  
IIRC VNC encodes screens as JPEGS doesn't it?  Does VVA use its own internal decoder, or datatypes?  I've seen no noticable increase in speed with WardDT installed.

[Cass]

I`ve tried another client, as someone told me that a newer version of RealVNC client might be incompatible with the old Amiga VNC server. I`ve downloaded and installed the TightVNC (a new version also, but it might handle the connection/trasmission of data in a different way), but no luck. Here follows the errror message I got on the Amiga side:

Avnc 0.6 (Mar 15 2000)
using port 5904 at priority 0
client connected
client authenticated
video buffer (640x480x8) at 083a5000
VNC fatal error: mmu descriptors

[Piru]

@Boot_WB

IIRC VNC encodes screens as JPEGS doesn't it?

No it doesn't (original rfb protocol). There are extensions to use compression, but rest assured VVA doesn't support that.

Does VVA use its own internal decoder, or datatypes?

It doesn't support any compression, that's why it's slow, among other things.

[Piru]

@Cass

I`ve tried another client, as someone told me that a newer version of RealVNC client might be incompatible with the old Amiga VNC server.

Nope. If there's incompatibility it's the server side. RFB protocol is very well defined, and future extensions don't break things. Naturally it's possible that Avnc implementation is broken.

I`ve downloaded and installed the TightVNC (a new version also, but it might handle the connection/trasmission of data in a different way), but no luck.

I prefer TightVNC since it does the most extensions (compression types etc). However, if the server doesn't support these extensions it doesn't really matter if you use RealVNC or TightVNC. With basic connectivity they work the same (in fact they're based on the same source tree originally).