Two monitors to one screen

Support & Help Requests
1

I have two laptops and I would like both screens to display on-screen using a data projector. Is there a way to do that? I could imagine the way via some videoconferencing tool, but if I want it to do locally, are there any options?

2

Here are a couple of suggestions. There might be better options, but these two will work. What specific software you will need to run will depend on the operating system on each of the two computers. I will assume that at least one of your computers is running Ubuntu MATE and that your monitor is a wide-screen model like this one: 2560x1080 resolution Sceptre model. In reality, this kind of monitor might have a control that allows you to split the two inputs side-by-side, but let's assume that's not the case. These suggestions should work for any monitor as long as there is enough resolution to display the two screens.

Option 1: (Side-by-side)

  1. Connect the monitor to Computer 1 (the Ubuntu MATE computer) and choose the highest resolution displayable on the monitor 2560x1080. (Instructions)
  2. Install a remote desktop application on each computer. If both computers are Linux, you can use remmina or x2go. If Computer 2 is Windows, you will need to find a pair of applications that are cross-platform. (Teamviewer, Anydesk, etc.)
  3. Launch any application you want to use on Computer 1 and display its window on the left side of the screen by pressing the key combination Super + <-.
  4. From Computer 1, make the connection to Computer 2 using the remote desktop application to control Computer 2.
  5. Select the window that represents Computer 2 and press the key combination Super + -> to display Computer 2 on the right side of the monitor. Your panels, menu, and desktop will be selectable from within this window.

Option 2: (Workspaces)

  1. Compete Step 1 above.
  2. Complete step 2 above.
  3. Open any applications you want to run from Computer 1 as normal. They will appear on Workspace 1.
  4. Press the key combination Ctl + Alt + -> to move to Workspace 2.
  5. Open the remote desktop software to control Computer 2. If there is an option to display the window full-screen, do that. Otherwise maximize the window.
  6. To switch between Workspace 1 and Workspace 2 (full-screen Computer 1 and Computer 2) press the key combination Ctl + Alt + <- to move to Workspace 1 and press the key combination Ctl + Alt + -> to move to Workspace 2.
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