Want to work differently with a sub-display during pc game
I want to do notes or research or other things while playing PC games.
2019/08/28 Add some method about virtualization
History
When I captured Splatoon, I noticed that it’s convenient that I can serch information while loading. In addition, specified for foreign game, I want to search dictionary.
All pc games that I currently have will stop when the screen is inactive, so I can’t do this. Even if there are two screens with great pains, it does not make much sense. If the screen only stops, i still want to do something because I’m very anxious that the sound becomes a bump.
Conditions
Required
I use up to two PCs.(The room is small and I’m worried about my circuit breakers in my room.) One of them is used as a file server. Therefore, the breakdown of the two generations inevitably like below …
- Server that running at all times
- Desktop to start only when I need it
Ideal
The server does not combine with the desktop, and basically operate it remotely.(To reduce unstable incident, such as restarting when freezes.)) Ideally, one window on Linux can be used as Windows. I have used the parallel desktop and the remote desktop , So my ideal is like them.
Plan 1 : tese
There is a software called tese as software to prevent pc game from stopping when inactive.
http://sorcellerie.jp/software/tese.html
Advantages
- I don’t have to change the configuration of your PC.
Disadvantages
- Depends on the game or the environment. As far as I’ve tried with Skyrim and Fallout4, the game window didn’t come up in the list and I couldn’t set it up.
Plan 2 : Separate PC for gaming and one for other purposes, and assign sub-displays to latter.
The current configuration is
- Dual-boot main machine (Windows, Linux)
- File Server (Linux)
Replacing The them to below.
- WindowsPC for gaming
- File server and desktop Linux PC
Advantage
- Get rid of the hassle of rebooting for switching OS
- Compared to other plans, it becomes a simple Windows PC, so I don’t have to worry about compatibility problems.
Disadvantages
- Psychological resistance to gaming-only PC that are too expensive compared to consumer game consoles.
- For switching between the mouse and keyboard, I need to purchace new hardware or software.
- Psychological resistance to use as file server and desktop in one PC.
Plan 3 Running Virtual Windows on the Main PC
I didn’t know when I started writing this article, but it seems that I can use GPU on a virtual PC. So I start to looking the way using virtualization.
Reconfigure the desktop that is currently configured with dual boot into linux and guest windows. The file server remains as it is.
Kvm and QEMU, that are virtualization software to run on Linux and be able to pass through the GPUto guest, is the first option.
Advantage
- The file server can operate without any change.
- Compared to plan 4 below, Energy saving because It is not need to load the GPU in the file server
- It is easy to use two OS on same time compared with the dual boot.
Disadvantages
- I need to buy another GPU.Because of a GPU available to the guest’s Windows, another GPU is required to display the host.
- It’s a lot more complicated than plan 2 to build.
- Switching between the mouse and keyboard requires other hardware and software
- Desktop virtualization is generally used for servers, and it seems rare to use both a host and a guest as a desktop PC. There is a shortage of information.
Plan 4 : Put Windows virtually on the file server and use it on Remote Desktop from the client machine
- Middle class main machine
- Low-class file server
The 2 PCs rebuild like below.
- Low-class client PCs
- Middle class servers
Advantage
- Both the client desktop and laptop should be able to use the application in the same way.
- In the future, by exposing the server to the outside, it is also possible to operate with a smartphone or a laptop from outside the house.
- The keyboard and mouse itself should be connected to the client.
Disadvantages
- Increased power consumption
Power consumption goes up to put GPU on the server that moved for a long time, it should be doubled even if it estimates less. - Replace PSU
I don’t want to use the current PSU of desktop to the server because the fan is always fully running and noisy. Therefore, it is necessary to buy the semi-fanless power supply. - I need to buy another GPU.Because of a GPU available to the guest’s Windows, another GPU is required to display the host.
- It’s a lot more complicated than plan 2 to build.
- Remote Desktop and Game Compatibility Issues
Windows 10 Pro supports Remote Desktop, but Windows 10 Pro is not for server, so it’s not clear how far it’s supported. In addition, there are some games that don’t work on remote desktops.
Future Direction
For the time being, I try Plan 3, install virtualization to the main machine. `