VR and Kodi Multi-monitor Support?
#1
Guys, I've been using a Free Virtual Desktop/Cinema App in VR on my Oculus Rift called BigScreenVR. While they've had Virtual Home theaters for a while, in their next update there will be a Virtual Imax sized Auditorium. In the Promo Gif for the new update posted on reddit we could see a floating screen near the user cast to the main cinema screen. I asked the Dev if I could have my Kodi interface on the floating screen near me but have the video play on the main screen but for them not to be mirrored as they are now. This would effectively be like having a giant Touch Screen Kodi Remote beside me sending video to my own personal Imax Screen. The dev explained that I needed two things. A Ghost Dongle to trick windows into thinking I have a second monitor which allows the cinema screen to be an independent monitor from the floating screen beside me. Secondly, Kodi would need to be able to be displayed on one 'monitor' but play its Video on another 'monitor'

Is that possible? Have Kodi permanently visible on the floating monitor beside me, when I click play on a video file have that display on a different monitor, all the while Kodi remains visible on the first monitor even while the film is playing? If its possible in real life it'll be possible in VR. So effectively what I am asking is if I had a real life multimonitor setup with two monitors, could I have the Kodi UI permanently displayed on one monitor but have the Video play on the other monitor all the while Kodi UI remains visible on the first monitor.

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#2
A quick NO;

Then possible work-rounds which would be an external player dedicated to open for the second screen (but Kodi would remain in suspension, without control). A Web interface (wiki) that controls Kodi on the second device, might be something to look into. VR relatively is still in its infancy, I suspect we will see this kind of control in the future but would most likely revolve around the VR support team and their willingness to integrate Kodi into their road map, Kodi is open source and they would have access, while the reverse is not likely.
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#3
(2017-07-16, 03:53)PatK Wrote: A quick NO;

Then possible work-rounds which would be an external player dedicated to open for the second screen (but Kodi would remain in suspension, without control). A Web interface (wiki) that controls Kodi on the second device, might be something to look into. VR relatively is still in its infancy, I suspect we will see this kind of control in the future but would most likely revolve around the VR support team and their willingness to integrate Kodi into their road map, Kodi is open source and they would have access, while the reverse is not likely.

Thanks Pat.

The BigScreen Devs did say the had plans to look into using Kodi and/or Plex for the media playing interface sometime in the future. I'll have a read of the Web Interface Wiki. Thanks for the linky. The Kodi UI would still appear on the main screen when a video file wasn't playing wouldn't it. Would I be correct in thinking that the benefit of the web interface method on the second screen is that while with the two screens being mirrors as is the case right now, both the Ui and the Video play on both screens, in the case of the web interface method, video would never play on the second screen with the web interface?

Virtual Cinema is neat at the moment and looks only slightly worse than a Dvd blown up on a real life Home Theater Projection Screen. I'd never have my first viewing of Blockbuster Movies or major TV shows like GOT in a Virtual Cinema but second viewings and everything else I'm happy to watch on my own personal Imax Screen albeit at dvd'esque quality. However in future generation HMD's when we have 4K per eye, wider FOV and Foveated Rendering and we can finally do Virtual Cinemas justice, well at that point I Don't think I'll ever set foot in a real cinema again.

Thanks again for your help Pat!
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#4
I think you have the gist of it, the best position would be an extended screen, Kodi movie playing on 2nd with a browser on the first with a web interface. Kodi at this point is not designed to throw or cast video, although this might change. A lot of how this all works is still determined by your graphics hardware capabilities and how your o/s multitasks multiple desktops. https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=259087

I'm personally looking forward to better voice control, and features Leia is bringing to the table. Giving up theatres is going to be hard with nice things like this https://www.engadget.com/2017/07/14/sams...-theaters/
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