Use Kindle Fire as Second Monitor – Second PC Screen

How to use Kindle Fire as Second Monitor or How to use Kindle Fire as Second PC Screen? The Kindle Fire screen is great for reading books and viewing movies. Now, you can expand the capabilities of your Kindle screen by using the Kindle as a second screen for your computer. You can do so via a Kindle VNC viewer or via the iDisplay Kindle Fire app. Read here for connecting multiple displays.

iDisplay Kindle Fire App

• Download the iDisplay desktop server software for Windows or Mac.
• Download the iDisplay app for Kindle Fire in the Amazon App Store.

With the server software running on your PC, simply open the iDisplay app on the Kindle Fire. You will be prompted to select the PC you wish to connect with.

Drag and drop windows you wish to work with over to your Kindle Fire screen which should now be working as a second PC screen. You can even control items on the screen by tapping and dragging them. If you need to, you can change the configuration of the screens from the PC software.

How to Use a Kindle DX as a PC Display

To get started, you need a Kindle DX, its USB cable, and a PC. You also need a few software components:

• Kindle-jailbreak-0.10.N.zip, from the MobileRead Forums
• Kindle-usbnetwork-0.37.N.zip, from the same MobileRead thread
• Kindle VNC Viewer
• TightVNC, a VNC server
• PuTTY or another Telnet client

• Start by connecting the Kindle DX to your computer and waiting for Windows to mount it as a USB storage device (this should happen automatically after a moment). Next, from Kindle-jailbreak-0.10.N.zip, extract the file called update_jailbreak_0.10.N_dxg_install.bin. Place this file in the root of your Kindle (not in the documents folder).
• Next, disconnect the Kindle DX from the computer. Switch it on, and then navigate to the Kindle Settings menu by selecting Menu > Settings. Within the Settings screen, press menu again, and select the Update Your Kindle option. Press the five-way controller to begin the update process, and the Kindle DX will pop up a confirmation prompt; press OK, and the update will begin.

Install USB Networking

Once the Kindle DX reboots, connect it to your computer again and mount it as a USB storage device. Next, open Kindle-usbnetwork-0.37.N.zip and extract the file called update_usbnetwork_0.37.N_dxg_install.bin. Place update_usbnetwork_0.37.N_dxg_install.bin into the Kindle’s root directory, and then repeat the rooting procedure I outlined above to install the USB Networking file on the Kindle.

Install the Kindle VNC Viewer

With USB Networking installed (but not yet active), connect the Kindle DX to your computer again, mounting it as a USB storage device. Unzip kindlevncviewer.zip, and drag the Kindle VNC viewer folder into the root folder of the Kindle.

Install and Configure TightVNC Server on the PC

You’re done with the Kindle DX, and now it is time to set things up on the PC. First, install TightVNC and run the TightVNC Server application. Next, right-click the TightVNC system tray icon, and open the Configuration menu.

Change the ‘Main server port’ to 5901, and uncheck the Require VNC authentication option. Click Apply or OK, and then leave TightVNC Server running.

Start Networking on the Kindle DX

You are now ready to start USB networking on the Kindle DX. If the e-reader is still connected to the PC, disconnect it and navigate to its home screen. Next, tap the Del key on the Kindle DX keyboard. A prompt will appear. Type; debugOn and press Return. Note the semicolon at the beginning of the command; you can produce it by using the Sym key. Next, tap Del again. Type `usbNetwork and press Return. This command starts with a backtick, which you also produce via the Sym key. Make sure that it’s a backtick, not a single quotation mark. Once you have that, tap Del one last time. Type;debugOff and press Return.

Great job! Your Kindle DX is now ready to create a virtual network with your PC, over the USB connection. Use the USB cable to connect the Kindle DX to the PC.

Configure Networking on the PC

When you connect the Kindle DX now, Windows will not mount it as a USB storage device. Instead, Windows will install a new device driver for it. This process takes a moment but does not require any intervention on your part. Simply wait until you see ‘Ready to use’ pop up on the screen. When that appears, it is time to configure this new connection on your PC. In Windows 7, navigate to the Network Connections menu by opening Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network Connections, and locate the ‘USB Ethernet/RNDIS Gadget’ connection. Right-click that connection and select properties; then, within the properties list, scroll down to ‘Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)’. Open the Properties menu, select Use the following IP address, and enter192.168.2.1 for the address and 255.255.255.0 for the netmask. Click OK, and then clickOK again to close the connection properties window.

Establish a Telnet Connection

Now you have to connect to the Kindle DX from the computer and control it via Telnet. Run the PuTTY application (or your Telnet app of choice) and set up a new connection. Since this will be a Telnet connection, select Telnet under connection type (instead of SSH, which is the default). You want to connect to 192.168.2.2 (which is your Kindle DX), port 23. With those Telnet session settings in place, click Open. You should see a welcome dialog box signaling a successful connection.

Adjust Orientation and Start VNC Viewer on the Kindle DX

To whip your Kindle DX into shape as an auxiliary PC display, tap the Kindle’s aA button and reorient the screen so that it is horizontal (like your computer monitor). Make sure that TightVNC Server is still running on the computer–you will be connecting to it in a moment.

Using your Telnet client (PuTTY or your app of choice), send the commands highlighted in bold below:

1. [root@kindle root]# /etc/init.d/netwatchd stop
2. [root@kindle root]# /etc/init.d/powerd stop
3. [root@kindle root]# /mnt/us/kindlevncviewer/kvncviewer.sh 192.168.2.1:1 &

Your Kindle should now display your selected computer’s monitor/screen on its display. Thanks for reading how to Use Kindle Fire as Second Monitor – Second PC Screen. Please leave your comments and suggestions below.

Video: Use Kindle Fire as Second monitor- VNC