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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Headless Ubuntu on Raspberry Pi

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Another voice in praise of NoMachine. I can't really comment on its performance relative to other solutions, but it's working quite nicely for me on an Odroid-N2 and UbuntuMate 20.0.4. Just now trying to see if I can notice a difference with a solid colour background.
3 years 1 week ago #68872

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No, it is the usercfg.txt file.  This is what the config.txt file says:

# Please DO NOT modify this file; if you need to modify the boot config, the
# "usercfg.txt" file is the place to include user changes. Please refer to
# the README file for a description of the various configuration files on
# the boot partition.


<strong>I was talking about the system-boot partition here</strong>.



Note that there is also a config.txt file in the <strong>writable partition</strong>  in the /boot/firmware folder.  This is the other place where you can modify the resolution.

I don't know why it is necessary to do that in both places, but I did and I have a very snappy response using just old regular VNC.

Also, this refers to installation of Ubuntu 20.04 on an SD card.  When installing on an SSD (and booting directly from the SSD) it is possible that this requires only one file, i.e. the config.txt file in the /boot/firmware folder.  I have not tested that (yet), as Ubuntu 20.04 runs quite fast from the SD card, although booting up takes definitely longer than from an SSD.
Last edit: 3 years 1 week ago by Jose Corazon.
3 years 1 week ago #68881

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Hello,
just to add another Remote Desktop solution, I have made pretty good experiences with xrdp on the pi. Microsoft Remote Desktop performs much better than VNC, especially in lower bandwidth environments...

Regards

Dirk
3 years 1 week ago #68978

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I have made the best experience using plain old x11vnc on the Pi4 in the backyard and Remmina on my Linux Desktop in the house. I am connecting to my Pi4 using an external 5 GHz dongle plugged into the powered USB hub through which all peripherals are routed via a single USB3 connection to the Pi. My connection speed is 867 Mbps. Connection is virtually lag-free.

As a backup, I am also running the Pi simultaneously in 5 GHz Hotspot mode from its own internal WiFi module. That is coming in handy, since sometimes the Pi will drop the connection to my router. However, the Hotspot invariably remains active, so I can still control it by simply switching to this backup connection.
3 years 1 week ago #69000

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FWIW, I tried out Mate with NoMachine, and it is a little bit faster--I think it's the NoMachine, as opposed to the Mate--with a little drop in quality, even at the highest quality setting.
Probably worth the tradeoff. Far from Jo's VNC's "very snappy", but acceptable/workable. 

NoMachine has an odd "feature" in that it does not have a full-screen mode that maintains aspect ratio (so if you go full screen on my mac laptop with a 1920x1080 RPi display, you get vertical stretching) but I found some incantations to change my RPi display to 1920x1200, and that fits the MacbookPro's screen much better. Also, NoMachine's Mac client's full screen mode doesn't play well with Mac's "three-finger-swipe". Oh well, first world problems.

As an aside, I thought perhaps this was something related to my PowerLine-connection or my Google WiFi, but even moved inside and plugged into the same switch. Networking is one of those magic things for me, my networking is never as fast as others seem to get.
3 years 1 week ago #69023

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I find the NoMachine screen modes pretty confusing, because they interact with (1) the resolution settings on the Pi and (2) the resolution settings on the mac. Not sure I can explain exactly what I've done, but I have a great representation of my ubuntu screen on my mac laptop that then adjusts automagically to my higher resolution iMac and back again.

Maybe just try fiddling with screen settings on all these three things (NoMachine, ubuntu, and mac) until you're happier.

Not sure about the three-finger-swipe, but the reverse scrolling and the two-finger scroll seem to work fine for me too.

I'm curious which desktop you were using before? For me there was definitely a noticeable GUI speedup when I switched to mate.
3 years 1 week ago #69027

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I guess I was using the standard gnome desktop that comes with the "full" installation of ubuntu.

Re the scaling, once I set my RPi to be 1920x1200, then going full screen gives me a non-distorted view. I am happy with things,  would be nice if it was a little faster, but as I said, it is workable.

The 3-finger swipe on the mac is a nice UI. When you click on the green circle on the upper left of a window, then window goes full-screen and sort-of in its own space. You can swipe between the different spaces using a 3-fingered right or left swipe on the trackpad. Somehow, though, NoMachine windows don't work with this--perhaps they "steal" the 3-finger gesture from the mac desktop.
3 years 1 week ago #69032

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