4 ms·

One thing I would like is a small portable hdmi display to use with my headless servers when they fail to boot. Even better would show screen over network.

by rr808 1y ago

jsheard 1y ago
How small are we talking? There are tons of cheap portable monitors built around laptop panels.
- rr808 1y ago
  Its for my closet so I wanted smaller - like < 10 inch. You inspired me to look again and you're right they're available in this size. thanks. Still would like a network solution as well btw. :)
  - jsheard 1y ago
    I can't vouch for any particular one, but there are a number of cheap network KVMs now which enable that kind of remote management. e.g. https://www.cnx-software.com/2025/03/21/jetkvm-a-69-kvm-over-ip-solution-with-open-source-software/ https://www.cnx-software.com/2025/03/21/jetkvm-a-69-kvm-over...
    - rr808 1y ago
      OK awesome. JetKVM looks perfect, I saw wireless hdmi as well but this is better.
      - Scoundreller 1y ago
        Just be careful with wireless hdmi. 5ghz should go through walls but 60ghz won’t even go through a curtain.
mmastrac 1y ago
AliExpress has a beautiful 7" screen for peanuts. It has a surprisingly clear display and has so many uses: https://youtu.be/LC3INaZVqFA?si=2BV5N3_7TtWPRlUj https://youtu.be/LC3INaZVqFA?si=2BV5N3_7TtWPRlUj It even has USB power and speakers.
jcul 1y ago
I have a portable monitor I used to use as a second screen while travelling. I actually used it again recently while setting up a new home server, got me as far as SSH access. It wasn't super cheap, but not that expensive either.
RenThraysk 1y ago
Peakdo have a miniHDMI 7" https://www.peakdo.com/PeakDo-Ultra-thin-light-7-inch-Multiple-Portable-Monitor-Small-Screen-p5746956.html https://www.peakdo.com/PeakDo-Ultra-thin-light-7-inch-Multip...
sowbug 1y ago
Try "camera field monitor." Example: https://www.amazon.com/FEELWORLD-Monitor-1280x720-Peaking-Include/dp/B07J4DC173/ https://www.amazon.com/FEELWORLD-Monitor-1280x720-Peaking-In... I used one of these to make a teleprompter-style videoconference setup at home during the pandemic, so I could make eye contact with other meeting participants.
- rr808 1y ago
  Oh that is cool, I never knew about them.
mbreese 1y ago
I scavenged an LCD screen from an old laptop and put it in a cheap case from AliExpress. It has a small driver board and a steel case. I use it as a small/portable TV. But it has USB-C for input and power, and HDMI input. It’s just about the size of an iPad and very nice. I think that would work very well in a headless/data center scenario.
orev 1y ago
Another option are HDMI/USB capture dongles and VLC. They’re cheap and take up no space when not in use.
ahartmetz 1y ago
At a hacker conference in the early 2000s, I saw a maybe 5" cash register CRT screen on a tower server case. That was cool. It inspired me much later to buy a 7" LCD for the same purpose. You can find them as Raspberry Pi accessories. Some of them have HDMI input, most use USB for power, and they are cheap - about 50€. The downside is that they tend to be almost bare circuit boards with a bit of plexiglass framing + stand. There are also "DVD watching screens" for car headrests, which are more sturdy with a thick case. The downside there is that power supply (12, 1A or so) is more of a hassle, and good luck finding one without overscan. It's not in the specs if they have it or if it can be disabled.
- nick49488171 1y ago
  It would be nice if motherboards can POST to a mini display like this even without any igpu in the processor.
- nick49488171 1y ago
  Oh this reminds me, in 2008 I built a PC case where the (normally clear acrylic) side of the computer was a backlit LCD monitor, and it could remain working and pivot outward to access inside the PC.
password4321 1y ago
I recommended https://www.aurga.com https://www.aurga.com last time this came up. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41138701#41140193 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41138701#41140193

One thing I would like is a small portable hdmi display to use with my headless servers when they fail to boot. Even better would show screen over network.

by rr808 1y ago

One thing I would like is a small portable hdmi display to use with my headless servers when they fail to boot. Even better would show screen over network.

jsheard 1y ago

How small are we talking? There are tons of cheap portable monitors built around laptop panels.

rr808 1y ago
Its for my closet so I wanted smaller - like < 10 inch. You inspired me to look again and you're right they're available in this size. thanks. Still would like a network solution as well btw. :)
- jsheard 1y ago
  I can't vouch for any particular one, but there are a number of cheap network KVMs now which enable that kind of remote management. e.g. https://www.cnx-software.com/2025/03/21/jetkvm-a-69-kvm-over-ip-solution-with-open-source-software/ https://www.cnx-software.com/2025/03/21/jetkvm-a-69-kvm-over...
  - rr808 1y ago
    OK awesome. JetKVM looks perfect, I saw wireless hdmi as well but this is better.
    - Scoundreller 1y ago
      Just be careful with wireless hdmi. 5ghz should go through walls but 60ghz won’t even go through a curtain.

mmastrac 1y ago

AliExpress has a beautiful 7" screen for peanuts. It has a surprisingly clear display and has so many uses: https://youtu.be/LC3INaZVqFA?si=2BV5N3_7TtWPRlUj https://youtu.be/LC3INaZVqFA?si=2BV5N3_7TtWPRlUj It even has USB power and speakers.

jcul 1y ago

I have a portable monitor I used to use as a second screen while travelling. I actually used it again recently while setting up a new home server, got me as far as SSH access. It wasn't super cheap, but not that expensive either.

RenThraysk 1y ago

Peakdo have a miniHDMI 7" https://www.peakdo.com/PeakDo-Ultra-thin-light-7-inch-Multiple-Portable-Monitor-Small-Screen-p5746956.html https://www.peakdo.com/PeakDo-Ultra-thin-light-7-inch-Multip...

sowbug 1y ago

Try "camera field monitor." Example: https://www.amazon.com/FEELWORLD-Monitor-1280x720-Peaking-Include/dp/B07J4DC173/ https://www.amazon.com/FEELWORLD-Monitor-1280x720-Peaking-In... I used one of these to make a teleprompter-style videoconference setup at home during the pandemic, so I could make eye contact with other meeting participants.

rr808 1y ago
Oh that is cool, I never knew about them.

mbreese 1y ago

I scavenged an LCD screen from an old laptop and put it in a cheap case from AliExpress. It has a small driver board and a steel case. I use it as a small/portable TV. But it has USB-C for input and power, and HDMI input. It’s just about the size of an iPad and very nice. I think that would work very well in a headless/data center scenario.

orev 1y ago

Another option are HDMI/USB capture dongles and VLC. They’re cheap and take up no space when not in use.

ahartmetz 1y ago

At a hacker conference in the early 2000s, I saw a maybe 5" cash register CRT screen on a tower server case. That was cool. It inspired me much later to buy a 7" LCD for the same purpose. You can find them as Raspberry Pi accessories. Some of them have HDMI input, most use USB for power, and they are cheap - about 50€. The downside is that they tend to be almost bare circuit boards with a bit of plexiglass framing + stand. There are also "DVD watching screens" for car headrests, which are more sturdy with a thick case. The downside there is that power supply (12, 1A or so) is more of a hassle, and good luck finding one without overscan. It's not in the specs if they have it or if it can be disabled.

nick49488171 1y ago
It would be nice if motherboards can POST to a mini display like this even without any igpu in the processor.
nick49488171 1y ago
Oh this reminds me, in 2008 I built a PC case where the (normally clear acrylic) side of the computer was a backlit LCD monitor, and it could remain working and pivot outward to access inside the PC.

password4321 1y ago

I recommended https://www.aurga.com https://www.aurga.com last time this came up. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41138701#41140193 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41138701#41140193