Can you broadcast generic Miracast devices to the HTC Flow?

[Celer]

My understanding is that the HTC Flow uses Miracast, this leads me to ask could I buy a generic Miracast HDMI dongle and cast to the HTC Flow? I want to use the flow as a portable monitor for watching movies and coding. But to be able to cast any Miracast device to the Flow is huge. 

[HackPerception]

@Celer  It's probably feasible but we haven't created a client with that functionality as far as I'm aware. I'll ask around and see if I can turn up anything related to this because you're probably right about there being some potential with other Miracast host devices.

[Celer]

Thank you for replying to this.

I was using the Quest 2 with virtual desktop on my Mac this week, and in all reality the HTC Flow would be a much better device for this.

But it occurred to me that if the HTC Flow can act as a generic Miracast screen then I could use it with devices that have no concept of VR, like a Linux laptop with HDMI out and a Miracast dongle.

One of the primary use cases I really want to try the HTC Flow for is as a portable monitor for when I have to travel while I'm working. 

I've done software development for 20 plus years and my hands are very sensitive to my neck posture, so having to work in an office where I can't put my monitor at head height is very painful, also having the extra screen real estate.

But the HTC Flow could resolve this if I could just hook it to any computer and it could act as a portable monitor anywhere - making the HTC Flow so it can use Miracast from any HDMI device would be a game changer for the HTC Flow, you guys could even bundle with dongle with it.

People could hook it to video game consoles to televisions to rokus to whatever.

(The Quest 2 can essentially do this but it's very bulky, and isn't really designed to do this well as you still have to use the controllers to position the virtual monitor, and because it doesn't understand Miracast, you have to install specific software.)

[Alexandra Erin]

I would like to second the demand for this sort of functionality. The Flow would be a perfect "wearable monitor" device, in terms of form factor, and being able to stream from a desktop device would be a usable workaround for the current lack of keyboard support.

Ultimately I would prefer to be able to simply use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse with the Flow directly so as to have a self-contained "virtual office" that fits in a coat with pockets  or a handbag, but this would be a tremendous step in the right direction. I have been looking very seriously at the Quest 2 for these purposes, but as the previous poster says, it's bulky compared to the elegant Flow and ill-suited, even if it can sort of do them.

[Celer]

Ughh after seeing the Arpara 5k I'm really astounded that the Flow isn't able to become a generic headset, the Arpara is really compelling vs the Flow, since it functions as a monitor when hooked to a phone. 

I want HTC to be better! I want HTC to succeed but I really feel like they build products which are like 80% instead of really getting it, it's almost as if HTCs product managers don't understand the market, in fact it feels like their product management doesn't use their products and their competitors products. (I've worked for places like this where my product manager never used the product, so didn't understand why it was so terrible.) 

Like how can the Vive Pro 2 have such a terrible microphone and speakers still (I have a VP2). How can the Flow be soo close and yet so far from being amazing, it's like a frustrating tease. 

I know if I was a senior tech lead for HTC I'd be pushing hard upwards and on product management to do a better job - to not release 80% products.

Edited December 28, 2021 by Celer