In this article, you will learn about some screen sharing options allowing you to share your PC screen to a touch display with the ability to interact with your PC using the touch display. Please note that not all screen sharing options allow you to use a touch display to interact with your PC. In most cases, screen sharing options will only allow you to share the content on your PC to a screen, but will not allow you to interact with it.
What is touchback?
Touchback is the ability for interactions with a touch screen to affect a PC that is the source of the content. When a PC is connected directly to a touch display via an HDMI or DisplayPort cable as well as a USB cable any interaction with the touch display is sent back to the PC. This is sent via HID commands over the USB connection. The PC then interprets these HID commands and allows the user to interact with the PC via the touch display.
When you are casting your PC to a touch screen through a screen sharing option any touch interactions will have to be seen by the screen sharing device and then sent back to your PC wirelessly. Screen sharing devices that support touchback will have a video connection (HDMI or DisplayPort) to the touch display as well as a USB connection for touch. These devices can then share the touch interactions on the touch display with the shared PC enabling the user to manipulate their PC.
ClickShare CSE-200 shows HDMI video connection as well as a USB connection for touch
Recommended touchback support screen sharing options
Please note that this list is not a conclusive list of screen sharing options that support touchback. These are options that we have tested and verified with our displays.
1. ClickShare - ClickShare has several options for touchback supported screen sharing. However, please note that not all ClickShare screen sharing options support this feature. Here is a list of devices that do support touchback.
For more information on these devices please visit ClickShare's support page here -
https://www.barco.com/en/support/knowledge-base/3975-things-to-know-about-the-touchback-feature
2. Miracast - Miracast is a default feature within Windows PCs that enables you to share your screen with another Miracast enabled device. If you have a touch display with a PC that supports Miracast connected to it, you can then share from your Miracast enable PC to the Miracast enabled PC connected to the display. You will then be able to use the touch display to interact with the PC you are screen sharing from.
Miracast is a great option if you already have PCs connected to your touch displays and the majority of your users are running Windows.
Enabling Miracast in Windows:
- Open the Start Menu and select Settings
- Select System
- Select Projecting to this PC from the list on the Left
- Open the drop-down menu below Some Windows and Android devices can project to this PC when you say it’s ok and select Available Everywhere
Please note that Miracast is currently only supported on Windows based PCs.