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✨ Standalone Parsec Virtual Display
Create virtual displays up to 4K@240Hz
This project demonstrates a standalone solution to create virtual displays by using Parsec VDD, without relying on the Parsec app.
The Virtual Display Driver (VDD) is required to enable virtual displays on a Windows host. Virtual displays is a feature available for Teams and Warp customers that lets you add up to 3 additional virtual displays to the host while connecting to a machine you own through Parsec.
Parsec VDD is a perfect software driver developed by Parsec. It utilizes the IddCx API (Indirect Display Driver) to create virtual displays on Windows 10+. This virtual display is particularly useful in situations where a physical monitor may not be available or when additional screens are desired.
One of the notable features of Parsec VDD is its support for a wide range of resolutions and refresh rates, including up to 4K and 240 Hz. This makes it well-suited for gaming, as it can provide a high-quality visual experience. It enables users to simulate the presence of additional screens or work without a physical monitor, enhancing flexibility and customization in display management.
This is a complete driver application to control the Parsec VDD, written in C# and Winforms. It can show the number of virtual displays added, allows adding multiple virtual displays and removing a specific selected one. Also allows to change resolution and take screenshot, and more..
The full source code and production app will be released soon. Here is the preview:
Make sure you have installed the driver:
- parsec-vdd-v0.38
- parsec-vdd-v0.41 (recommended)
The core API is designed as single C/C++ header, see 👉 parsec-vdd.h. It has detailed comments, and can be added to any existing projects. There is also a simple usage demo, see 👉 parsec-vdd-demo.cc.
You can also unzip the driver setup to obtain the driver files and devcon CLI.
./ devcon.exe driver/ mm.cat mm.dll mm.dl
Command line method to install the driver using devcon (requires admin):
admin$ > devcon install driver\mm.inf Root\Parsec\VDA
This list shows the known limitations of Parsec VDD.
Parsec VDD does not support HDR on its displays (see the EDID below). Theoretically, you can unlock support by editing the EDID, then adding HDR metadata and setting 10-bit+ color depth. Unfortunately, you cannot flash its firmware like a physical device, or modify the registry value.
All IDDs have their own fixed EDID block inside the driver binary to initialize the monitor specs. So the solution is to modify this block in the driver DLL (mm.dll), then update it with devcon CLI.
admin$ > devcon update driver\mm.inf Root\Parsec\VDA
Before connecting, the virtual display looks in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Parsec\vdd registry for additional preset resolutions. Currently this supports a maximum of 5 values.
SOFTWARE\Parsec\vdd
key: 0 -> 5 | (width, height, hz)
To unlock this limit, you need to patch the driver DLL the same way as above, but 5 is enough for personal use.
This is a list of known issues when working with standalone Parsec VDD.
If you have enabled "Privacy Mode" in Parsec Host settings, please disable it and clear the connected display configruations in the following Registry path.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Connectivity
This option causes your main display to turn off when virtual displays are added, making it difficult to turn the display on and disrupting the remote desktop session.
The table below shows a comparison with other popular Indirect Display Driver projects.
| Project | Iddcx version | Signed | Gaming | HDR | H-Cursor | Tweakable | Controller |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| usbmmidd_v2 | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | |||
| IddSampleDriver | 1.2 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ||
| RustDeskIddDriver | 1.2 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ||
| Virtual-Display-Driver (HDR) | 1.10 | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | |||
| virtual-display-rs | 1.5 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| parsec-vdd | 1.4 | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | 🆗 | ✅ |
✅ - full support, 🆗 - limited support
Signed means that the driver files have a valid digital signature. H-Cursor means hardware cursor support, without it you will get double cursor on some remote desktop apps. Tweakable is the ability to customize display modes. Visit MSDN IddCx versions to check the minimum supported Windows version.
All of the following display modes are set by driver default.
| Resolution | Common name | Aspect ratio | Refresh rates (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4096 x 2160 | DCI 4K | 1.90:1 (256:135) | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 3840 x 2160 | 4K UHD | 16:9 | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 3840 x 1600 | UltraWide | 24:10 | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 3840 x 1080 | UltraWide | 32:9 (2x 16:9 FHD) | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 3440 x 1440 | 21.5:9 (43:18) | 24/30/60/144/240 | |
| 3240 x 2160 | 3:2 | 60 | |
| 3200 x 1800 | 3K | 16:9 | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 3000 x 2000 | 3:2 | 60 | |
| 2880 x 1800 | 2.8K | 16:10 | 60 |
| 2880 x 1620 | 2.8K | 16:9 | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 2736 x 1824 | 60 | ||
| 2560 x 1600 | 2K | 16:10 | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 2560 x 1440 | 2K | 16:9 | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 2560 x 1080 | UltraWide | 21:9 | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 2496 x 1664 | 60 | ||
| 2256 x 1504 | 60 | ||
| 2048 x 1152 | 60/144/240 | ||
| 1920 x 1200 | FHD | 16:10 | 60/144/240 |
| 1920 x 1080 | FHD | 16:9 | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 1800 x 1200 | FHD | 3:2 | 60 |
| 1680 x 1050 | HD+ | 16:10 | 60/144/240 |
| 1600 x 1200 | HD+ | 4:3 | 24/30/60/144/240 |
| 1600 x 900 | HD+ | 16:9 | 60/144/240 |
| 1440 x 900 | HD | 16:10 | 60/144/240 |
| 1366 x 768 | 60/144/240 | ||
| 1280 x 800 | HD | 16:10 | 60/144/240 |
| 1280 x 720 | HD | 16:9 | 60/144/240 |
Notes:
- Low GPUs, e.g GTX 1650 will not support the highest DCI 4K.
- All resolutions are compatible with 60 Hz refresh rates.
- Name:
Parsec Virtual Display Adapter - Hardware ID:
Root\Parsec\VDA - Adapter GUID:
{00b41627-04c4-429e-a26e-0265cf50c8fa} - Class GUID:
{4d36e968-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
- ID:
PSCCDD0 - Name:
ParsecVDA - EDID:
00 FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 42 63 D0 CD ED 5F 84 00
11 1E 01 04 A5 35 1E 78 3B 57 E0 A5 54 4F 9D 26
12 50 54 27 CF 00 71 4F 81 80 81 40 81 C0 81 00
95 00 B3 00 01 01 86 6F 80 A0 70 38 40 40 30 20
35 00 E0 0E 11 00 00 1A 00 00 00 FD 00 30 A5 C1
C1 29 01 0A 20 20 20 20 20 20 00 00 00 FC 00 50
61 72 73 65 63 56 44 41 0A 20 20 20 00 00 00 10
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 C6
02 03 10 00 4B 90 05 04 03 02 01 11 12 13 14 1F
8A 4D 80 A0 70 38 2C 40 30 20 35 00 E0 0E 11 00
00 1A FE 5B 80 A0 70 38 35 40 30 20 35 00 E0 0E
11 00 00 1A FC 7E 80 88 70 38 12 40 18 20 35 00
E0 0E 11 00 00 1E A4 9C 80 A0 70 38 59 40 30 20
35 00 E0 0E 11 00 00 1A 02 3A 80 18 71 38 2D 40
58 2C 45 00 E0 0E 11 00 00 1E 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 A6
Visit http://www.edidreader.com/ to view it online or use an advanced tool AW EDID Editor