Remote Desktop Connection - Only 256 Colors?

[Numes]

I have been trying all different combinations of google searches and microsoft.com searches and can not find anything that would potentially fix my problem.

My problem: I recently upgraded from a single 21" CRT to dual 24" widescreen LCD monitors and since that change, when I can not choose anything higher than 256 colors when I try to remote desktop into work. I have racked my brain trying to figure this out, and I just can't figure it out.

Under the Remote Desktop Connection log-in window, I choose:
Options-Display->Colors

All that I can choose is 256 colors. No matter what remote desktop size (resolution) I use, nothing lets me choose higher than 256 colors.

Both my home monitors are set to 1920x1200 resolution at 32 bit color quality.

I tried changing the resolution of my home monitors to see if that changed anything, but that did nothing.

I know it is not a setting on my work PC because I can remote log-in from a different computer at work and I can choose >256 colors in the remote desktop connection options.

I have also tried both IE 6.0 and Firefox 2.0.0.13 and they both behave the same.

Any ideas?

[Palaver]

Maybe your work PC needs the latest driver for your home monitor.

[Rival11]

Originally Posted by Palaver

Maybe your work PC needs the latest driver for your home monitor.

This is more than likely what will the problem is and will also prob be cleared up once your work replaces your machine.

There are ways to tweak the resolution from within your client. What kind of client do you use to establish your VPN connection or are you setup with the ability to directly RDP? You will not be changing the settings from RDP if you see any type of client launching before actually accessing your machine (i.e Citrix) (when you remote in from work, it should be the same way as well) if you do not have admin access to do so just call your IT dept - they can easily do it.

Hope this is related to your problem.

Good luck.

[Numes]

Originally Posted by Rival11

This is more than likely what will the problem is and will also prob be cleared up once your work replaces your machine.

I'm not sure what you mean by "once your work replaces your machine." I never meant to imply that my work machine is going anywhere. I just need to log in from home once in a while, I'm not working permanently from home or anything. My work PC and monitors will be there.

Originally Posted by Rival11

There are ways to tweak the resolution from within your client. What kind of client do you use to establish your VPN connection or are you setup with the ability to directly RDP? You will not be changing the settings from RDP if you see any type of client launching before actually accessing your machine (i.e Citrix) (when you remote in from work, it should be the same way as well) if you do not have admin access to do so just call your IT dept - they can easily do it.

Hope this is related to your problem.

Good luck.

I log-in to work though a website. After logging in, I can choose from various specific applications or remote desktop connection. When I click on the Remote Desktop Connection it brings up "Citrix MetaFrame" and has a progress bar doing some things before the remote desktop connection window comes up. For any of the remote programs I open, I can see them in the Citrix "Program Neighborhood Connection Center," but I don't see any options that I can change for either my connection or the remote desktop connection itself. BTW - If I am remoting from a conference room PC at work (for example) to my actual work PC, there is no intermediate server like Citrix, it is a direct remote desktop connection.

As for updating the monitor driver for my work PC to be the monitor for my home PC, I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this one. Will my work PC know which driver to use? Will it override the existing driver for my displays at work? I thought the remote desktop connection program itself did all of the "conversion" (if you will) for displaying it on my home PC. I am usually not so daft when it comes to stuff like this, but there is something counter-intuitive in all this

I have a Gateway FHD2400 at home and when I go to the gateway website, the only options for drivers is a program called Eztune (which I have installed at home). I'll try to install EzTune at work. Although it doesn't look like you can download it directly from Gateway. I'm going to have to bring the CD into work.

[Rival11]

Originally Posted by Numes

I'm not sure what you mean by "once your work replaces your machine." I never meant to imply that my work machine is going anywhere. I just need to log in from home once in a while, I'm not working permanently from home or anything. My work PC and monitors will be there.



I log-in to work though a website. After logging in, I can choose from various specific applications or remote desktop connection. When I click on the Remote Desktop Connection it brings up "Citrix MetaFrame" and has a progress bar doing some things before the remote desktop connection window comes up. For any of the remote programs I open, I can see them in the Citrix "Program Neighborhood Connection Center," but I don't see any options that I can change for either my connection or the remote desktop connection itself. BTW - If I am remoting from a conference room PC at work (for example) to my actual work PC, there is no intermediate server like Citrix, it is a direct remote desktop connection.

As for updating the monitor driver for my work PC to be the monitor for my home PC, I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this one. Will my work PC know which driver to use? Will it override the existing driver for my displays at work? I thought the remote desktop connection program itself did all of the "conversion" (if you will) for displaying it on my home PC. I am usually not so daft when it comes to stuff like this, but there is something counter-intuitive in all this

I have a Gateway FHD2400 at home and when I go to the gateway website, the only options for drivers is a program called Eztune (which I have installed at home). I'll try to install EzTune at work. Although it doesn't look like you can download it directly from Gateway. I'm going to have to bring the CD into work.

First, let me correct my first quote: This would be an issue with the video card not being compatible on your work machine....not your monitor drivers - your monitor drivers will not need to be looked into. sorry about that.

I would have to say at this point it more than likely is your video card (at work) and that's what I meant by "When it's replaced" I'm just guessing you're using an older machine??

If the video card is ok - try going to your citirix client (on your work machine), open the program, & RIGHT CLICK on the connection that was setup for you - run the setup again WITHOUT chaning any settings other than the resolution - if you have never done this before it's very simple.....just keep clicking "next" until you get to the screen res option - don't change any other settings along the way. If the option is grayed out or you are unable to do so in general absolutely have IT look into it.

[Numes]

If anyone's curious - I had to disconnect one of my monitors recently and I happened to remote log-in and all of the sudden everything worked perfectly. I was able to get the proper number of colors and it was much better.

I'm not sure if this is a function of the remote desktop connection program itself, or with Citrix or what.

I guess from now on, I'll have to unplug one of my monitors when remoting in.

[al_bundy]

i think that's a limitation with the XP version of RDP. besides you don't want a high color saturation over RDP. it will be very slow since that is more data it has to send over the wire

[mbs]

Originally Posted by al_bundy

i think that's a limitation with the XP version of RDP. besides you don't want a high color saturation over RDP. it will be very slow since that is more data it has to send over the wire

Yep, that is an inherent "feature" of XP's remote desktop client.

I think you need to use MS's Terminal Services to get a remote connection >256 colors.

[al_bundy]

Terminal Services isn't Microsoft's tech. they license it from Citrix.

i'd say about 50% of Windows is not MS code, but licensed from third parties