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NanoVNA-H NanoVNA-H Documentation

Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop mode streams the NanoVNA-H display to a connected PC, allowing you to view the screen remotely and control the device through simulated touch input.

How It Works

Section titled “How It Works”

When Remote Desktop is enabled:

  1. The NanoVNA-H sends display updates over USB
  2. PC software renders the screen in a window
  3. Mouse clicks are sent back as touch events
  4. You can control the device without touching the screen

Enable Remote Desktop

Section titled “Enable Remote Desktop”

Via Shell Command

Section titled “Via Shell Command”
Terminal window
refresh on

This enables display streaming over USB.

Via Menu

Section titled “Via Menu”
  1. Connect to the device via shell
  2. Send refresh on command
  3. The device begins streaming

Disable Remote Desktop

Section titled “Disable Remote Desktop”
Terminal window
refresh off

Using Remote Control

Section titled “Using Remote Control”

The firmware supports simulated touch via shell commands:

Touch Commands

Section titled “Touch Commands”
Terminal window
# Simulate touch at coordinates x, y
touch 160 120


# Release touch (optional coordinates)
release
release 160 120

Coordinates

Section titled “Coordinates”

The coordinate system matches the display:

ModelWidthHeightOrigin
NanoVNA-H320240Top-left
NanoVNA-H4480320Top-left

PC Software Support

Section titled “PC Software Support”

NanoVNASharp

Section titled “NanoVNASharp”

NanoVNASharp includes remote display:

  1. Connect to NanoVNA-H
  2. The display appears in the software window
  3. Click on the display to interact

NanoVNASaver

Section titled “NanoVNASaver”

NanoVNASaver can display the screen:

  1. Connect to NanoVNA-H
  2. Go to Display menu
  3. Enable screen capture/display

Python Script

Section titled “Python Script”

Create your own remote display:

import serial
import struct
from PIL import Image
import tkinter as tk


class NanoVNARemote:
    def __init__(self, port):
        self.ser = serial.Serial(port, 115200, timeout=1)
        self.width = 320
        self.height = 240


    def enable_refresh(self):
        self.ser.write(b'refresh on\r\n')


    def send_touch(self, x, y):
        self.ser.write(f'touch {x} {y}\r\n'.encode())


    def send_release(self):
        self.ser.write(b'release\r\n')


    def read_screen_data(self):
        # Read and decode screen data
        # Format depends on firmware version
        pass

Data Format

Section titled “Data Format”

The remote desktop protocol sends screen regions:

typedef struct {
    uint16_t x;      // Region X position
    uint16_t y;      // Region Y position
    uint16_t width;  // Region width
    uint16_t height; // Region height
} remote_region_t;

Followed by pixel data in RGB565 format.

Practical Applications

Section titled “Practical Applications”

Demonstration

Section titled “Demonstration”

Show NanoVNA measurements on a larger screen:

  1. Connect NanoVNA-H to laptop
  2. Enable remote desktop
  3. Project laptop display
  4. Control NanoVNA from laptop

Documentation

Section titled “Documentation”

Capture high-quality screenshots:

  1. Enable remote desktop
  2. Set up the measurement display
  3. Capture the PC window (better quality than device capture)

Remote Operation

Section titled “Remote Operation”

Control the NanoVNA-H from a distance:

  1. Connect via long USB cable
  2. Enable remote desktop
  3. Control from PC while device is in test position

Automated Testing

Section titled “Automated Testing”

Script touch interactions for automated tests:

# Automated menu navigation
remote.send_touch(160, 120)  # Open menu
time.sleep(0.3)
remote.send_release()
remote.send_touch(80, 60)    # Select option
time.sleep(0.3)
remote.send_release()

Limitations

Section titled “Limitations”

Performance Tips

Section titled “Performance Tips”

Shell Command Reference

Section titled “Shell Command Reference”
Terminal window
# Enable remote display
refresh on


# Disable remote display
refresh off


# Send touch event at x,y
touch x y


# Send release event
release
release x y

Troubleshooting

Section titled “Troubleshooting”

No Display Updates

Section titled “No Display Updates”
  • Verify refresh on is enabled
  • Check USB connection
  • Try reconnecting
  • Restart the NanoVNA-H

Sluggish Response

Section titled “Sluggish Response”
  • Use a shorter USB cable
  • Close other USB devices
  • Reduce sweep points for faster updates

Touch Not Working

Section titled “Touch Not Working”
  • Verify coordinates are within display bounds
  • Check that device isn’t in a modal state
  • Try explicit release before new touch