Can ELO Displays Be Used With Virtual Machines or Remote Desktops

How Touch Events Travel Through Remote Sessions

ELO displays use HID (Human Interface Device) protocols for touch. When you connect through Windows Remote Desktop, VMware Horizon, or Citrix, those HID events must pass from the local system to the remote session.
If both systems support HID redirection, gestures and multi-touch commands are transmitted properly.

On Windows-to-Windows sessions, this works natively through RemoteFX or Windows Virtual Desktop.
For Android-based ELO devices connecting to Windows servers, multi-touch must be enabled in the remote desktop app’s settings. Some apps default to single-touch translation, which limits pinch or swipe gestures.

Configuration Best Practices

1. Install the latest ELO touch drivers on the local machine or thin client.

2. Use wired Ethernet for minimal latency. Wireless links can cause cursor lag and perceived “ghost touches.”

3. Match display resolution between the ELO panel and the remote session. Scaling differences introduce misalignment between finger and pointer.

4. Limit frame rate to 60 Hz or less to maintain synchronization over constrained networks.

5. Disable fancy cursor animations that consume bandwidth in remote sessions.

Latency and Optimization

Touch latency across RDP averages 80 to 150 ms depending on connection.
To improve responsiveness, prioritize remote desktop traffic in your switch or firewall’s QoS settings.
For bandwidth-limited sites, consider streaming only the active application rather than the full desktop.

Real Example

A logistics company deployed ELO 2202L touch displays connected to thin clients in loading docks.
Each terminal accessed a Windows 11 virtual machine through VMware Horizon. After enabling USB HID redirection and setting resolution parity, forklift operators could sign digital manifests using touch input without delay.

Troubleshooting Tips

If touch behaves erratically:

• Verify the remote app supports HID pass-through rather than mouse emulation.

• Test locally first to confirm calibration.

• Check that USB over network services are not blocked by group policy.

Final Thoughts

ELO displays integrate smoothly with remote and virtual environments once HID redirection is configured.
Stable connections, matching resolutions, and driver consistency turn virtual desktops into natural, responsive workstations.

Tags: Remote Desktop, HID, Virtualization, Touch Configuration
Author: Emilio Bourdages
Blog: Learn