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Viewing PDFs on Terminal Server (RDP)
Hi Experts,
We have recently deployed TS for our branch offices that are spread all over the world. They have 1-3Mbit lines and working with Terminal Server has improved user experience drastically. However, there is one bugging problem with PDFs.
Viewing PDFs over RDP is unbelievably slow and working with it is a huge annoyance! Refresh happens with massive delay, text is scrambled and sometimes renders it completely useless. We have lowered color depth, have set a small screen resolution and all that sorts of things but without any positive effect at all. it seems the way pdf screen data is being refreshed when scrolling the document is not appreciated by TS. All other applications and services run perfectly fine over RDP...
There must be a solution to this as many corporations use TS and have to view PDFs over TS. I just cant find any dedicated terminal capable PDF software nor is there any kind of helpful kb or tutorial on how to improve pdf usability on TS.
So is there any such software around and i just can't find it?
Is there a way to tinker with the screen refresh settings on acrobat or TS?
Is PDF over RDP a recommended solution at all? if not, what other options do we have?
If anyone could shed some light on this would be much much appreciated! Any expertish suggestions welcome!
Thanks, Stephen
We have recently deployed TS for our branch offices that are spread all over the world. They have 1-3Mbit lines and working with Terminal Server has improved user experience drastically. However, there is one bugging problem with PDFs.
Viewing PDFs over RDP is unbelievably slow and working with it is a huge annoyance! Refresh happens with massive delay, text is scrambled and sometimes renders it completely useless. We have lowered color depth, have set a small screen resolution and all that sorts of things but without any positive effect at all. it seems the way pdf screen data is being refreshed when scrolling the document is not appreciated by TS. All other applications and services run perfectly fine over RDP...
There must be a solution to this as many corporations use TS and have to view PDFs over TS. I just cant find any dedicated terminal capable PDF software nor is there any kind of helpful kb or tutorial on how to improve pdf usability on TS.
So is there any such software around and i just can't find it?
Is there a way to tinker with the screen refresh settings on acrobat or TS?
Is PDF over RDP a recommended solution at all? if not, what other options do we have?
If anyone could shed some light on this would be much much appreciated! Any expertish suggestions welcome!
Thanks, Stephen
have u tried viewing the same in server with tc session ?
ASKER
@ tsmvp: we use 8.1.1. there are typically around 4 users sharing a T1 or larger, there is no QoS configured and all traffic (including wafs and rpc) competes. users mainly try to view PDFs, print XLSs and use the ms crm over TS. everything works great the users say, but as soon as there's a lot of graphics (like moving ads or worst case a youtube video) involved it becomes unusable.
@sveashwar: not sure we talk the same language here...
@sveashwar: not sure we talk the same language here...
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Thanks tsmvp, that's what I thought.
I'll have a network guru here tomorrow to setup proper QoS on our WAN, I hope to gain some performance.
We used to have Citrix in place but decommissioned it recently. I am considering to re-active the service and see if we can solve the issue this way if QoS won't help as expected.
I'll close this question and assign you the points, I don't have a solution but you have lead me in a new direction.
I'll have a network guru here tomorrow to setup proper QoS on our WAN, I hope to gain some performance.
We used to have Citrix in place but decommissioned it recently. I am considering to re-active the service and see if we can solve the issue this way if QoS won't help as expected.
I'll close this question and assign you the points, I don't have a solution but you have lead me in a new direction.
This answer is of no real help. I dug into this last night and believe I have found a partial solution. If the original questioner or anyone else is interested, please let me know.
ASKER
hi LD
we have implemented Citrix now to overcome the problems with TS. We don't need a solution to the above problem anymore, but we would still be interested in what you have found.
cheers
we have implemented Citrix now to overcome the problems with TS. We don't need a solution to the above problem anymore, but we would still be interested in what you have found.
cheers
Laserdesign, I'm interested in what you have found. Please share.
You mention links of 1 to 3 MBits. Is this for each user or you have multiple users over a 1MBit link for example? If that is the case, how many users per link? Are they printing over TS? Is there QoS for RDP on the link or it has to compete with other protocols like HTTP, RPC (for Exchange/Outlook), etc?
Claudio Rodrigues
Microsoft MVP
Windows Server - Terminal Services