About Looking Glass
An open-source application for using a Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) with VGA PCI Pass-through without a dedicated monitor. It enables high-performance graphics for applications like gaming on a virtual machine, viewed on the host system.
Looking Glass is an open-source tool designed for users running a Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) with VGA PCI Pass-through. Its primary function is to display the guest VM's graphical output on the host system without needing a physical monitor connected to the passed-through GPU. This is achieved using a shared memory segment for high-throughput, low-latency frame transfer, avoiding compression artifacts common in network streaming. It's particularly popular among Linux users who want to run Windows games or other high-performance graphics applications in a VM without dual-booting. The project is free, open-source (GPL 2.0), and supported by community documentation and a Discord server. It requires a Windows guest (10 or later) and a host with a recent OpenGL-compatible graphics device.
Pros & Cons
- Enables high-performance gaming on a virtual machine without needing a second monitor.
- Provides a lossless, low-latency viewing experience unlike network-based streaming.
- The software is open-source and free to use.
- Includes an OBS plugin for easy streaming of the guest VM.
- Setup can be complex, requiring knowledge of KVM, VFIO, and PCI passthrough.
- NVIDIA's high-performance NvFBC capture method is restricted to professional-grade GPUs.
- Requires a Windows guest OS; it is not for host-to-host streaming between other OSes.
Features
Key features
Allows use of a KVM with VGA PCI Pass-through without a physical monitor attached to the guest.
Uses a shared memory segment to transfer 32-bit RGBA frames without compression or color space conversion.
Includes a built-in Spice client for mouse, keyboard, and clipboard synchronization with the guest VM.
Provides a plugin to feed the virtual machine's display directly into Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) for streaming.
The client application runs on the host (Linux, macOS) and requires a recent graphics device supporting OpenGL.
Additional features
Can utilize NvFBC on professional NVIDIA cards for frame capture.
Supports frame capture on any Windows 10+ video card via DXGI.
Offers optional support for client-side decorations on Wayland-based desktops like GNOME.
Supports audio input and output via SPICE integration.
Released under the GPL 2.0 license, allowing for community contribution and modification.
Pricing
Countries & Languages
Interface languages
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About Looking Glass
An open-source application for using a Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) with VGA PCI Pass-through without a dedicated monitor. It enables high-performance graphics for applications like gaming on a virtual machine, viewed on the host system.
Looking Glass Details
Looking Glass's In-App Market Place
Does Looking Glass have an in-app market place?
Yes
How many Mini-Apps in the marketplace?
0
Mini Apps
Pricing Options
Accepted Payment Currencies
Pros & Cons
- Enables high-performance gaming on a virtual machine without needing a second monitor.
- Provides a lossless, low-latency viewing experience unlike network-based streaming.
- The software is open-source and free to use.
- Includes an OBS plugin for easy streaming of the guest VM.
- Setup can be complex, requiring knowledge of KVM, VFIO, and PCI passthrough.
- NVIDIA's high-performance NvFBC capture method is restricted to professional-grade GPUs.
- Requires a Windows guest OS; it is not for host-to-host streaming between other OSes.
Looking Glass's Support Options
Documentation
https://looking-glass.io/docs/stable/faq/Looking Glass's Alternatives
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