Apple Screen Sharing vs. VNC

[Spinning Fan]

I VNC into my old (2012) Mini that I use as a headless music/file server of sorts.
When I use the "Screen Share" app, it seems to give me a much better, less latency experience compared to using VNC Viewer or other VNC clients out there. This holds true when comparing the Screen Share and VNC Viewer installed on the same MacBook Air, but also when using VNC Viewer in a Windows machine.

I had thought that Screen Share app was Apple's name for VNC .. but is there any reason why the Screen Share app gives me a much better experience when connecting to another Mac? Is there some sort of optimization that Apple does?

This isn't a very urgent or critical question, but since it is one of the remaining reasons why I can't move my workstation env to completely Windows or FreeBSD.. just wanted hints on what I may be missing.
Thanks for the help.

 

[casperes1996]

I honestly couldn't tell you, but the Screen Sharing app definitely uses VNC. What optimisation they may have done I don't know, but it's VNC for sure

 

[chown33]

Back when I used to do this, I did a little network traffic snooping. I concluded that things were snappier and had lower latency when the data size was smallest. It seems obvious, but it's where I'd put my bet, especially if the network connection goes across a wireless link at any point. Wifi has additional latencies, compared to ethernet.

Transferring less data is usually a result of better compression, or smarter tracking of screen changes. The VNC protocol (technically, the RFB protocol) allows clients and servers to negotiate proprietary (non-standard) encodings, so it could be as simple as "Screen Share" uses a proprietary encoding with better compression or change detection.

 

[Spinning Fan]

Transferring less data is usually a result of better compression, or smarter tracking of screen changes. The VNC protocol (technically, the RFB protocol) allows clients and servers to negotiate proprietary (non-standard) encodings, so it could be as simple as "Screen Share" uses a proprietary encoding with better compression or change detection.

Thanks. Yes, I assume so.. although I am just not technically savvy to do the investigation anymore.
Strangely Screen Share to Windows (VNC Server) seems to perform better also on my MBA.., but for Mac as VNC Server, using Screen Share is definitely more crisp for me.

I will list that as one more reason why this Apple Ecosystem has me trapped ?

 

[etaleb]

Guys - can the screen share app be used at any time for e.g. when I'm on the 2nd floor on my macbook and want to log into my 1st floor mac mini? Or do I have to manually start the session from my mini first? Thx

 

[hobowankenobi]

Guys - can the screen share app be used at any time for e.g. when I'm on the 2nd floor on my macbook and want to log into my 1st floor mac mini? Or do I have to manually start the session from my mini first? Thx

If screen sharing is on and configured on the mini...it should let you connect any time, as long as it is on the network.

 

[etaleb]

one more question - is it possible that my session isn't visible on the monitor connected to the mac mini for privacy? Thanks

 

[HDFan]

is it possible that my session isn't visible on the monitor connected to the mac mini for privacy?

Can you just turn off the monitor?

 

[hobowankenobi]

I don't think VNC/Screen sharing has a feature to blank the remote screen. Apple Remote Desktop and other paid tools do. The easist thing would be, as mentioned, leave the monitor off.