Freeware Pharmacy

ZeroRemote is a free, tiny (less than 300KB), portable, single-executable remote desktop application for Windows. With blazing speed, file transfer, audio playback, out-of-the-box Aero and alpha blending support, and minimal resource usage, ZeroRemote may be the best remote desktop app you've never heard of.

ZeroRemote's predecessor, IgRemote, made a brief and largely unnoticed debut in a couple of YouTube videos showing the application wiping the floor with UltraVNC in a side-by-side comparison of remote video playback. ZeroRemote, which picks up where IgRemote left off, actually captures the remote screen as compressed video. In fact, ZeroRemote useds the developer's home-grown compressed video codec, ZeroCodec, in addition to supporting several other standard codecs. (In my experience, I've had the best luck with the default ZeroCodec.)

For now, UltraVNC is arguably the richer, more complete remote desktop solution (due largely in part to its VNC underbelly), but ZeroRemote, which picks up where IgRemote left off, is on a fast track to becoming the best in its class.

Other than its speed, the best thing about ZeroRemote is its simplicity. The single executable includes both the server and client, and all the program settings are automatically saved to an .INI file in the same folder. Any files transferred will go in a "recv" subfolder in the same location.
By adding a few switches to a shortcut pointed at the executable, you can launch connections with specified settings automatically - for example:

zeroremote.exe /c:ServerName /pw:password

For a complete list of switches, read Five. Boot Options (for experts) on the developer's English-translated page.

Tiny, fast, and free
Fills all standard remote desktop needs - remote control, file transfer, audio
Extremely simple to use
No-fuss support for Aero and alpha-blending
Passwords limited to 8 characters; no NT authentication
Lossy video captured is not 100% crisp, small text may be difficult to read

NOTE: If you can't read Japanese, you'll need to use a translation engine for the developer's website. Japanese is also the program's default language, but you can easily switch to English by clicking the "EnglishMode" button on first launch.

Download latest version:
ZeroRemote v1.2.5