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[haggis999]

I have MC 25 running on my primary computer and use this to manage the metadata for my audio files, which are stored on a NAS box. Playback is done on my Naim network player using the Naim app rather than MC, assisted by MinimServer on the NAS.

I also have MC 25 running on an Intel NUC that is used exclusively as an HTPC for the rips I have made of my Blu-ray collection (these MKV files are also stored on the NAS). Video playback is normally done from this HTPC using JRemote or Gizmo. When I need to manage this library I use a Logitech 400 K400+ IR keyboard with the NUC, but it is not a very convenient solution. I hate trackpads and can work much faster on my primary PC, which has a full size keyboard and mouse. Using my 65" television as a computer monitor is also less than ideal.

Ideally, I would like to find a way of remotely managing the video library on the HTPC from my primary computer. Is such a process possible? I've tried searching the forum, but failed to find anything relevant.

[RoderickGI]

If you want full maintenance/management of the MC Library on the HTPC NUC, and you don't want your primary computer to be running when you watch your HTPC, then you will have to use Windows Remote Desktop to connect to the NUC from your primary computer to do the maintenance. Or one of the other remote desktop solutions such as VNC, TeamViewer, etc.

The alternative is to use your primary computer as the MC Server, with media files on the NAS as now, and set up the HTPC NUC as a Client of the primary computer. Then all maintenance can be done on the primary computer. But then the primary computer will have to be running, or set to wake up, whenever you want to use the HTPC.

You can do some maintenance of a Library on the NUC acting as a MC Server from your primary computer acting as a MC Client, but not all. i.e. Not View maintenance, Importing, Get Movie & TV Info, any functions that involve file management such as Cover Art collection, Rename, Move & Copy Files, etc. A search of the forum would find lots of discussions and a more complete list of what doesn't work when using a MC Client to maintain a MC Server.

[haggis999]

If you want full maintenance/management of the MC Library on the HTPC NUC, and you don't want your primary computer to be running when you watch your HTPC, then you will have to use Windows Remote Desktop to connect to the NUC from your primary computer to do the maintenance. Or one of the other remote desktop solutions such as VNC, TeamViewer, etc................

I did try using Windows Remote Desktop a year or two ago, but hit some long-forgotten problems and never pursued it any further. Thanks to your encouragement, I've now given it another go.

My NUC has two user accounts: Admin and HTPC. It normally runs under the non-admin HTPC account, but when I tried to connect to the HTPC account via WRD I got a message saying "The connection was denied because the user account is not authorised for remote log-in". After Googling this error, I found out that I first needed to add HTPC to the Remote Desktop Users group. It appears that this error message has been confusing WRD users for many years, but Microsoft has never seen fit to expand the message with a reference to that group.

Now that I have succeeded in gaining remote access, I will try to use this method for all my normal MC admin work. Are there any restrictions I should know about when using this process? 


EDIT: I've hit my first problem. When I log out of a WRD session on my primary computer, it also logs me out of the HTPC account on my NUC. This prevents me playing anything via JRemote or Gizmo until I get out my wireless keyboard and log in again. Is there any way around that inconvenience?

[DJLegba]

EDIT: I've hit my first problem. When I log out of a WRD session on my primary computer, it also logs me out of the HTPC account on my NUC. This prevents me playing anything via JRemote or Gizmo until I get out my wireless keyboard and log in again. Is there any way around that inconvenience?

Don't log out. Just close the session.

[rec head]

My HTPC is also my server of all content. I try and do as much maintenance from this client PC as I can and it isn't really a problem.

Do you use the HTPC in Theater View? If yes then I think most of the library management functions can be done from a client (your main PC). I'm pretty sure you can't delete but for occasional deletions you can easily do that from Theater View.

You can also save views in one instance and load them on the other. On this computer I make a view that I want on the HTPC, save it to the NAS and then load it on the HTPC.

The obvious answer is to just run your main PC to serve everything but then it would need to be on when watching video.

[haggis999]

Don't log out. Just close the session.

I didn't log out. I simply closed the Windows Remote Desktop session on my primary computer. That triggered a logout of the HTPC user on my Intel NUC.

[haggis999]

My HTPC is also my server of all content. I try and do as much maintenance from this client PC as I can and it isn't really a problem.

Do you use the HTPC in Theater View? If yes then I think most of the library management functions can be done from a client (your main PC). I'm pretty sure you can't delete but for occasional deletions you can easily do that from Theater View.

You can also save views in one instance and load them on the other. On this computer I make a view that I want on the HTPC, save it to the NAS and then load it on the HTPC.

The obvious answer is to just run your main PC to serve everything but then it would need to be on when watching video.

I never use Theatre View. I use JRemote or Gizmo to play my videos.

The reason I bought the Intel NUC to act as an HTPC was to avoid having my primary computer active all the time. It is actually left switched on (in the same room) when we are watching videos, but is in sleep mode so we are not bothered by noise from fans or hard disks.

[DJLegba]

Don't log out. Just close the session.

After a Windows update at some point, every RDP session starts with the logon screen, but if you've closed the session you are returned to where you left it. I don't think this is your problem. On your desktop computer, before connecting to the NUC, click "Show Options". Select the Local Resources tab, click the Settings button in the Remote audio section, and make sure "Play on remote computer" is selected.

[RoderickGI]

I didn't log out. I simply closed the Windows Remote Desktop session on my primary computer. That triggered a logout of the HTPC user on my Intel NUC.

To be honest I haven't used Windows Remote Desktop (RDP) in a while, as it was a bit slow and annoyed me. But I have a similar setup to you, and RDP worked fine. I don't remember being logged out of the Server when I disconnected from the session. But I just tested with one of my old RDP session configurations and I was logged out. Maybe something has changed since I used it. Certainly Windows 10 security has been beefed up.

Maybe the setting DJLegba suggested will help. Or maybe you need a little more Googling. Or maybe use a third-party tool like VNC, Teamviewer, or one of the many others available.

[haggis999]

After a Windows update at some point, every RDP session starts with the logon screen, but if you've closed the session you are returned to where you left it. I don't think this is your problem. On your desktop computer, before connecting to the NUC, click "Show Options". Select the Local Resources tab, click the Settings button in the Remote audio section, and make sure "Play on remote computer" is selected.

That made no difference. However, when I was testing this change I noticed that my TV screen (which was set to my HTPC input) changed from showing the MC window to the HTPC user login screen as soon as I made remote contact from my primary computer. In other words, it was the opening of that connection that caused my problem, not the closing. 

[haggis999]

........Or maybe you need a little more Googling. Or maybe use a third-party tool like VNC, Teamviewer, or one of the many others available.

I will follow up those suggestions.

However, I could live with the logout if the remote management of MC proves to be a success.

[rec head]

I never use Theatre View. I use JRemote or Gizmo to play my videos.

The reason I bought the Intel NUC to act as an HTPC was to avoid having my primary computer active all the time. It is actually left switched on (in the same room) when we are watching videos, but is in sleep mode so we are not bothered by noise from fans or hard disks.

Everything I said is still true. You can do most things from the client and only use the HTPC for the few things you can't. Between that and deal with remote desktop which I did try years ago using the client has been easy.

[DJLegba]

That made no difference. However, when I was testing this change I noticed that my TV screen (which was set to my HTPC input) changed from showing the MC window to the HTPC user login screen as soon as I made remote contact from my primary computer. In other words, it was the opening of that connection that caused my problem, not the closing.

I have been using MC with RDP on a headless NUC for years, so if you stick with it you should be able to get things working. I'm a bit confused, because earlier in the thread you wrote that as soon as you end your RDP session playback stops because you've been logged out from the NUC, but here you're saying the screen shows you as logged in until you try to connect again. My experience is that you're still logged in, but Windows on the remote machine shows you the logon screen as a security measure. It's like unlocking after you've locked the screen on your phone. So when does playback actually stop? When you quit the RDP session, or when you attempt to start it again?

I have one account on my NUC, which is set to log on automatically at startup. I have MC configured to run Media Center and Media Server on startup. Even though you have two accounts on the NUC, Administrator and HTPC, you can still enable the HTPC account to log on automatically at startup. I believe the account needs a blank Windows password for this to work, but I could be wrong as I did this a long time ago.

[RoderickGI]

I believe the account needs a blank Windows password for this to work, but I could be wrong as I did this a long time ago.

Auto-login works with a non-blank password as well. I have my HTPC set up much as you do, regarding the auto-login and startup of MC. Like you, I set it up a long time ago, but Google would find the method again.

The logout after an RDP session seems to be a common issue on the internet. There is probably a way around it though. It just takes time to find these solutions!

[haggis999]

I have been using MC with RDP on a headless NUC for years, so if you stick with it you should be able to get things working. I'm a bit confused, because earlier in the thread you wrote that as soon as you end your RDP session playback stops because you've been logged out from the NUC, but here you're saying the screen shows you as logged in until you try to connect again. My experience is that you're still logged in, but Windows on the remote machine shows you the logon screen as a security measure. It's like unlocking after you've locked the screen on your phone. So when does playback actually stop? When you quit the RDP session, or when you attempt to start it again?

I have one account on my NUC, which is set to log on automatically at startup. I have MC configured to run Media Center and Media Server on startup. Even though you have two accounts on the NUC, Administrator and HTPC, you can still enable the HTPC account to log on automatically at startup. I believe the account needs a blank Windows password for this to work, but I could be wrong as I did this a long time ago.

I don't think I mentioned playback in a previous post, but if I did that was a mistake. My interest in RD was only for the purposes of carrying out remote maintenance of the MC library on the NUC. The HTPC user login screen appears on the NUC as soon as I initiate an RD session. When I end that session, that login screen is still present on the NUC. However, being forced to log in again is only a minor irritation.

I have just installed VNC Home and this does not have the same problem as RD. The HTPC user remains logged in on the NUC.

[haggis999]

Auto-login works with a non-blank password as well. I have my HTPC set up much as you do, regarding the auto-login and startup of MC. Like you, I set it up a long time ago, but Google would find the method again.

The logout after an RDP session seems to be a common issue on the internet. There is probably a way around it though. It just takes time to find these solutions!

I seem to remember having a problem getting auto-login to work, but that was a long time ago and I've not tried it again since then.

[RoderickGI]

I have just installed VNC Home and this does not have the same problem as RD. The HTPC user remains logged in on the NUC.

Excellent. Is it fast enough?

[haggis999]

Excellent. Is it fast enough?

It seems OK, but I've not yet tried doing anything serious. It's almost midnight here in the UK, so I'm off to bed....