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[Ken Brookings]

I'd like to control MJ from my living room using a remote device.  Can I put the MJ screen on my TV screen and control it with a remote device?  This would be wonderful.  Thanks for any advice or comments.

[JimH]

How close is your PC to your TV?

[Ken Brookings]

30 feet or so, close enough for IR I think

[Griff]

Is your pc in the same room?

Ir doesnt go thru walls.

If your pc is in another room get a rf remote.

I have 25 ft. of line and no prob.

My pc is in another room and I have no prob. running MJ on a 32" tv in the living room.

Everything works great with the rf remote.

Griff

[JimH]

Griff is right that a remote using radio has a better chance than one that uses IR.

www.remotecentral.com might be useful as a starting point.

I use a wireless mouse and keyboard on my set.  I was using Logitech, but CompUSA had a nice keyboard from IBM that is smaller and has a built-in mouse, so I just switched.

You will need a video card like one of the ATI All in Wonder cards to have a display output to both the PC and the TV.  In my case, I just use the TV for a display.

You can run one long video cable from the PC to your TV.  Connect it to one of the extra inputs on the TV (Video1 or Video2, for example).

You can connect your audio out on your sound card to  the audio inputs for the the same connection (Video1 or Video2).

Before you do all the above, I would try moving the PC long enough to make sure I was happy with the TV display.  The newer HDTV's do a better job with video from a PC.  There is a Samsung 27inch that is now about $700.

It's a bit of a hassle to get this done, but it is very cool when it works.  You can pause TV in MJ 9 and surf for a few minutes, then come back and fast forward through the commercials.

[Ken Brookings]

Thanks for the useful advice.  The computer and TV are in different rooms.  I don't want to watch TV on the Computer or play music thru the TV, simply to control the music thru MJ.  Computer outputs to main living room speakers now - but computer is in office.  Just want to be able to turn on tv, change inputs and then change playlists, browse library etc.  
Running a cable between TV and Computer is not realistic, so I was looking for remote capability.  Thanks.

[Griff]

Computer outputs to main living room speakers now - but computer is in office.

Ok, you have sound to the living rm sterio via wire?

I don't want to watch TV on the Computer or play music thru the TV, simply to control the music thru MJ.

Just want to be able to turn on tv, change inputs and then change playlists, browse library etc.  

Ok I think what you are saying is you just want to see MJ on your tv, so get a video card with a tv out on it and an rf remote.

Running a cable between TV and Computer is not realistic

I know they make wireless for sound and i think they do for video.

The Griff

[Ken Brookings]

Thanks Griff, very helpful.
Ken

[bkreamer]

?...Can you help a non-programmer? I have MJ8, love it.  

Problem 1. I run a float center (opening June 1 - yay!). I need to let my customers control PC or CD-player sound (volume, next, pause, etc.). Speakers are transducers on the outside tank wall. I'm PC literate, can build a system, but otherwise green.

Can I get or customize a remote, to be used from within the closed float tank? RF remote? What components or software do I need? Remote controlled self-powered speaker system from Creative, or... ?

Problem 2. Can I control the float tank pump / power strip from the PC (maybe through x10?)? How? Specific software, components, etc., please! See next related question.

Problem 3. Can I execute a pre-written timed sequence of x10 commands? What software do I need?

Problem 4. Can I access the float center PC from home to execute the timed sequence before I leave for work? What software do I need for that?  

Thank you, thank you, thank you...  -Bill

[greggd3]

I was doing exactly what you want with a device called IR Man.  It was a haldheld remote control that had the basic commands, play pause, ffd etc but now that plug in is gone in version 9.  I wish I could find a way to reinstall it

[johnp]

You should have a look at girder http://www.girder.nl

It has plugins for X10 and if you use the USB UIRT device you can learn any IR remote command and blast away.

Good Luck,

P.S. what is a float center?

[bkreamer]

Thanks JohnP!  My float center is just like my son's; see it at sojournfloatcenter.com.  It's for relaxation, meditation, stress reduction.  These are "sensory deprivation tanks;" they've been around for many years, just now they seem more conventional, less "far out."  His is now wired for sound using x10's wireless speaker system, controlled at the CD player in the office.  Very, very cool.  I will add total control by the floater, through a remote.

You should have a look at girder http://www.girder.nl

It has plugins for X10 and if you use the USB UIRT device you can learn any IR remote command and blast away.

I will look at http://www.girder.nl.  What is a/the USB UIRT device?  Keep in mind I'll need to read an rf-type remote's commands, which I can do through the X10 FireCracker transceiver, and the X10 2-Way Computer Interface, on the PC's serial port.

I have the X10 hardware components, plus their Active Home software which will supposedly let me access a PC program, including MJ, thru their rf remote, but have not worked with it yet.  It may take girder to get the job done.

Add'l tasks to figure out: seal the remote so the highly saturated epsom salt tank water does not get to it (zip lock bag?).  Also, mount it so it's accessible to the floater (probably in a slip-in bracket inside the tank).

-Bill Kreamer