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[wombat66]

From another thread:

...I do have a Laptop that is wireless. and have media center on it also and then i have the playlists from the Main computer on the laptop so i can run around w\ the laptop to listen to it or bring lappy into the garage and lsiten to my songs.. I'd Like to figure out away though to be able to select my playlists on my lappy then in turn it would make Main computer play the songs which in turn would play the songs on The theater.

This is exactly what I'm looking for. I want the MC interface on my laptop to fully control MC on my main system. NetRemote does not cut it.
Any solutions yet? Anybody?

Perhaps this should be a feature in MC 12. This type of control would easily lock MC into being the ultimate media player available (for me). Until then I'm still looking.

[modelmaker]

Here's a free version that offers improved cursor tracking:

http://www.tightvnc.com/intro.html

Local cursor handling: Cursor movements do not generate screen updates any more, remote cursor movements are processed locally by the viewer, so you do not see slow remote cursor movements behind the local cursor.

[mkordahi]

Can I ask why you believe that "NetRemote does not cut it".

I use it and it works great.

[wombat66]

My solution so far has been to run VNC so I can control the media machine from my other PC's or a laptop.
(There are a number of free VNC programs as well as some you can purchase. Do a Google on VNC or try UltraVNC)

It is somewhat of a resource-hog as I imagine it must scan the screen and convert everything, transmit the data, then rereate the screen image.  There is also a slight lag in cursor response but nothing that you cannot get used to.

This has been working quite well otherwise, and until I find a more efficient technique this is functional for me.

Thanks for the VNC tip Lisa. In the past I have tried using using TightVNC and Version 1.2.9 is currently installed on my system. It works like it is supposed toand there is definitely a bit of sluggishness while browsing through album art. Sometimes the images even lock up a bit. Another problem with VNC software has to do with screen resolutions. My main computer monitor runs at a native resolution of 1280x1024. My laptop runs at a widescreen resolution of 1280x768. Now of course I can resize the MC window to fit on a 1280x768 screen but when another user goes to the main screen, MC is of course not using the full screen.

Can I ask why you believe that "NetRemote does not cut it".

I use it and it works great.

NetRemote does work great, however NetRemote does not offer anything close to the same interface as MC. Sure you can customize the NetRemote interface but it's not a user friendly thing to do. MC is so easy to modify. One thing I have been unable to figure out how to do with NetRemote is to build a playlist that I can save. I suppose it's possible but one would have to do their own programming with the NetRemote Designer software just to build the appropriate interface.


One of the best features of MC is the ability to browse through a music library while having the album artwork update accordingly as one drills down. I can't do this with NetRemote.

The MC interface already does everything I would want. Now if there was a way to use the MC interface as a front end for NetRemote in order to control MC then I would be quite happy.

[michel]

I do that with the embbeded 'remote controle" feature of WinXP (Terminal Service). I found it better than VNC. You can even control you PC from a PDA with Terminal Service.

[wombat66]

I do that with the embbeded 'remote controle" feature of WinXP (Terminal Service). I found it better than VNC. You can even control you PC from a PDA with Terminal Service.

Thanks Michel, I take it you are referring to Remote Desktop? I'd love to give it a try, unfortunately the Remote Desktop server only works with XP Pro (the client runs on just about anything).

I just looked into upgrading my main computer from XP Home to XP Pro but it looks lke this would cost around 180 dollars.

So just how is Remote Desktop better than something like TightVNC?

[michel]

So just how is Remote Desktop better than something like TightVNC?

I think it is easier to use and faster to display but it doesn't justify to pay 180 $ only for that !

[glynor]

Hmmm... Maybe I don't have this enabled.  Is this option client-side or server-side Lisa?  If it's server-side, where do you enable it in TightVNC (that's the server I use too)?

[glynor]

Nevermind.  I figured it out (I didn't realize you needed to install that separately).  Thanks!  That solved this problem I complained about over here.

Also, thought I would mention.  The documentation for the Video Hook driver seems to indicate that the driver might work with other VNC Servers, and that they just "donated" it to the TightVNC project.  It could be that it would work with UltraVNC (or any other VNC server that supports the feature).

[wombat66]

Lisa, good call on that Video Hook Driver. I'm now using that with the latest Beta of TightVNC and it is a definite improvement. Thanks!

[hit_ny]

If your server is on win xp pro, remote desktop will beat all VNC solutions hands down, in terms of speed & load.

[wombat66]

If your server is on win xp pro, remote desktop will beat all VNC solutions hands down, in terms of speed & load.

Unfortunately my server is not on XP Pro or else I would at least try Remote Desktop. hit_ny, have you tried VNC using the new Video Hook driver?

glyner had this to say:

...now that I've installed the video hook driver I'm not sure how Remote Desktop (which I have used) could be much better.

I'd love to hear a head to head review comparing Remote Desktop to TightVNC with the Video Hook Driver.

[htaddict1513]

I've been using radmin (www.famatech.com) for over a year now. It's the fastest remote desktop software across a LAN although I prefer MS RDP over WAN connections..

[hit_ny]

Yep i have, i used tight VNC with the hook for a long time. The hook certainly does improve things, then one day a friend suggested i use RDP and there was no comparison. But maybe you should try for yourself.

If MC is not on XP Pro or you access MC from non-windows, then tight vnc is an okay solution. I'd say the value is most with non-windows as there is no other better option there.

[davros]

Good to hear you got a solution (VNC).

I (like many) use XP remote desktop. Works a treat.

You can do a reg. hack to allow a blank password and also set up a shortcut on the desktop of the remote pc and click this to log off the remote session and leave control at the other PC (so it does not display the login screen upon disconnection - rather annoying feature that .

I can then use either the tablet PC to control MC, or the Theater view interface via the PC and irman. Simple and works a treat.