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[Deivit]

Hi, Would like to know whether this can be done or not.

My Setup at home is:

- 1 Desktop PC with MC installed an running.
Windows XP Home
Video Card does not support dual display.

- 1 Laptop with Windows XP Home.

I would like to use the display of the desktop PC to run MC at full display (Display View). At the same time, I would like to control MC from the laptop for doing basic things such as adding songs to Playing Now, etc. I'm in the same room with both the desktop and the laptop.

Can this be done?  I thought that something like VNC could do the trick, but it seems that VNC will always give me the same view in both computers and that's precisely what I don't want, since I want the desktop PC to run at display view.

Please remind that:

- The desktop video card does not support dual display. Therefore the easiest solution (using 2 monitors for the desktop and forget about the laptop) is not feasible.
- I don't want the songs to play in the laptop... therefore, it's not a library server thing.

Thanks in advance for any suggestion.

[hit_ny]

You might want to look up some of the web front ends in the 3rd parties section.

Web frontend on the laptop.

[AoXoMoXoA]

I would love to see an MC Control Center which would run on one PC to control MC running on another. Something like the Remote Server, but with a similar GUI as the main MC program and most all functions. It might have tabs for a Clone view of the main display as well as working views not necessisarily displayed on the main monitor.
In the meantime I struggle with the limitations mentioned by the OP and try to make due with VNC and Remote Server.

[Deivit]

You might want to look up some of the web front ends in the 3rd parties section.

Web frontend on the laptop.

Thanks hit_ny, I'll take a look at the WebUi plug-in.

In the meantime, I've done a google search and came up with this interesting application which apparently does exactly what I'd like to do... using a laptop computer to "extend" as a seconday monitor for your other computer over a LAN (does not work over the internet). I wonder if it can make MC think there are actually two real displays installed, to take advantage of the features involved in MC in this regard.

http://www.maxivista.com/

They offer a free-trial. I'm gonna check it out too. Does anybody know it?

(Sorry if this is becoming slightly OT)

[glynor]

I've heard of it, and seen it reviewed (by Chris Pirillo on the old TechTV) but never actually used it.  I think it uses something similar to the VNC protocol.

Just to consider it... A cheap AGP video card (or PCI if you're not even sporting a AGP motherboard, or PCIe if you somehow have a new computer with low-end onboard graphics) might be a better way to go.  They're all dual-display now, pretty much, and it might even be cheaper than the software to run the weird setup (and would almost certainly be more reliable and easier to use)

[Deivit]

Glynor,

Thank you for the tip. I agree with you that replacing the video card to one supporting dual-display would be the better. However, a couple of things prevent me to do so: I don't like to "unscrew" the computer very much and the other one being that I don't have a spare monitor right now but I happen to have a somewhat "unused" laptop (I only use it when travelling). Also, the maxivista solution alows me some additional flexibility such as keep on controlling the UI from anywhere in the appartment.

I downloaded the trial version and I'm really impressed as to how easy it's been to setup. It's actually like having a dual-display setup. One may argue that the second display is slightly slower since it's receiving the signal via LAN, but this slowliness, if any, does not seem to be relevant for my purposes. I plan to use it normally via wired LAN and only sporadicly via wi-fi (significantly slower).

Will keep on playing with it in the next day or two but will probably pay for the license.

Thanks again for your continuous support, Glynor.

[Alex B]

"He'd need somekind of a virtual display driver" was my first thought when I read your initial post, but I didn't know that a program like MaxiVista existed. It seems very interesting.

If you decide to buy it please try also the features that are disabled in the trial version and report. Thanks.

[Deivit]

If you decide to buy it please try also the features that are disabled in the trial version and report. Thanks.

Hi Alex,

Exactly what features would you like to know more about? The trial version is fully functional (apart from a splash screen) and the only feature that is disabled is the "desktop cloning (or mirror)". All the other features are enabled for you to test. That one is a VNC-like feature over the LAN, but you can have an idea of how it works just by trying the desktop extension feature that is enabled in the trial.

Yesterday I tried MaxiVista with MC. I detached the display in the main monitor to full display and moved all the GUI of Media Center standard view to the laptop display (secondary monitor). It worked flawlessly with some nice surprises. I'm using the "PM Lyrics 4" Track Info display that features links to last.fm and AMG (you probably know that one) for the artist, albums etc. Well, all the links opened on the laptop display, leaving the display of the main monitor (32" LCD) permanently unobstructed... very nice indeed! I was also able to browse the library, adding songs to Playing Now, rearrange the order, changing tags, pause/stop playback, adjust volume, etc. without disturbing the main display that was playing music video clips and audio music tracks. Just what I wanted!  I even moved around the apartment to other rooms (switched to wi-fi) without losing any control... something you can't do with a dual-monitor setup.

There's another feature disabled in the trial version of MaxiVista. Only one extended screen is supported (The premium versions support up to 3 monitors or 3 secondary PCs, which means 4 displays in total). Unfortunately I will not be able to try that for you, since I don't have any additional spare monitors or laptops. I will probably buy the Standard Version ($29.95).

I'm wondering whether those using a PDA with Girder to remotely control MC could also use MaxiVista over a wi-fi LAN. Not my case, anyway, so not sure if it would be easier to operate than a PDA+Girder.

Thank you.

[Alex B]

Thanks, that was about the information I wanted know.

Besides the desktop extension I am interested about the "mirror" feature. Currently I use TightVNC for accessing remote desktops on our LAN, but it is somewhat sluggish (though it works better than RealVNC which I used previously).

Also, is it possible to freely change which PC is the server and which is the client?

[JimH]

Alex,
Did you look at NetRemote or MusicLobby?  They're in the FAQ.

[Deivit]

Also, is it possible to freely change which PC is the server and which is the client?

I think it should'nt be difficult. Actually, you have to install a piece of software in the server PC and a different one in the client PC. You have to start the client program in the client and the server program in the server PC. Then, double-clicking the tray icon on the server starts searching for clients over the LAN. I assume that you can obviously install both the server and the client program in every PC and run them as needed on every occasion. 

[hit_ny]

Besides the desktop extension I am interested about the "mirror" feature. Currently I use TightVNC for accessing remote desktops on our LAN, but it is somewhat sluggish (though it works better than RealVNC which I used previously).

Nothing beats rdp, but u need the XP pro version.

[AoXoMoXoA]

Currently I use TightVNC for accessing remote desktops on our LAN, but it is somewhat sluggish (though it works better than RealVNC which I used previously).

hmmm, I find that surprising as I have found RealVNC to be quite smooth in use.

Nothing beats rdp, but u need the XP pro version.

The M$ built-in Remote Desktop??  Surely you jest, no?
I have never tried it, perhaps I should!

[glynor]

The built-in one locks the local terminal out when you're connected from afar.  This is game-set-match against using it as far as I'm concerned.

[hit_ny]

The M$ built-in Remote Desktop??  Surely you jest, no?
I have never tried it, perhaps I should!

It works over a 56k line and is usable.

Over a LAN, you can go as fancy as you want.

[skeeterfood]

The built-in one locks the local terminal out when you're connected from afar.  This is game-set-match against using it as far as I'm concerned.

Unless you patch it to allow multiple concurrent users... http://concurrentremotesessions.netfirms.com/

-John