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Remote desktop-- Remote media player?

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Angry

Angry

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Joined
Feb 24, 2001
I have my main TV in the living room, and in the basement directly below it I have my media server. Its pretty much just an old PC that I revived the board in with Win7 and hosts my media collection as well as serves out Orb Live.

I often access it by remote desktop and doing what I need as everythig else is shared on the network.

I was thinking of putting a Radeon of 4 or 5xxx series with HDMI (its an OLD Via AM2 based board) and running the HDMI cable from it up to the TV.

Is there anyway to remotely control the PC via the network for playing media directly onto the TV?
 
I'm not sure I understand - you already are remote controlling it, if its monitor is plugged into the TV, then aren't you asking how to do what you are already doing?
 
When you log in via remote desktop, whatever monitor is connected to it,goes to to the login screen. You get the desktop and whatnot on the pc your logging into it from.

The pc itself is in the basement directly below Tv on the floor above. I want to run an HDMI cable from it to the TV.
But theres not keyboard or mouse for it in the living room, its pretty much headless. I only have a monitor plugged into it in the basement for booting it into Windows (dont even have to turn it on), it wont unless it does for some strange reason.

I was looking for away to control it via the network.

The only other way I know how to do it is try a wireless keyboard and mouse and hope the signal can go thru the floor to the PC below.
 
ahh gotcha, you could try connecting to it using the start>run prompt as follows, but I don't think the windows remote desktop client does desktop sharing:

start>run, type "mstsc /v 192.168.1.X /console" press enter

I haven't done that, but not sure if connecting to the console session blanks the screen or not. I forgot about the screen blank because everything I remote desktop doesn't have a monitor attached.

You could also use VNC server on the machine downstairs, and a VNC client on your laptop/machine up stairs. Its a small simple install, and it does desktop sharing with remote control. That is the feature you are asking for - remote control with desktop sharing. :)
 
Well I guess it wouldnt be "headless" anymore once I hook it up via HDMI to the TV... but that still leaves no way to control it on the floor above.
 
See my comments on VNC and desktop sharing, that will do what you want. I tend to edit a lot after I first post, sorry. Hope that works for you!
 
Awesome, Ill have to check it out once I pick up a Ati card with HDMI. Might even try it with my 5770 just to see how it works.


Thanks man. :attn:


:edit: gotacha, Yeah I was replying while you were replying heh.
 
Think it depends on windows versions, and what sort of terminal services support is offered in your version.

You can "shadow" the console session with a more full fledged terminal service, which shadowing is the equivalent to desktop sharing if I'm reading it right... You'd be controlling the PC remotely, but someone sitting in front of it can watch what you are doing. Sounds from a quick skim like you can do it on W2K3 server, but that stuff is trimmed down on desktop OSs.
 
Younglin said:
Why not move the pc upstairs?
Click to expand...

Its not very....pretty looking to say the least, its also an Athlon X2 brisbane that got mighty toasty while it was behind the TV, and even then the g/f asked me to move it from behind there heh.
So it ended up in the basement when I setup a Dell Poweredge 1750 1u with Untangle. It was just easier with all the network and modem itself down there, and it runs MUCH cooler as whole.

I didnt think of setting it up to actually play media on the TV till earlier today.
 
Angry said:
Its not very....pretty looking to say the least, its also an Athlon X2 brisbane that got mighty toasty while it was behind the TV, and even then the g/f asked me to move it from behind there heh.
So it ended up in the basement when I setup a Dell Poweredge 1750 1u with Untangle. It was just easier with all the network and modem itself down there, and it runs MUCH cooler as whole.

I didnt think of setting it up to actually play media on the TV till earlier today.
Click to expand...

how about a really long powered usb hub to a kb and mouse at the tv... that way you can control the actual comp itself?
 
nd4spdbh2 said:
how about a really long powered usb hub to a kb and mouse at the tv... that way you can control the actual comp itself?
Click to expand...

Younglin said:
My wireless keyboard and mouse are good to 50 feet so I think you`d be okay through the floor.
Click to expand...

Hmm. not a bad idea...and I know a couple of friends that might let me borrow some hardware to try this.

Just need a rather long HDMI cable.... any suggestions?
:edit: Nevermind, found monoprice.com..15ft'er for $5.27...Hopefully thats long enough, need to measure.

Errr...wait, at what length does HDMI signal qaulity start to degreade?
The TV is an older DLP that supprts 720p (which is what most of my media is) and 1080i....
 
Last edited:
It's a digital signal, not analog. So you'll get full quality unless the connection is so bad that 1's start to look like 0's... You don't have to worry about that. :)
 
Perfect app for your needs is teamviewer. Its just like Windows RDP only does not black the other screen. Its quick and free for personal use. Just needs to be installed on both computers open the app and go.
 
Well I might be adding a middle man...I was given an old Biostar TForce 6100 AM2 board that wouldnt post, soaked it in alcohol for 2 days, and then when it dried I cleaned the mosfet/VRM area with a toothbrush and finger nail polish remover (ran out of alcohol) , let it dry again over night....and it posted this morning. :D

So now I have another cpu/memory/board combo I can put to use. I think what Im going to do is get it together as an HTPC and just stream everything from the media server.

But, until I have all the parts, I'll play around with the VNC apps and see how well they work. And play with the wireless keyboard mouse idea as well.

Cant hurt... hell I went through 3 firewall distros before I settled on which one I liked.
 
Agp cards do not have true hdmi ports. Only pci-e slots can act as a true hdmi port. This would probably only apply if you were using an encrypted disc and not simply a file on the hd. I don't have pci-e & I'm still stuck with agp. Just a heads up for those with agp slots.
There is also KontrolPack (Open Source Network Controller) which acts as both sever and client and is crossplatform.
http://www.kontrolpack.com/
 
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