Controlling media on desktop PC from Laptop over wireless LAN

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Old Grey Geek

140 posts

Master Geek

Topic # 8657 18-Jul-2006 17:21

I thought this should be simple. Maybe it is and I have developed a mental block or perhaps it's just not possible.

What I have is a Windows XP HE system (Athalon 64 3000+, K8 Triton GA-K8NS Pro nForce3 250 Mo Board, 512 ram, 80 gig HDD, GeForce FX agp Graphics card)

What I want to do is, basicly, use the laptop as a remote for the media control on the desktop PC while I slouch around watching movies and listen to tunes in the livingroom.
I won't go into what I have tried so far on the grounds that it might make me look stupider than wot I am. ;-)

Cheers, love your work.

Old Grey Geek

140 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 42165 21-Jul-2006 14:44

Yes, it was that simple Tight VNC did the trick. In all from downloading to having it up and running, about 2 mins.
I will have a good look at this as I'm sure it could compromise security if not set up properly but for now the password should be good enough. One thing it doesn't do. however, is that I cant preview video before switching on the big screen as video does not show up on the remote screen. I'll have a play and see if there is a workaround.

Oh, and thanks for all your help

freitasm

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Geekzone

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Reply # 42166 21-Jul-2006 14:53

If you are using Windows XP Pro (not Home edition) on your desktop, why not use Remote Desktop? Is already installed, no download required.

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ljbade

100 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

Reply # 42198 21-Jul-2006 18:04

Yes, I reccomend remote desktop. It's sad so many people overlook the free stuff in Windows and purchase big flash remote PC programs that are unnecessary for most people.

The reason you can't see video on remote desktop is the way the graphics card draws video/3D. Basically an application creates a window the size of the video, but leaves it blank. It then instructs the video card to render the video/3D on the GPU form the dedicated graphics memory in the rectangle window set aside. The is called the video overlay, and speeds up video since it is drawn from the graphics memory using the GPU, rather than the slower system memory and CPU. It is possible to force the video to be rendered by Windows using system memory so that VNC can display it.

Go to Control Panel > Display > Settings tab > Advanced button > Troubleshoot tab and move the slider down towards None.

Most programs have individual setting that can turn of video overlay so you dont have to disable all your 3D games. In Windows Media Player go to Menu Tools > Options > Performance tab > and drag the slider towards none.

http://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/terms/overlay.cfm has a definition of video overlay.

Old Grey Geek

140 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 42231 22-Jul-2006 15:02

Remote desktop only comes with XP Pro or Server and I am loathed to even attempt downloading anything from Microsoft, who knows what they will package with it?

Thanks for the help with the video workaround, it works even tho' the documentation for Tight VNC says it will not! Cheers.

TightVNC is a free open source programme so I didn't have to "purchase a big flash remote PC program" :-) and, as I mentioned in an earlier post, it was up and running in 2 Min's. and I didn't even have to reboot ;-)

All in all a successful experiment. I can now sit back and surf my desktops vast library of Music, Documentaries, Movies and Cartooons from my laptop on the couch, an added advantage is that the Laptop doesn't slide down between the cushions.

keoghan

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 43285 4-Aug-2006 03:19

I was going to make a new thread but I suppose this works here. Aside from what OGG was asking, what are everyone's favorite remote access programs? I see mentions of TightVNC and Microsoft's Remote Desktop. Personally I like Logmein. Why do you prefer the ones you prefer?