Network Control of Media Portal

[Neuromancer]

I have a home network setup that consists of

a) main rig (gaming internet etc)
b) HTPC. Just setup, no TV cards Have not installed any media center/ portal software yet, just running WMP.
c) Laptop.

Now I want to use the laptop from my couch to control my HTPC. The easy solution of course would be a VNC client, but I do not want to do that.

So I have spent the last few hours looking for a network remote control software. Most media centers support streaming, but agina, not what I want to do.

So all these websearching led me to here. Open Source HTPC software (yah!!).

I see 2 possibilities for doing what I need. WMPBlue (or something) which is designed for PocketPCs but I do not know if this will run on a laptop. The other is the "webinterface" unfortunately there is no documentation that I can find on this.

All I have found is remote TV recording scheduling. What I want is a small application that will at a minimum let me peruse files from the laptop and have them play on the HTPC. Better would be a more complex interface that would let me make playlists etc, and look good doing it

Will either of these 2 plug-ins work for my laptop? (running xp home). Or is there a default control in media portal that would let me do this?

TIA

[Marcusb]

there were a couple of different people working on different approaches, but I am not sure if any of them were finished.

The web interface plugin gives basic control. Cursor, etc.

I think if this is what you want, then VNC is still your best bet.
Alternatively, if you just get an MS MCE remote control, then that is a much easier way to control your HTPC (and very cheap too). You'll also get two blasters which will allow your PC to control other IR appliances.

Also, my Sony/Ericsson mobile has an HID profile that means I can use bluetooth to control MP. Works really well too.

MP supports HID, so if you can find any HID over network apps then that may also work, but I haven't heard of any.

[Bram]

UltraVNC is the best solution at this moment.

[geocas1]

I have a similar setup I use synergy (opensource and free) to control my mac mini with mediaportal running on it. essentially you would be just scrolling your mouse to one of the four corners of your laptop screen and then the cursor and keybourd commands would come from the laptop. works great for me both in XP and now in vista. Synergy can also run control of up to four other screens besides the one its being run from.

good luck