New Plugin: Pocket PC Remote for MP

Pocket PC Remote for Media Portal v0.2.2.0

What is this?

This is an application for your Pocket PC, and plugin for Media Portal that allows you to remotely control Media Portal over a wireless network, with the range limited only by your wireless connectvity.

Who is it for?

This early beta release is only intended only for power users who are willing to be crash test dummies. There are no installers so you'll need to understand how to copy files to the media portal installation folders, and you'll also need to understand how to install the Compact Framework on your Pocket PC, as well as how to manually deploy and launch an executable file on Pocket PC.

System Requirements:

Server:

• Media Portal 0.2.2.0

Pocket PC:

• Windows Mobile 2003
• Microsoft .Net Compact Framework 2.0

Where it's at

The TCP/IP code and basic UI is fairly solid now. The next step now is to get feedback on button groupings so we can work towards creating a nice graphical UI for the Pocket PC client application. Feedback appreciated!

Future Development

If this ends up being useful to the community, the next logical step is to add some bling to the UI. Beyond that it'd be nice to have some data coming back in from MP, but I'm really new to MP development so can't say what's possible as yet.

About the Server Plugin

The plugin for MP starts listening for TCP/IP clients on the port you specify (configurable in MP settings, default=8100) and uses a very basic protocol - it's simply the command name(s) using a period (.) as a separator/terminator. The command names currently used are the "code" attributes from the XML definition here:

Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\InputDeviceMappings\defaults\IrTrans mediacenter.xml

So to send "Down, Down, OK" you'd simply open the TCP/IP socket and send:

down.down.ok.

I decided to go this route so that the server plugin is generic - you can front end it with pretty much any platform/client you'd like.

What you can do to help

At this stage I'm primarily looking for feedback on the button groupings, so I can move onto the next stage - adding some bling to the UI. If anyone out there wants to help with implementing some feedback from MP to the PPC client, that'd be great

Downloads

Version 0.2.2.0:

Pocket PC Remote 0.2.2.0

Release History

• 0.1.0 - Initial Release
• 0.1.1 - Updated the application GUI
• 0.2.0 - Reworked the TCP code from the ground up to resolve server issues
• 0.2.1 - Cleaned up the code and packaged the source along with the binaries
• 0.2.2 - Added support for PC names as well as IP addresses

Hi CodeShack

I tried it with a iPAQ RX1950 and it works like it should.

So keep up the good work

Edit:

If the HTPC keeps running but the PDA goes into standby, the Pda can't reconnect.

Works on a FujistuSiemens LOOX. I agree would be nice with some info coming back from MP.

Good work
Funky

Can you do some tests to see if it's not just a problem with your PDA's wi-fi?

I have an older iPAQ rx3715 and the wi-fi *never* resumes correctly - I have to disable and re-enable it manually after standy for it to actually reconnect.

Well i have tried some things but it seems that it is the plugin in MP.

After rebooting MP the PDA can reconnect even if the program on the PDA keeps running.

Maybey you could at something in the plugin that reboots it (the plugin) after a while no info from the PDA. Or the plugin could check if there is a new connect request.

OK, I think I know what it is - I'll work on the TCP socket server in the plugin and release a new version this weekend.

Thanks for the help!

OK, I've now totally reworked the TCP code in the socket server (MP plugin), and there should be no problems with the server refusing connections now. You can Download the updated version (0.2.0) from the original post in this thread.

It works with my iPAQ H2200. My only remark: when I turn off my iPAQ and then back on I have to manually reconnect in Settings. That could be done automatically in the background.

Thanks for the feedback tjf

Done - it now automatically connects to the server, providing you've already entered the server IP. Download the updated version (0.2.1.0) from the original post.

It would be nice if we could enter a computer name rather than an IP, as names are static, whereas IPs can be more dynamic.