Remote control client for MP on laptop/tablet? (1 Viewer)

[Fangs78]

I'm looking for a media centre solution which lets me remote control it from other devices (such as laptops, tablets etc). What I would like is to get the same looking interface on these devices as you get on the Mediaportal client, but when you use it, you are in fact controlling the mediacentre client itself. Think of it as a remote desktop, only that it should only stream the mediaportal client interface. You could have a renderer on the device that is fed xml data on what to render for example.

I see several advantages doing this the way I described it, as opposed to using general remote desktop applications. Having different resolutions on device and media centre is one, huge one. Possibility to differentiate the interfaces on the media centre and device is another...etc.

I think most of you know what I'm asking for. So:does this exist already? Anyone know how if there is any interfaces that could be used to do this? i.e stream xml (or similar) out for rendering remotely, and stream commands the other way?

Thanks in advance!

 

[keithj69]

I am interested in this idea as well.

 

[JDWestoby]

Errr... folks. It already does.

You just install MP on the laptop (client install) and it is there exactly the same interface except it talks to the server. You might want to know that F9 is the info/extra button, ESC goes back and DON'T try to use the mouse - it is like wrestling eels.

 

[Fangs78]

Ehm..Are you talking about the TV-Server and the MediaPortal client?

If so, then that doesn't relate to my post at all. If you install the Mediaportal client on the laptop, the media you select to play on it, will be played BY the laptop, not the media centre you got connected to your TV, which is what I'm asking for.

 

[JDWestoby]

Ah, I see.

Someone did write a simple remote app but it is nothing like the MP front end, more like a remote control.

What you want is MediaPortal without the actual workings behind! Seems like a lot of hard work (since every action would have to go to the 'real' MP.

As for remote desktop, try RealVNC, that supports different resolutions running on Pocket PCs, laptops, shared connections, reduced colour info etc. That should do what you want I think.

 

[Fangs78]

As I mention remote desktop applications has serious setbacks when it comes to control of MediaPortal (and its ilk).

No possibility for custom skin on the remote (ie: buttons that take up 30% of the width of a big screen TV, will be tiny on a smaller screen, maybe even unreadable). Not possible to have different resolutions on remote and desktop. Not possible to remove/add features to the remote for clarity, ease/of use, efficiency, bigger footprint on network usage, not possible/hard with several remotes at the same time, higher strain on remote hardware etc).

I use, several remote desktop applications daily (in my work, and private) and know that this will never be optimal solution for a remote control MP.

What I am asking *might* be hard, and it might not be. It all depends on how much the GUI code is seperated from the inner workings of media portal, and/or if the GUI raises events which can be captured easily by a plugin, which could route the events through a network to a remote application, and if the GUI listens to events by plugins.

I work as a developer, so I could look at the code to figure out this for myself, but having learned from developers here that the MP Core is a developers nightmare, I would like some pointers on how much work it would be to write a plugin for this, or if it is at all possible without rewriting parts of the core or GUI code.

I hope MP2 have seperated the GUI code from the CORE, so it would be easy to write seperate GUI applications to control MediaPortal centre remotely. Tbh, after reading some developer articles on WHY they wanted to rewrite the whole thing for MP2, I feel that my prayers have already been answered?

Maybe I'll download the MP2 code and look at that, too see how much work it really is.

 

[mike0999]

The "virtual remote" for IR Server Suite wouldn't give the same interface, but you could achieve the remote control I believe.

I suppose you could also use some sort of remote desktop client. I've actually used a program called TeamViewer to achieve something like this. Not perfect, but I've used it in the way you describe. It is actually alot better than other remote clients I have tried.

 

[DreadFury]

I use realVNC, works very well but might not be exactly what you need either.

There is one for iPhone... that's all i know of for sure.

 

[cheezey]

Install the Google Chrome browser and ue iPiMP, you can save an application shortcut on your desktop. Whilst iPiMP looks nothing like the MP GUI (I doubt you'll ever get that with MP1- maybe with MP2) it's functional!