Ipad as a device/remote to control your PC

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Spidey

Spidey

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Hey guys and Ipad users,

Lot of people look for a meaningful remote to control their PC and ideally the remote should be touch-screen and with a good display area.

Ipad fulfills this requirement to hilt.
The screen is large enough and touch responsive.

By running programs like Desktop Connect, (with Virtual Network Computing) or AirVideo etc, you can Literally see and control your desktop on your Ipad.

So no need to sit/hunch in front of your HTPC and select songs or movies. Do it on the Ipad sitting on your sofa or even out of the room.

Guys, should we explore this option more with practical hands on uses ?
Has anybody used such or different programs to control their PCs with what result ?


thanks
 
Better to wait for a Android tablet under 20K- many will be launched in these two years. If you try and buy a 7" touchscreen monitor it will cost you above 10K anyways. Might as well get a 10" tablet with stand mount exclusively for home automation.

cheers
 
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Tried this VNC on my iPhone also......

works perfectly !!

Can control my PC from the iphone !

thanks
 
Spidey,

I frankly don't see the point. Why can't you just switch on your TV when accessing the HTPC, connect a wireless mouse (and wireless keyboard if needed) and use that?

I have used this solution for many of my friend's HTPC setups, and they do everything from seeing movies, listening to music, to accessing streaming media via web-browser. So I see no reason at all for any other remote device... especially something as costly as an iPad. Is there some other use you envision for it?
 
ajinkya said:
I frankly don't see the point. Why can't you just switch on your TV when accessing the HTPC, connect a wireless mouse (and wireless keyboard if needed) and use that?
Click to expand...

It has a lot to do with human conditioning. When you are using a laptop or a desktop, you are used to using a mouse and a keyboard. When you see see a movie using a DVD/Blu-Ray and TV, you are used to using a remote that has specific controls for play, stop, pause, forward, backward etc. Most people find it difficult to locate a file and double click on it in an HTPC environment, though they will happily do it on a PC. On an HTPC, when the system starts, they want to see a set of images representing movies that should start when they click on the image. And once the movie is running, they should have remote controls such as what they have on a DVD Player remote.

What companies are trying to do for an HTPC is to have a set of visual simulators that duplicate the remote controls that humans are used to for each function. This has already become functional in home automation, and will come round even for HTPC. So essentially you touch a option that says DVDP, and you will the have all the remote controls of a DVD Player. You touch TV, and the controls will change to that of a TV remote. And so on ....

For example, this is what Logitech Harmony 1000 does. It does not work for a HTPC, though, as it relies on infrared and not USB.

Cheers
 
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Venkat,

Yes, I'm familiar with the logitech harmony software. It is intuitive and great for what it does, and really does reduce the burden on the end user. However, while using an HTPC, I find using the mouse much easier than any remote. At the end of the day, its a PC...and the most versatile interface for it currently is the mouse (and keyboard). But as you say, maybe there are people who want the facade of an AV system. I frankly think that's a waste of time...at least for the regular computer users among us.

And from what I gather, Spidey's solution (remote logging into the HTPC and operating the functions) does not get rid of the PC aspect of the system...so I still don't see the point...except the so-called coolness factor of an exorbitantly expensive iPad.
 
thats like getting a canon to kill a rat..:) You can control ur htpc with a java enabled mobile phone with bluetooth. There are plenty of softwares available for this. I am using mwremotecontrol. It has a server and a client. You can use the server on the PC, and the client on the remote. You just need a usb->bluetooth adaptor for your pc which costs like 100/-. The remote control has a keyboard mode, a mouse mode and an app mode (has mode for vlc also in that, uses config files, you can write your own modes too).
 
I think the point is being missed .......

See, if u ar sitting on a sofa , 7 feet from your pc, how do u control it with your mouse ?
1) u cant see the screen or leave alone the cursor.
2) lets presue u have a large tv screen or projector screen as a pc display, then u may see the mouse cursor
3) where do u keep ur mouse to make it work ? means it needs a surface to move on .. so either ur lap or the sofa next to u.
4) it is like a rifle practise game.. to move the mouse and see the cursor follows you.

So mouse is practically not of much use.

Now lets come to Crestron , the top-end automation.
This system has the touch-screen to control everything.
But this costs a bomb, above a lac or more.

so we have very few alternatives to control the PC from a distance.
 
Ah - a familiar catch-22 situation! :)

There is nothing that fits as well with a PC as a mouse and a keyboard. In that ajinkya is right.

Surfaces to place the keyboard and the mouse and the fiddly nature of these devices do not really lend themselves for use in such situations. In that Spidey is right.

However Spidey - using a wireless mouse from a distance of 7 feet is not going to delay the tracking response. So that you should not worry about.

How about best of both worlds guys? Why dont you look at something like this? I came across this in that tech forum.

Rii Mini Wireless Keyboard is perfect for your HTPC, not your Wii (video) -- Engadget

Or this.

White - 3rd Generation USB RF Wireless Keyboard with Laser Pointer | HTPC Remote Controller EFO | 3rd Generation RF Wireless Handheld Keyboard | HTPC Remote Control | iPazzport Keyboard [MINIKTP-3W] - $45.00 : EFO.buy-lowest.com, EFO Gadget Shop, EFO

Now these make sense to me.

If you absolutely do not want to go with the keyboard mouse route, then you have to look at a solution like Streamzap. I think there is another one called Firefly or something similar sounding. The advantage with such solutions is that you can then use wonderful programs like Girder or Eventghost to expand your remote control and have macros built for every situation. You can simulate multiple key presses - the works.

Only thing is you cannot type.

Now if you wanted to game as well as watch movies and listen to music on your PC from a distance, nothing can do it as well as a keyboard and mouse combination.
 
Spidey said:
1) u cant see the screen or leave alone the cursor.
2) lets presue u have a large tv screen or projector screen as a pc display, then u may see the mouse cursor
3) where do u keep ur mouse to make it work ? means it needs a surface to move on .. so either ur lap or the sofa next to u.
4) it is like a rifle practise game.. to move the mouse and see the cursor follows you.
Click to expand...

Spidey, what I have done with my HTPC is as follows:

1. I have set the screen resolution to 1280x720 so that all characters are large size for easy viewing. This does not hamper my watching Blu-Ray, as PowerDVD and other software do no use the screen resolutions you set. They take control of the screen directly with the screen drivers.

2. I sit anywhere between 10 to 15 feet from my screen.

3. I have a simple Logitech wireless Keyboard and mouse and the mouse works from 15 feet without any issue. On my HTPC, I have taken an USB cable and connected it top the back of the PC. I have connected the wireless dongle to the other end and pasted it to the rack with cello-tape. That way I do not use the front USB ports and the dongle is permanently connected to the HTPC.

4. I use a simple hardbound large book that I keep near me to use the mouse upon. For watching movies etc., this is more than convenient. I agree you cannot use the HTPC as a computer, and I believe that is not the intention.

As HTPC become popular, I am sure better or more comfortable solutions will become available. For example, NMediaPC is offering a keyboard with a mouse built in. I am sure Logitech and other companies will come with similar or even better solutions.

I think what Ajinkya was trying to say is that a keyboard and mouse is a more natural control environment for a PC. Actually if you are used to a PC, you might find a remote control a little wanting as it does not allow any inputs. Though a Pad may work in that area, is the cost justified when you can do the same job with an investment of Rs.1000 or less?

Cheers
 
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I have a HTPC that drives a 1080P projector and also plays my music. I don't want to fire up my projector to just play music, so I use RDP Lite on my IPad to fire up the browser to take my to various radio stations or to my mp3 collection. Works reasonably well. Programs like Air Video require you to still have the desktop on a display whereas the IPAD provides both touch and display.
 
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Spidey said:
Hey guys and Ipad users,

Lot of people look for a meaningful remote to control their PC and ideally the remote should be touch-screen and with a good display area.

Ipad fulfills this requirement to hilt.
The screen is large enough and touch responsive.
Click to expand...

Not an ipad user and probably wont be....however I think the Logitech Harmony one will be a better option re: cost and also the size.
 
I got a 25$ Adesso remote for htpc from amazon. You can probably order it using 20north. It works great and even has an inbuilt mouse. There is a receiver that comes with it and plugs into the usb. I use it from about 12 feet and have had no issues so far. I also have a bluetooth mouse which works great from this distance. I had to add a 100/- usb bluetooth receiver for this. My cellphone also works as a remote with the same bluetooth dongle using mobile witch remote software (I was using this before i got the remote).

For other things, I have configured the wireless G network. htpc has a usb wireless receiver (like a very large pen drive). I do all maintenance from my desktop in the other room using remote desktop connection and vnc. Till i get wireless N, I use a 16gb pen drive for data transfer between the two.
 
Hey Guys

Apple seriously has done wonders in Portable Music Industry...

The launch of iPod's followed by iPhone's and followed by iPad has seriously given market(obviously includes customers like us) a big boom, specially forcing the competitors like Sony, etc to bring down the prices to rock bottom...

The 3 products, iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad are the only models that can be integrated with automation...

There are many products that provide iPod/Phone/Pad integration, but they are brand/product exclusive...
There are a few products that convert the signal into IR and sends it to the system, but out of those few many failed, few are extremely priced, and few are not marketed properly...

Even we are planning to come up with a product, that will be in the range of Rs.8K inc Programming and Setup and the Device...But we are in testing mode for the same, in order to find out any loop holes...
If the products comes out with a success, we will be able to offer the same...

The product can control your TV, Sources, Amp (Volume, On/Off, Mode, Source), Projector, Proj Lift, Mot. Screen, etc...

Lets hope for the best...
 
Although slightly off the toopic.. i recently purchased apple magic trackpad for my HTPC for Rs 3850..Although I had an option for getting a bluetooth mouse for 2300, but i wanted a trackpad this time, as generally for operating a mouse i never find a stable surface around.

As I have a WinXP, found some initial hiccups while setting the trackpad, but after some googling i was able to set it up..
Needed to search the driver, which does not require setting up of BootCamp as Mac Applications for Windows requires, so found on this page
Apple - Support - Discussions - Magic Trackpad and Windows Support for ...

Here are the steps from the thread

1. Download and install the appropriate driver below:
64-bit: MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service
32-bit: MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service
2. Turn on your bluetooth adapter
3. Right click on the bluetooth tray icon and choose "add a bluetooth device"
3. Press the power button on the Magic Trackpad o it is aiscoverable by your computer. On my XP netbook I had to fiddle around with it a bit before the bluetooth wizard finally picked it up. Double click on "Apple Wireless Trackpad" once its discovered.
4. Use the pairing code "0000" to pair to the device. For XP you should have chosen to pair with the passkey found in the documentation (and filling 0000 in the blank).

Once the device has successfully paired, Windows should automatically use the driver that you installed first. This driver allows
tap-to-click (single tap),
two-finger tap right clicks (quick succession two finger click),
two-finger scrolling,
normal physical click (quick succession single finger double click).
It also allows you to double tap to drag-and-drop (quick succession single finger double click and drag).
Selection (quick succession single finger triple click outside the icon)
 
Hey Guys,

Thought I'd chime in with my current setup...

I'm using XBMC (Dharma Beta 2) and have loaded it with my music (flac and 320 mp3) and HD TV / movie collection... so my library is up-to-date with the tags, nfos, artwork etc (no easy task trust me... labor of love).

Bought an Android phone (Galaxy 5 for 8K) and loaded it with XBMC official remote app (also available for Apple and other mobile OSs). Enabled the XBMC to be controlled over HTTP etc and now controlling the whole thing through my WIFI connection...

The app is more than just a remote control for XBMC... it allows you to browse the entire library decide what you want to watch/listen etc... and works flawlessly...

Coupled with the app for torrents I've almost achieved my goal of complete convergence...
 
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