bbowyer
Junior Member
Posts: 4
Registered: 8-19-2004
Location: Michigan
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posted on 8-19-2004 at 02:33 PM
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Best Remote Control Setup?
Ok guys,
I'd like to get your imput on the best way for me to setup eJukebox to achieve my goals.
My music is all on my desktop in my study. (It has the big hard drive, and the soundcard is wired to my stereo in the living room).
I want to be able to control everything from my wireless laptop. Until I found eJukebox, I was successfully doing this with BrowesAmp, and then
SlimServer. Both good options, but can't beat the slick user interface of eJukebox. (I'm trying to make it as easy to use as possible so my
wife will use it).
I know about Juke2Web or whatever, but it's way too basic and is lacking the best feature, the cool interface. I've tried using VNC - works
ok except for a few quirks like menus, but it's still kind of slugish graphically, especially when scrolling the albums. It's also getting
a little complicated for the non technical people. Remote Desktop has the same drawback.
I've heard people talking about Shoutcast, but am weary of the lagtime for buffering, and the overhead of streaming. I haven't played with
it yet though.
Some of my thoughts are:
If I could load eJukebox on my laptop instead of the desktop, is there a way to tell it to control the desktop's Winamp instead of the Laptops?
Or is there a Winamp pluggin that will allow me to link the Winamp on the laptop with the Winamp on the desktop, that way when I run eJukebox on the
wireless laptop, I can pipe it through to the desktop and on to the stereo.
Can eJukebox's library be built from a network drive so that I can keep all my music on the desktop, but browse it from the laptop?
So until the next version of Juke2Web comes out and revolutionizes the web interface - (which I don't see happening with html, will there ever be
a flash or java interface?) - what are your ideas for my situation.
I hope I've been clear about the details, if not I'd be happy to clearify anything for you.
Thanks
P.S. AudioSoft - good looking program, I wish I had my stereo next to the desktop, because it is a great way to manage music files. Hopefully
I'll figure something out.
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jojo
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Posts: 101
Registered: 9-25-2003
Location: Florence, Oregon
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posted on 8-19-2004 at 04:08 PM
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I have a similar setup to this, except my laptop controls everything. I have my internal soundcard playing to the stereo in the bedroom and living
room via a X10 Wireless link. Works fairly well, unless someone in the complex turns on a microwave  I have two x10 remotes (a Lola and mp3 anywhere) which interfaces to Girder controling winamp functions. In my
office, where the laptop lives most of the time I have a USB dolby 5.1 sound card and awesome speaker set from Midland. I've rated all 6400 mp3s
on my laptop and prety much let it play popularity mode. I also can access via my PPC and wifi connection and conrol music and ejukebox functions
using the eweb.
The key on all of this for me anyway is the ratings, it takes a long time, but well worth it.
I'm curently looking for options to actually connect the wires to the two other stereos since though the wirless works wel, in an apartment there
is a lot of 2.4 ghz interference.
I'd be happy to help set ups something for you with your paticular needs.
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jojo
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Posts: 101
Registered: 9-25-2003
Location: Florence, Oregon
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posted on 8-19-2004 at 04:14 PM
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I'm also contemplating setting up an old system in the living room as a dedicated media server, however space is limited and I don't have an
extra monitor. I do have TV out on that video card, but haven't managed to work that one out, just yet.... or dug the old machine out of the
shed to set it all up. The only drawback to this option would be the office where I spend a good deal of my time, so I'm considering either
streaming over my wireless network, via shoutcast or netamp or something similar. Haven't worked out all the details just yet, or haven't
taken the time to rather
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Bytor
Junior Member
Posts: 53
Registered: 3-31-2004
Location: South Carolina, USA
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posted on 8-20-2004 at 02:32 PM
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I have also experimented with remote access/control of EJ in the home. I currently have all my MP3’s on a Linux server with mirrored drives and have
a small VIA EPIA M10000 PC (HTPC) in my entertainment center running EJ. I use Girder to control EJ with my remote and this works great. I have
played around with Shoutcast and it works OK but the buffer lag is a pain. You can lower the pre-buffer settings on the player to reduce the delay
but you can’t get rid of it. I have also thought about using a Leapfrog 2.4 type wireless solution that would send audio/video and IR remote signals
throughout the house. From any room with one of these devices you could receive the video/audio from the HTPC and send IR signals to the HTPC to
control it. It’s a cool and simple solution but I have enough RF now in the house and it’s a little costly. Now I’m researching what’s involved in
building a wired audio/video/IR solution to accomplish this. If anyone knows of a reasonably priced wired commercial solution, I would be
interested…..
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jojo
Member
Posts: 101
Registered: 9-25-2003
Location: Florence, Oregon
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posted on 8-20-2004 at 03:00 PM
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bytor
I have also experimented with remote access/control of EJ in the home. I currently have all my MP3’s on a Linux server with mirrored drives and have
a small VIA EPIA M10000 PC (HTPC) in my entertainment center running EJ. I use Girder to control EJ with my remote and this works great. I have
played around with Shoutcast and it works OK but the buffer lag is a pain. You can lower the pre-buffer settings on the player to reduce the delay
but you can’t get rid of it. I have also thought about using a Leapfrog 2.4 type wireless solution that would send audio/video and IR remote signals
throughout the house. From any room with one of these devices you could receive the video/audio from the HTPC and send IR signals to the HTPC to
control it. It’s a cool and simple solution but I have enough RF now in the house and it’s a little costly. Now I’m researching what’s involved in
building a wired audio/video/IR solution to accomplish this. If anyone knows of a reasonably priced wired commercial solution, I would be
interested….. |
Interesting, the same issues I have, for the wireless options, check out X10.com (make sure your popup blocker is engaged) Look into either the
Entertainment anywhere or the Lola options, both use the same type of remotes (RF) and they are usually under 70 bucks, They also both include a
video/audio transmitter. They work well enough but the neighbors microwave drives me crazy. For wired solutions, check into www.smarthome.com they
have some interesting options for whole house distribution. I'm interested in these opions too, but lack the cash to do it right now, and I
don't want to bother while I live in an apartment, but when I get a house in the next few years, you bet.
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bbowyer
Junior Member
Posts: 4
Registered: 8-19-2004
Location: Michigan
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posted on 8-20-2004 at 05:36 PM
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Thanks for the replies...
However I think I'm looking for another sort of option. I don't have much interest in remote controls (RF or IR). I want more than just
Play, Skip and Volume control.
My goal is to see eJukebox on my wireless laptop, and have it browse and play the music that's on my MP3 server, (desktop connected to
stereo).
I don't want to stream if I don't have to, because of lag and wasted traffic.
VNC and Remote Desktop are an option but are a little buggy.
***!! Question for Audiosoft ***!!
Would it be possible to include a feature that would allow you to tell eJukebox to control Winamp on another PC on your LAN? Just enter an IP address
and port # or something.
There are quite a few pluggins that allow you to do such a thing (i.e. Cubicle, BrowseAmp). It would just be a matter of porting the Winamp commands
through something like that.
I think that would match what I want to do perfectly. Just an idea for a future release.
Thanks
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steve_f
Junior Member
Posts: 50
Registered: 6-1-2004
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posted on 8-21-2004 at 12:55 PM
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that option is already available ... kinda ...
it is called KAVoom! and a 30 day trial is available at http://www.kavoom.biz
i use it and it works great! give it a try.
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