Control HTPC TV from another laptop

of course. 1 option is to setup tightVNC on the htpc, and run the viewer from the laptop.

why not just use windows remote desktop?

Because the moment he logged into the HTPC from the laptop he would just see a 'log in' screen on the bigger TV. Seems to me he's looking to use the laptop as more of a remote control? He said 'to Control and WATCH TV' at the same time, so RDP wouldn't fly for that.

There're a couple solutions for iPhones but I don't know of any for a full fledged laptop. Does anyone know?

http://www.mobileairmouse.com/
http://itap.mobi/itap

You could jump into MainLobby or CQC software based control systems that can do what you ask. Quite a jump but does what you ask.

Synergy

You can try that. I don't know how you would be able to see what you're doing if your controlling everything another room.

Have you tried it? The package hasn't been maintained for 3 years.

EDIT: Seems there's a fork that's actively maintained: http://code.google.com/p/synergy-plus/

A couple of times I tried to set up RD, no joy. One time I got it to work, didn't like its user interface.

VNC much simpler to setup and use. Don't know if it's good enuff to watch live TV, but hey, it's free, if it doesn't work, try something else.

another poor solution but free and EASY, logmein.com . I think it is like gotomypc but this is free. I have it on 1 of my pc's so i can do stuff while away.

live mesh I think would work also though still in beta

also for media center you could use ngrc which uses a web interface. I have used it for both media center and extenders.

I've been using it for quite some time and havn't had any issues.

Just install Windows 7 on the laptop. You can stream anything that's shared from the main PC. In fact, you can even stream across the internet (like Slingbox).

Not for Windows Media Center.

Any implementation of VNC (free), or the much more expensive Mainlobby suites.

/thread

What do you mean?

I can watch my media in any instance WMP 7 if streaming is enabled. In MC, I can access any video content as shares. No?

The question I was responding to was: "I wonder if there is any software that may act as an extender?"

No there's not, there's no software you can run on your PC that will act like a Media Center Extender or Client. There is no Softsled.

You can get sorta close by sharing your TV recordings and opening them with another copy of WMC, but you can't control the remote WMC's guide or tuners, schedule recordings, etc.

Though other software does have that capability (SageTV, BeyondTV, etc)

Yes, you're right - you can watch everything in the shared library but can't control it. That is until the equivalent of WebGuide becomes available for 7MC.

I guess I have an inherent workaround since I use the HDHomerun - networked tuners than any computer can access. But I still can't tell 7MC to record something remotely.

I would recommend a program called ORB its what I use and is amazing! and FREE!

"Input Director". It is what Synergy was three years ago. Works perfect for me with Windows 7.

What about "Play To" on Windows Media Player 12? It's too late to download the RC1 version of Windows 7, but I use the new awesome "Play To" feature.

Isn't that kinda opposite from what the OP wanted?

I didn't read the last 4 words of his post: "which is running 7MC", that's Windows 7 Media Center, right?

Still, the "Play To" option would work for what he wants. It's a "push" feature unlike the normal "pull" features we're used to when accessing media over the network.

I use "Play To" to control a desktop computer and an xbox 360 media center extender. I can control these devices with my laptop (from the bedroom if I want). Isn't that what the OP asked?

I got the feeling he wanted to watch his content on the laptop when he's in the bedroom, while the HTPC holding the content is in another room.

Well if thats the case all he needs to do is share the folders over the network.

But the trick is how can he get live TV....

BTV with BTV Link or SageTV with Placeshifter or Sage hardware extender for full control of "live" TV and recordings.

BB

Ok duh I read tv and was just thinking videos.