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maybe a clever idea...

1045 Views 16 Replies 11 Participants Last post by MoFunk, Oct 6, 2006

DReborn

Discussion Starter · Oct 2, 2006

so i always thought it was annoying to hook up your htpc to a normal monitor, make resolution changes, and then hook it back up to your tv. especially if they are in completely different rooms, etc. so i thought there must be an easier way and i THINK i found it.. =)

if you are just building your htpc, great, hook it up to a monitor and install the free version of logmein ( www.logmein.com , get free).

if you already built your htpc, hook it up to your tv and put it at 640x480 or whatever low resolution you can view at. now go install logmein.

once logmein is installed turn off your tv but of course leave your htpc connected to it and connected to the internet. go to another computer, go to logmein.com, and connect to your htpc via "remote control."

now you can edit everything on your htpc from another computer. change the resolution, etc and then turn the tv on. if it doesn't work, turn the tv off, make the changes on ur desktop and try again. no need to mess with settings directly looking from the tv.

i dunno if this will help anyone else but it has made my life A LOT more enjoyable in dealing with my htpc.

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mikeford

· #2 · Oct 2, 2006

I was skeptical of logmein, but it seemed ok and I have been using it for some time now on my server (just a file thing, not even media saavy yet).

Have you actually tried Logmein with a HTPC, or just speculation for now?

This would also have the advantage that you could tell your server to do stuff, record a program, update the guide, etc from any network location. I checked my server while I was on vacation in London, 5000 miles from home.

DReborn

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 2, 2006

i have been using logmein for more than a year on a multiple of different computers and i love it. amazing program.

i have used it to control my htpc from across the room and around the world! it's awesome. i never have to mess with settings/configuration through the htpc and wireless keyboard, tv etc. editing the registry, installing progs, etc was just plain painful from the couch. now you could set everything up from your desktop.

so yes, i have tried/tested logmein and it has worked perfectly thus far

Rupert

· #4 · Oct 2, 2006

In this case, what's the advantage of Logmein over a standard remote-control app like VNC?

I understand that Logmein allows you to connect to a pc from anywhere, but in this case you are just connecting to a pc in another room. Wouldn't VNC be simpler and more secure?

crableg

· #5 · Oct 2, 2006

Once installed, does logmein run all the time on the host pc?

The reason I ask is - when I am using the HTPC to watch movies or listen to music, is some piece of logmein still running and using cpu & memory that would be used by the HTPC functions, and perhaps degrading HTPC performance?

lstepnio

· #6 · Oct 2, 2006

Vnc

DReborn

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 2, 2006

eh, all depends on what type of setup you are running. but yes, logmein does have to run all the time though so does VNC if i am not mistaken. you need the vnc server to be up in order to connect.

i have used all the vnc (tight, real, etc) and yes, they work, but definitely not as clean nor reliable as logmein. and they are both free so logmein is a solid choice.

just to tell you, my logmein system process is taking up just 808K right now. easily my lowest process.

StanF

· #8 · Oct 2, 2006

or WinXP remote desktop (if using XP or MCE as your HTPC OS)

Cocophone

· #9 · Oct 2, 2006

I use tightvnc from http://tightvnc.org

mikeford

· #10 · Oct 2, 2006

Logmein seems fairly secure, any opinions on any of these options as far as security goes?

My "guess" is that all of them use very few resources when they are not sending the display info over the net. The trick has always been in how much they use to compress and transfer the info when they are sending it over the net, which might vary a lot between these choices.

baldbear

· #11 · Oct 2, 2006

Why not use remote desktop, it's free. I think most people don't realize it's there.

MoFunk

· #12 · Oct 2, 2006

So is this just a trial version? Or does it time out at some point? Looks a lot like gotomypc.com

rbmcgee

· #13 · Oct 2, 2006

I have been using VNC for remote desktop for quite a while. Mine however is completely secure. I use girder to automatically launch the vnc server on the target machine when I want a remote session and then automatically close the server when I'm done. Also, it doesn't use any resources when it's not being used.

As a matter of fact, I use two netremote button presses (Open/Close) on my desktop PC to execute everything (viewer, server, remote window placement and size).

Rupert

· #14 · Oct 3, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeford
Logmein seems fairly secure, any opinions on any of these options as far as security goes?

I'm sure it is probably very secure...but, the OP mentioned controlling a computer in the next room. Why send your data across the Internet when you don't need to?

Something like VNC or Dameware seems like a better solution. Windows RDP is free and will work, but it logs off the current user when you connect...not HTPC friendly.

jman311

· #15 · Oct 3, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by baldbear
Why not use remote desktop, it's free. I think most people don't realize it's there.

Remote desktop actually has drawbacks for HTPC remote control purposes ... for one thing it overrides your video drivers. It also tries to persistently update your video remotely so you can't properly use some applications. I can't really give a better/more technical explanation than that but believe me I've tried it's not so good (or might not be, depending on how you use it). VNC is much better and doesn't use windows login services.

DReborn

Discussion Starter · #16 · Oct 3, 2006

the main reason i posted this was to have a better way to initially tweak your htpc + tv without continually unplugging/replugging your computer/tv. just hook ur htpc to your tv and then connect to it via logmein.

that said, you can easily use logmein (the free version is free forever) to connect and control your htpc from whereever you are. change settings, update programing, send yourself a file, etc.

i personally rather use logmein (stable, secure, backed by a computer, nice interface, idiot proof) vs. the VNC progs. yes the vnc's are probably more versatile and have more options but for simple use logmein is tough to beat.

MoFunk

· #17 · Oct 6, 2006

I have been playing with this now for a few days and I like it. It helps to connect to my PC from the road in a pinch. I wont use it all the time though. I use a smoothwall router and am able to make a secure connection to it and use VNC securely over the net so that seems easier to me. Plus to control my main PC I have to use realvnc because I have a dual monitor setup and logmein only see's one monitor. The second monitor is where my Outlook launches to so it does not help me there. I also at this point use a Directv Tivo, so I am unable to control that from my htpc anyway.

But for those that use your htpc for tv as well and do want a quick and easy way to keep a tab on your htpc from the internet, logmein seems like the way to go. For simple connection from inside your own network, VNC seems to be the easiest.

Just my $0.02

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