[slinkelist] VNC, DCOM (was re: Multi-room controls)

Tue, 31 Oct 2000 10:21:53 -0600

From what I understand of VNC, it works similar to pcAnywhere, remote
controlling the host computer.  However, while my laptop has a 1024X768
screen, my server has a 1600X1024 wide-screen display, so I'd have to scroll
around or mess with window sizing.  Also, my wife uses CDJ too -- if I was
on the server, and she was using the laptop to control CDJ, CDJ would show
up on the server's screen.

As for some of the other issues, I run strictly NT and 2000, don't use the
mp3 features, and didn't really have to do much to mess with library/covers
paths.

I think almost all networked CDJ users would agree that DCOM was a poor
choice for the networking protocol - a native sockets or encapsulated HTTP
implementation would be cleaner, more stable, easier to configure,
WAN-friendly for streaming control, firewall-friendly for WAN access from
work...  It would also make it almost trivial to control the Slink-e from
almost any OS or scripting language.  However, in my situation, the pain of
dealing with DCOM is worth the benefit.

All that being said, I bought an old terminal server on Ebay for about $50,
and will likely roll my own native socket connection over Telnet, putting
DCOM to rest.  I plan to just use the terminal server's virtual redirector
software to direct COM7 and COM8 on the laptop to the Slink-e and DXS ports
on the terminal server.  Then, CDJ will think it has a direct connection to
the Slink-e and DXS.  I'll post my results to the list when I get around to
messing with it.

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Holopainen [mailto:michael@laserle.fi]
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2000 2:19 am
To: Igal, Saleh
Subject: Re: [slinkelist] Multi-room controls

Have you tried VNC ??

http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc/download.html

I for one find it MUCH better that DCOM : 

1. no need for NT server, DCOMcnfg, no need to manually <anything>
2. mp3 play on "server" = computer connected on slink
3. no need to mess with library-covers-mp3_files paths
4. I haven't crashed CDJ / VNC not even once in past 1-2 years
5. You can do MUCH more than just CDJ with VNC
6. Easy to set up 
7. Small prog 
8. You only need to install 1 CDJ (less updating, no version conflict)
9. no need for slinkeserv  
10. Oh jeah, and the "small" detail that it's not MS product, so it
actually works 
11. You can even use CDJ from remote UNIX (Linux) machine

-michael (A)

"Igal, Saleh" wrote:
> 
> I use a laptop with an 802.11 wireless connection; a server runs
slinkesrv.
> The server also has my MDB file, covers, and playlists.  If I'm anywhere
> within earshot, I just grab the laptop to control CDJ.  It works great --
I
> get full CDJ control from anywhere inside or outside the house.
> 
> There are two annoyances that you will see in any CDJ/DCOM network
> configuration.  First, CDJ updates reset the DCOM connection data, so I
have
> to run DCOMCNFG and reconfigure DCOM after every CDJ update.  Second, if
CDJ
> crashes, I have to manually go and restart slinkesrv.
> 
> The newer 11 Mbps wireless cards are fast enough that there's no
significant
> difference between having the MDB and covers on the server versus the
> laptop.  If my wife's using the laptop, I just revert back to running CDJ
on
> the server, since it has the MDB and covers.
> 
> If you're planning to buy a new PC anyway, I'd strongly recommend
> considering spending a few hundred bucks more for a laptop and wireless
LAN.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: slinkelist-admin@nirvis.com [mailto:slinkelist-admin@nirvis.com]On
> Behalf Of Ron Tugender
> Sent: Monday, October 30, 2000 10:08 am
> To: Slinke-List
> Subject: [slinkelist] Multi-room controls
> 
> I've been using Slink-e/CDJ for a while now, but in a rather simple way.
> I've had in my office one PC running CDJ, natively controlling a pair of
> Sony changers in the living room, with a long Cat-5 run from the PC to the
> Slink-e and a long speaker connection from the amplifier in the living
room
> to satellite speakers in the office.  I did most of my listening in the
> office, so having the primary CDJ control there was convenient enough.
> 
> I've now acquired a home theatre setup with gorgeous audio in the living
> room.  I still intend to do a fair amount of listening in the office, but
> now quite a bit more in the living room.  I now want to control the Sony
> players through CDJ (or perhaps PartyGUI) in both the office and the
living
> room.
> 
> I have a few thoughts on how I might do this, but before I bias the
feedback
> I'd rather first ask for suggestions from people who have already done
> something similar.  To focus the suggestions, I'm prepared if necessary to
> put another PC in the living room and LAN connection between the living
room
> and office.
> 
> Ideas, anyone?
> 
> Thanks,
> Ron
> 
> ================================================
> Ron Tugender
> 408-378-0777
> ron@tugender.com
> 
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-- 
   --"Would you fly on airplane controlled by MS Windows ?"--
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