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

Mike Kropp mkropp@cathouse.mv.com
Mon, 6 Nov 2000 12:42:28 -0500


Guess it's a matter of perception.  My home setup is pretty similar to your
setup.  Perhaps screen size is critical.  I'm running the server screen at
1024 x 768.  CDJ is almost acceptable.  My home automation app is unusable.
Between poor cursor tracking and speed its too slow for me.  Just wish there
was a non-DCOM way of handling remote.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Schaaf John [mailto:JSchaaf@wyseadv.com]
> Sent: Monday, November 06, 2000 11:45 AM
> To: 'Mike Kropp'; 'slinkelist@nirvis.com'
> Subject: RE: [slinkelist] Multi-room controls (was re: VNC, DCOM)
>
>
> Slow depends on your network and your computers.  I use it at work and at
> home.  Home is between 2 Pentium 2-350mhz machines on a 10mbs network
> (slower than my work machines)and it runs great.  I even have remotely
> controlled a p166mmx at work with no noticeable degreation.  It is even
> acceptable over a 26,400 modem connection.
>
> Now if I could only get it to connect to a machine at home on a
> cable modem
> through my firewall at work, aaaggghhh!
>
> My two cents worth,
> John.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Kropp [mailto:mkropp@cathouse.mv.com]
> Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2000 8:55 AM
> To: slinkelist@nirvis.com
> Subject: RE: [slinkelist] Multi-room controls (was re: VNC, DCOM)
>
>
> Pretty much so but it's slooooow (but it is free...).  I gave up on it.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: slinkelist-admin@nirvis.com [mailto:slinkelist-admin@nirvis.com]On
> > Behalf Of Simon Mason
> > Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2000 8:17 AM
> > To: 'Keith'; slinkelist@nirvis.com
> > Subject: RE: [slinkelist] Multi-room controls (was re: VNC, DCOM)
> >
> >
> > Does VNC do essentially the same thing as pcAnywhere?
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: slinkelist-admin@nirvis.com [mailto:slinkelist-admin@nirvis.com]On
> > Behalf Of Keith
> > Sent: Friday, November 03, 2000 10:53 AM
> > To: slinkelist@nirvis.com
> > Subject: RE: [slinkelist] Multi-room controls (was re: VNC, DCOM)
> >
> >
> > Hello - I too find VNC to be a better solution for Multi-room
> Control than
> > DCOM and Slinkesrv.
> >
> > The one thing I found I could do with VNC that I could not do
> > with DCOM and
> > Slinkesrv was to let multiple PC's have simultaneous control of CDJ.
> >
> > I have a PC in the kitchen, one in the family room and one in
> each bedroom
> > simultaneously connected via VNC to a PC dedicated to running
> CDJ and the
> > Slink-e.  This allows everyone to see or make changes to what is playing
> > from any location in the house.
> >
> > I like being able to roam around the house, walk up to the nearest PC,
> > glance at the screen to see what is playing, tickle the
> keyboard to search
> > for a specific song and add it to the playlist.
> >
> > I can't think of a better solution than VNC if you want
> multi-room control
> > from PC control stations.  Multi-room control from handheld
> > remotes or wall
> > mounted controls is a different story.  But from PC's I can't think of a
> > better solution than VNC.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Keith Weldon
> >
> >  -----Original Message-----
> > From: 	slinkelist-admin@nirvis.com
> > [mailto:slinkelist-admin@nirvis.com]  On
> > Behalf Of Igal, Saleh
> > Sent:	Tuesday, October 31, 2000 11:22 AM
> > To:	Michael Holopainen
> > Cc:	Slinke-List
> > Subject:	[slinkelist] VNC, DCOM (was re: Multi-room controls)
> >
> > >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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> > > _______________________________________________
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> > --
> >    --"Would you fly on airplane controlled by MS Windows ?"--
> > --------------------------------------------------------------------
> > | Michael Holopainen | Valuraudantie 25 | Tel: +358-(0)9-35093825  |
> > |                    | 00700 Helsinki   | Fax : +358-(0)9-35093850 |
> > | Laserle Oy         | Finland          | email: michael@laserle.fi|
> > --------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
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