Control HTPC from Tablet PC with xlobby

[saillard]

I got a new Tablet PC that I would like to use as a fancy remote control. I already set-up the multi room audio with it, but now I am trying to control movies shown on the projector with it. I have no idea how I can make the Tablet PC control the main HTPC that is connected to the projector. I am using MPC on the HTPC for viewing movies. The idea would be to browse the movie cover on the Tablet PC, click play, the movie would be shown on the projector and the tablet PC would have a control screen (to stop or pause the movie if needed). I know it can be done in multi screen connected to one HTPC, but don't know about a Tablet PC sending request to another PC.
Did someone experiment with such a set-up?

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

As long as your main HTPC runs XL... its easier than neighborhood slut... simply setup XL client connecting to main htpc on your tablet and set mimic on. It works automagically, all built in XNET, even in freelobby.

Now things get more tricky if u want to hold your tablet upright, and hence run a different skin on it due to different aspect ratio, thats still work on progress, or ongoing research perhaps to be more accurate.

EDIT: incase ur main htpc runs some different (crappy) front end software and (for god knows why) u wanna keep it that way, perhaps u can interface them trough girder or XAP or combination of both somehow...

[Marbles_00]

Now things get more tricky if u want to hold your tablet upright, and hence run a different skin on it due to different aspect ratio, thats still work on progress, or ongoing research perhaps to be more accurate.

In this case if you want to keep each machine as their own entity, use the Xsend/XReceive plugin. The HTPC will use the Xrecieve plugin portion, and if you go into its directory (xlobby/plugins/xReceive), you will find a conf.ini file (this is a configuration file). Change the IP address to the IP address of the HTPC (default is 127.0.0.1) on your LAN, also change the port to something else so you don't have conflicts. Then using the Xsend.exe on the Tablet, you can send whatever command you want to control the HTPC. If you want examples on the commands, I use them pretty extensively in my Mirage skin for controlling XMenu. I also use XSend/XReceive between my HPTC and music server to control the music-server and to get playback updates from the server to display on my HTPC. I had to do this as both machines are XNET servers, and XNET servers don't like to be clients as well.

Hope this helps.

[saillard]

I am using the main HTPC at 1080p and the Tablet PC at 600x800 (Portrait). I will have to experiment with the plugin, thanks for the suggestion.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

That is exactly what im set to do also. Its just my carpc has been priority, but now that ive seen PS3ing is as vulnarable as HTPCing. Im sure ill get back on the task sooner or later. What i want to do is achieve "real XNET" over XL hosts running "twin skins" (identical structure and features but different layout, theme or both). Im still not sure how i plan to achieve this, i have few tricks in my sleeve which ill need to test, but if these hacks wont work theres always possibility to bridge two lobbies over pervtalk.

EDIT: until that day, what marbles suggested above is ofcourse the best solution.