Controlling a PC

[Surreywinter]

I have a challenge in in controlling my media PC that I'd like the collective view of the forum on.

Our problem has a real problem with receiving Sky TV. There's nothing much that can be done about the reception as its due to some absurdly high trees with preservation orders on them. Reception varies between ok and none depending on the weather, number of leaves on the trees etc. Add to that we're in a TV reception black spot and its not great news. As a result I'm focusing on getting a backup source of TV through the internet.

As part of this I've rigged up a connection between the windows 7 PC in the study and the TV in the bedroom. This connection is a 10m HDMI cable and it works perfectly in transmitting whatever is on the PC monitor to the TV.

I'm looking to run the following:
- Movies from the hard drive using WMC
- iPlayer
- Skyplayer
- Channel 4 and 5 using their players

Only problem with this is controlling the PC. I'm currently doing this two ways:

- Using the ipad MyMovies app. This is great at controlling WMC on the TV but does rely on WMC having been left running and "on top".
- Using an ipad app called "remote mouse" which lets me control the PC. Main problem is that this is very fiddly and needs an IP address entering on startup which is not exactly "wife friendly". Also, accessing the various streaming sites (all legit - things like iplayer, skyplayer, channel 4 etc) is fiddly with a little ipad mouse.

The line through which I've run the HDMI cable could take another couple of cables so running something else there is possible.

In a perfect world I'd like a WIFI device that would run all of these programs at the push of a button but any ideas welcome!

 

[SUMMONER]

Have you considered BT Vision?

Otherwise keep it simple, buy an old Xbox 360 + remote control and connect it to your broadband router.

That's iPlayer, SkyPlayer, Movie streaming from your PC and even LoveFilm if you want to pay for it sorted.

If you get a PS3 you can apparently even get 4OD.

If you must use HDMI, buy 2 USB "booster" extension cables (5m each) and a mains powered USB hub to put in between. That way you can use a normal wireless USB keyboard/mouse in the living room to control the PC.

There are also various iOS/Android solutions that can utilise a phone/tablet as a touchpad mouse for your computer via WiFi.

 

[spyder viewer]

You could try an Rf keyboard, and an RF remote.

Keysonic ACK-540RF Wireless Mini Keyboard with Built in Touchpad: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Emprex 3009URF Windows Media Center Remote Control: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

If your Surrey is near Kent, PM me.

 

[Grangey.]

^ As above

Any RF control unit should do you proudly. I have the keysonic and it works great.

You could do it a more wired way and just get a 10m IR blaster and use an IR control- but seems more hastle given the cost of a keysonic

 

[SUMMONER]

I have had several Keysonic keyboard/mouse combos over the years and none of them worked reliably over distances of > 2m, hence the USB extension cables to bring the USB receiver closer to the TV.

 

[Surreywinter]

Have you considered BT Vision?

I have - unfortunately, due to me not thinking things through at the outset, I have the best part of a two year contract with another fibre providing ISP. Once that has run its course I'll do exactly that and look at BT Connect. Annoyingly (or reasonably from their point of view) you can only use BT Connect if you have them as an ISP.

Otherwise keep it simple, buy an old Xbox 360 + remote control and connect it to your broadband router.

That's iPlayer, SkyPlayer, Movie streaming from your PC and even LoveFilm if you want to pay for it sorted. If you get a PS3 you can apparently even get 4OD.

If you must use HDMI, buy 2 USB "booster" extension cables (5m each) and a mains powered USB hub to put in between. That way you can use a normal wireless USB keyboard/mouse in the living room to control the PC.

There are also various iOS/Android solutions that can utilise a phone/tablet as a touchpad mouse for your computer via WiFi.

That's one of the routes I'm considering - main issue would be getting mains power to the half-way point.

 

[Surreywinter]

You could try an Rf keyboard, and an RF remote.

Keysonic ACK-540RF Wireless Mini Keyboard with Built in Touchpad: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessorieshttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Emprex-3009...1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1322418528&sr=1-1

If your Surrey is near Kent, PM me.

From the reviews, that looks like a decent bit of kit for the price. Does it come with a "dongle" for the USB or does that need to be bought separately?

 

[spyder viewer]

It's complete and uses the standard Windows drivers. A lot depends on the materials used in the construction of any obstacles between the keyboard and dongle. Of course you could always put the dongle on a long usb extension lead.

 

[Surreywinter]

It's complete and uses the standard Windows drivers. A lot depends on the materials used in the construction of any obstacles between the keyboard and dongle. Of course you could always put the dongle on a long usb extension lead.

I'd definitely need to go for the usb extension - the PC itself is the other side of 30cm of brickwork so no chance of getting through otherwise. There's a conduit running between the study and the bedroom - through the wall - and I'd probably run the USB cable through that. If the keyboard can see a dongle through a chipboard panel then it will be UK with a 5m cable - if it needs line of sight then it will be 10m (just to get to a point where that is possible). I may just need to check it and see.

 

[richardb70]

Apologies for the horrendous thread necro, but just wondering if the Keysonic 540RF is still a good one to go for? I'm looking for something in the £20 - £30 price range, purely for emergencies (control/alt/del, task manager, kill etc!).

 

[muppetman74]

Yep, holy thread resurrection, batman!

I've been using the Keysonic 540RF for a number of years without issue. It lives under the sofa for, as you say, ctrl-alt-del emergencies! It's been wholly reliable, the only issue being that I had to replace it a couple of years ago when I trod on it!