I have agreed to build a new computer for a friend. The idea is to build a multimedia PC connected to his TV and stereo so that he can play DVD or *.avi movies and goof around on the web on the big screen and play MP3’s through his stereo. He has a small box room right next to his living room so the ideal would be to have the computer on a desk in the box room and control basic functions remotely from the living room using a palm or handspring PDA as an input device and his TV as a monitor.
Possible?
If it can’t be done with a PDA, any ideas on how it could be done?
See Palm VNC for a program to control your PC from your palm. I don’t know how well it works, but I’ve heard it is pretty good.
You would need a wireless network hub and a wireless NIC for your palm device to remotely control the PC over an ethernet network. I know Xircom makes one for the Handpring Springboard port (but it is pricey).
The X10 MouseRemote. I hate linking to those purveyors of pop-up perversity, but this is a very useful product that I’ve been using for a couple of years now.
Or, you can hook up Irman to your serial port and, in conjunction with software such as IRAssistant, use your own remote to control your PC.
The X10 remote looks ideal as it can replace his numerous existing remotes, control the PC and is much more suited to the budget I have to work with than a bluetooth equiped PDA.
I now kinda fancy a PDA myself though. The perils of window shopping.
