# Controlling a PC with a plam device

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controlling-a-pc-with-a-plam-device/103825>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 15, 2002, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controlling-a-pc-with-a-plam-device/103825 "2002-04-15T21:40:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![milo\_minderbinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@milo\_minderbinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milo_minderbinder)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controlling-a-pc-with-a-plam-device/103825/1 "2002-04-15T21:40:04Z")

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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?

milo

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**Author:** ![Lord\_Derfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lord\_Derfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Derfel)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controlling-a-pc-with-a-plam-device/103825/2 "2002-04-15T22:53:38Z")

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See [Palm VNC](http://www.btinternet.com/~harakan/PalmVNC/) 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).

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**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controlling-a-pc-with-a-plam-device/103825/3 "2002-04-16T00:03:27Z")

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A few alternatives to using a PDA:

The [X10 MouseRemote](http://www.x10.com/products/x10_mk19a_1.htm). 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](http://www.evation.com/irman/index.html) to your serial port and, in conjunction with software such as [IRAssistant](http://www.irassistant.com/irass.html), use your own remote to control your PC.

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**Author:** ![milo\_minderbinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@milo\_minderbinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milo_minderbinder)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controlling-a-pc-with-a-plam-device/103825/4 "2002-04-16T10:45:11Z")

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Thanks folks.

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. ☹

milo