[mythtv-users] Controlling Mythfrontend from remote computer

[Chris Pinkham]

> I am trying to have mythfrontend run on the mythbox and send keystrokes to
> control the frontend from a remote location. Ideally I would like to have
> the frontend displayed on the TV while I use my laptop to configure the
> frontend settings. I don't want to actually see the mythbox desktop on my
> laptop, just pass keystrokes. This could help me to alleviate buying a
> wireless keyboard.
> 
> VNC and X-Servers are not the answer as the display being sent over the
> network slows things down, plus I don't see the changes on the TV. (I think
> VNC is starting another instance of mythfrontend) I have tried ssh and
> opened mythfrontend on the remote display, but when I try to use the laptop
> keyboard to control the TV's display nothing happens.
> 
> Am I using ssh wrong, or is there a better solution to this problem?
> 
> Thanks,
> Ray Gaida

do a google search on rfb-0.6.1.tar.gz.  It contains a vnc server that
attaches to your existing X server and creates a vnc interface to it.  It
has a x0rfbserver binary for the server portion and a xrfbviewer for the
client end.  I run x0rfbserver on my main frontend in the living room and
when I want to upgrade Myth on the frontend, I just VNC into the box using
xrfbviewer and remote-control mythfrontend to exit and restart.

This doesn't export your Xv display though when watching video, you'll just
see a blue screen, but you can still control the playing, you just can't
see what's playing. :)

To compile rfb-0.6.1.tar.gz, you'll also need a file called
xclass-0.6.2.tar.gz which contains a display class it uses.  Google turned
up several locations for these files although the original site is gone
I believe.

-- 

Chris