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Here's what I'd like to do, is it possible?

I have a desktop computer that I want to hook up to my stereo to record
Albums and Cassettes onto the hard drive. That will be it's sole purpose in
life, that and to play back MP3's through my stereo.

Is it possible to do so, without hooking up a monitor, keyboard and mouse?
Can I control it from my other computer via a wireless network?

On Thu, 6 Apr 2006 10:46:38 -0700, "Secret Squirrel"
<> wrote:

>Here's what I'd like to do, is it possible?
>
>I have a desktop computer that I want to hook up to my stereo to record
>Albums and Cassettes onto the hard drive. That will be it's sole purpose in
>life, that and to play back MP3's through my stereo.
>
>Is it possible to do so, without hooking up a monitor, keyboard and mouse?

You need to adjust BIOS settings so the computer will boot without
those. You may need to have the OS automatically logon or rely on
programs that run as a system service. That being said, how you do
you plan to play back & record music without any kind of interface or
input device? Is there at least a TV near that stereo?

>Can I control it from my other computer via a wireless network?

All you need is MS Remote Desktop Connection, pcAnywhere, or similar.
Which may depend somewhat on the OS you want to run.

"Curious George" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> You need to adjust BIOS settings so the computer will boot without
> those. You may need to have the OS automatically logon or rely on
> programs that run as a system service.

Ok, that's easy enough.

> That being said, how you do
> you plan to play back & record music without any kind of interface or
> input device? Is there at least a TV near that stereo?

For input/output I have a Sound Blaster Live! Platinum 5.1 sound card.
Besides the standard rear jacks, it came with RCA IN and SPDIF OUT jacks on
it's front mounted faceplate.

Do I need anything more than that to interface with my stereo?

> All you need is MS Remote Desktop Connection, pcAnywhere, or similar.
> Which may depend somewhat on the OS you want to run.

I'm running Running Windows XP Home SP2 on both. The 'satelitte' is a P3
450 w/ 256k. The 'base' is a P4 2.6 w/512k.

Does XP Home have MS Remote Desk Top built in or the capability to run it?

On Thu, 6 Apr 2006 18:59:02 -0700, "Secret Squirrel"
<> wrote:

>
>"Curious George" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>>
>> You need to adjust BIOS settings so the computer will boot without
>> those. You may need to have the OS automatically logon or rely on
>> programs that run as a system service.
>
>Ok, that's easy enough.
>
>> That being said, how you do
>> you plan to play back & record music without any kind of interface or
>> input device? Is there at least a TV near that stereo?
>
>For input/output I have a Sound Blaster Live! Platinum 5.1 sound card.
>Besides the standard rear jacks, it came with RCA IN and SPDIF OUT jacks on
>it's front mounted faceplate.
>
>Do I need anything more than that to interface with my stereo?

You need to run & control software on the computer that will record &
playback the music, select music files & locations, bitrates, etc...

Unless you are going to program an IR PDA and LCD screen or you just
need to play a single playlist that you don't need to control- you're
going to need some type of input device & display.

There are appliance-type devices that can do some of this quite well.
I have and like a Squeezebox2
http://www.slimdevices.com/
but it only _plays_ music. There must a device out there by now that
can also record to a server. I just don't know offhand

The slimserver program used for the squeezeboxes can also be used as a
free streaming music server & client. Even if you don't buy one you
may consider trying/using it for your music PC.

>> All you need is MS Remote Desktop Connection, pcAnywhere, or similar.
>> Which may depend somewhat on the OS you want to run.
>
>I'm running Running Windows XP Home SP2 on both. The 'satelitte' is a P3
>450 w/ 256k. The 'base' is a P4 2.6 w/512k.
>
>Does XP Home have MS Remote Desk Top built in or the capability to run it?

"Remote Desktop Connection" is part of XP. Here's how to start using
it:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...moteintro.mspx

On Fri, 07 Apr 2006 03:22:27 GMT, Curious George <> wrote:


>Unless you are going to program an IR PDA and LCD screen or you just
>need to play a single playlist that you don't need to control- you're
>going to need some type of input device & display.

Oh wait, I see. You are planning on solely controlling the music PC
remotely. Are all these devices in the same room? If they are why do
you even need a separate, dedicated WiFi audio PC? I wasn't think of
you using Remote Desktop as the primary control.

See I'm thinking more along the lines of my house where my servers are
in one part of the house, my home office & main workstation is on the
other side of the house, my stereos are in still other rooms, & there
are panel PC's elsewhere. For me everything needs to be not only
fully accessible on the LAN but also capable of a certain degree of
independent/autonomous functionality - or I'd always be jumping out of
a chair & climbing stairs.

I guess what you are planning is viable if both PC's & stereo are all
in close proximity in the same room (again why would you need a
dedicated wireless audio PC then?) But it'd be a royal PITA if you
have to run between rooms when you want to start recording or change a
playlist or song. It would be a shameful waste if you're counting on
doing it that way. You would probably want a third PC (a WiFi laptop)
that you could bring into the room when you wanted to control the
audio PC (even more wasteful).

What exactly were you planning?

"Curious George" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Fri, 07 Apr 2006 03:22:27 GMT, Curious George <> wrote:
>
>
>
> Oh wait, I see. You are planning on solely controlling the music PC
> remotely.

Exactly.

> Are all these devices in the same room? If they are why do
> you even need a separate, dedicated WiFi audio PC? I wasn't think of
> you using Remote Desktop as the primary control.

The audio equipment is in another room, but it's visible from my workstation
desk which is less that 10 feet away.

>(again why would you need a
> dedicated wireless audio PC then?)

I have the extra computer equipment, wireless router and all. And I have
the desire to record LP's.

What I don't have is an extra monitor. And the space is limited near the
stereo and near the workstation. There's just enough room to slide a tower
next to the stereo.

I'm really focused more on the recording than the playback, because I'll
transfer my LP's and Cassettes directly onto CD, which I can then playback
anywhere.

If I need a playback list from computer to stereo, it would actually be less
hassle to go to the workstation than turning an LP over, or switching out a
cassette, as the play list on the computer would be much longer.

> What exactly were you planning?

My plan is to plug my stereo into my extra tower, network that tower to my
workstation, and use the UID on the workstation to control the desktop of
the extra tower. I will record music mainly, but I may playback MP3's or
listen to internet radio. Probably more internet radio than MP3 playback.

I don't have an Ipod now, but future use will include downloading MP3's onto
an Ipod, which I would do at my work station.

Eventually I might hook the tower up to video equipment, as I have a
Video/TV Tuner card too. But with no TV currently in that room, that's not
part of today's plan.

Out of curiosity, what programs were you planning on using for
recording & CD burning?

I guess the solution to my concerns about the equipment in separate
rooms lies in a simple stereo remote control.

I'd also plan on some backup/protection system for the time investment
here if you are intending on cleaning up the recordings, etc. Many
CDr's don't last very long.

You should have this up and running quickly, painlessly, and for $0
investment beyond the audio software (perhaps) & what you already paid
for the equipment.

Enjoy