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Hello,

i'm running xbmc on an ubuntu server 10.10.
Because this server resists in the basement, i control it via browser and awx from my livingroom. The display is redirected to the tv in the livingroom via hdmi cable. This works realy nice. With the awx app also i'm able to stop the xbmc.

The server by itself is started via wakeonlan. Because i want to switch between different apps, i'm not able to start the xbmc together with the server.

Now i would like to START xbmc on this server via firefox from my livingroom.

Is there a way to START xbmc via browser without installing apache etc. on the server in the basement?

Thanks for hints.

Greetings

Majaestix
Well, you could setup a VNC app with a java interface such as RealVNC, which is also totally cross-platform which is nice... then you can simply remote control the computer all together... This will give you total control over the basement computer for anything you need to do down there.

Or, for a sleeker/more automated approach, you can use something like hipporemote (for ios--not sure what else), which is a multi-application remote that allows you to make profiles of different applications, and you can modify the scripts to launch the programs you want to use when you select the profile on your device. Since it works over wifi, there should be no problem accessing it any where...

That being said, your whole setup seems convoluted to me. Your "Server" --- which actually runs XBMC locally and apparently doesn't actually run any web server software such as apache (and therefore is not a server?) is connected through an hdmi cable through your floor?

This is fine I suppose, but since you have a computer upstairs that you are using to remote control the "server"--why not let THAT computer run XBMC, and just let the "server serve"--as in, serve files over a network which your upstairs computer is also on? Is the upstairs computer a laptop, and therefore not a permanent fixture in the room? If so, to me, it would be worth it to simply get some cheap net top box, park it by your TV, and be done with it. This way, you can control that computer directly simply using a wireless mouse/keyboard, an IR remote, or over the LAN if you prefer.
Hello branlr,

thanks for your reply.

Quote:Well, you could setup a VNC app with a java interface such as RealVNC

I am also running VDR, which is a pvr, on this "server". This app also uses a webinterface fo controlling. So, i also need to start and stop this application. Because of this i'm looking for a solution, to controll the whole stuff over a gui in a browser. Nevertheless, i'll have a look on the java api from RealVNC. Never heard of that until now.

Quote:you can use something like hipporemote

I used a Phillips Pronto for a couple of years. It is a realy nice toy, but the programming features and the possibilities for the wifi connection are not that great. So, for my new house, i switched it to wifi and browser.

Quote:is connected through an hdmi cable through your floor

That's right. But not through the floor, there was build in a special chanel for all the cables from basement to the other floors for speakers, vga, dvi, hdmi etc.

Quote:Is the upstairs computer a laptop

No, it is a tablet pc.

Quote:it would be worth it to simply get some cheap net top box

This would be a possibility. But in the basement there are also the amplifier, the dvd player and other stuff, so, everything i had to bring upstairs. But the concept of my wife was: "you are allowed, to build in everything you want, but nothing in the sight of the livingroom". So, i builded in the whole stuff in the basement and no i have the trouble, to controll it.

So, it looks like i would need a webserver on the computer in the basement and to start xbmc with an java applet.
Originally i hoped, there would be a possibility to send the command
Code:
DISPLAY=:0.1 xbmc &
via browser to the computer. I tried this with plink, but this keeps the connection open and i don't know, how to send this just from the browser.

Again, thanks for your help.

Greetings

Majaestix
Quote:am also running VDR, which is a pvr, on this "server". This app also uses a webinterface fo controlling. So, i also need to start and stop this application. Because of this i'm looking for a solution, to controll the whole stuff over a gui in a browser. Nevertheless, i'll have a look on the java api from RealVNC. Never heard of that until now.

Well, I am not sure if you are familiar with how VNC's work, but it is literally a full graphical view of the remote computer, and over a LAN it is practically like using the computer directly--can be a little slow refresh rate over the internet though.

RealVNC specifically has it's own built in webserver that you can access through any browser that has java. Just go to http://your ip:5800 or whatever, and you will see the desktop of the remote machine as if it was in front of you.


Quote:So, it looks like i would need a webserver on the computer in the basement and to start xbmc with an java applet.
Originally i hoped, there would be a possibility to send the command
Code:
DISPLAY=:0.1 xbmc &
via browser to the computer. I tried this with plink, but this keeps the connection open and i don't know, how to send this just from the browser.

I see better now what you are after... if I'm not mistaken, if you run apache with PHP 4 or up, then you can execute shell scripts located in the cgi-bin directory through the apache server somehow, but I'm not really familiar with the specifics of the url that you use to call it, or even how to structure a write a simple shell script to launch a program in linux.
Hi branlr,

thanks a lot for yout infos.

Quote:you can execute shell scripts located in the cgi-bin directory through the apache server

Ok, that's the way, i can do it. But i hoped, not to need another web-server on that maschine, because bmc runs it's own web-server also. But the web-erver from xbmc first will be accessible _after_ starting xbmc by its own. So, there is no way to start xbmc via the build in web-server.

From my browser, i'm able to send a command like the example above, equal to send it from an apache server from a third maschine.

But i don't know, how to send this to another maschine in the manner:

- open a connection
- execute the command on the target maschine
- close the connection

and the target maschine keeps running the job, at it's best, in daemon mode.

Greetings

Majaestix