| Technology is evolving at a rapid pace.
| |
| | static IP address can be found online.
|
| With new products, or better versions of
| |
| | 12) Using the Y cable, I connected the
|
| older products being released every year,
| |
| | computer to the stereo system. The male 1
|
| older products are rendered useless. Every
| |
| | 8-inch plug goes into the audio out port
|
| household has an assortment of 'outdated'
| |
| | on the sound card. The red RCA plug goes
|
| technology. Technology left unused for
| |
| | into the right "AUX in" port on the
|
| years, covered with layers of dust.
| |
| | stereo, and the other RCA plug goes into
|
| But often the usefulness of these
| |
| | the left "AUX in" port.
|
| 'outdated' products is only limited by our
| |
| | 13) The stereo was set to AUX
|
| creativity and willingness to experiment.
| |
| | After this, I unplugged the monitor and
|
| I recently noticed an old Sony stereo
| |
| | mouse from the CPU. I neatly stacked the
|
| system, and an old Dell Pentium III
| |
| | CPU, with the keyboard, under the table on
|
| desktop lying around the house. At first I
| |
| | which the stereo was placed
|
| though about disposing of these, but then
| |
| | If the power button is pressed, the
|
| I thought better. I ended up with a setup
| |
| | computer boots, loads up Windows XP, and
|
| that allows me to remotely play music on
| |
| | loads up the VNC server. Pressing the
|
| the stereo system using any device with
| |
| | power button again shuts down Windows and
|
| wi-fi and a browser, whether it be a
| |
| | turns off the computer.
|
| desktop, laptop, Palm Pilot, HP iPAQ, or a
| |
| | This CPU is basically a server with a
|
| cell phone.
| |
| | permanent IP on the network, which can
|
| How it basically works:
| |
| | receive streams from other devices on the
|
| The Dell computer, which is connected to
| |
| | network, and play them on the stereo.
|
| the stereo system, acts as a server on the
| |
| | HOW TO USE THE SERVER TO REMOTELY PLAY
|
| LAN. Other devices on the LAN can either
| |
| | MUSIC
|
| stream songs to the server, or remotely
| |
| | There are two ways to go about playing
|
| access the server and launch locally
| |
| | music
|
| stored songs on it.
| |
| | The first oneis streaming music. This
|
| The following explains how I accomplished
| |
| | means the music is located on some other
|
| this setup. It assumes that you already
| |
| | device, but is played on the server over
|
| know how to setup a wireless router.
| |
| | the network.
|
| The following hardware was used:
| |
| | The following explains the steps I took to
|
| - Sony Stereo System
| |
| | stream music from my laptop
|
| - Old Dell CPU (500 MHZ Pentium III, 128
| |
| | 1) I set my laptop's static IP to 10.0.0.1
|
| MB Ram, 6 GB Hard Drive)
| |
| | 2) I installed the TightVNC viewer and VLC
|
| - A Y cable (male stereo 1/8-inch plug to
| |
| | media player on my laptop
|
| two male RCA plugs)
| |
| | 3) I launched the VNC viewer, typed in the
|
| - An Ethernet cable
| |
| | server IP (10.0.0.5) and the password and
|
| - Speedtouch wireless router
| |
| | remotely accessed the server
|
| - Monitor
| |
| | 4) Using the VNC viewer on my laptop, I
|
| - Keyboard
| |
| | remotely launched VLC media player on the
|
| - Mouse
| |
| | server. I then clicked on file-> open
|
| Note: The monitor and mouse is only
| |
| | network stream, and set the address to
|
| required when the computer is being set
| |
| | udp://10.0.0.1 (Address of my laptop,
|
| up. Once the software has been installed
| |
| | where the files were located)
|
| and correctly configured, the computer
| |
| | 5) I launched VLC media player on my
|
| only needs a keyboard attached to it to
| |
| | laptop, clicked on file -> open file
|
| boot up. If a laptop is being used as the
| |
| | From the menu, I clicked on browse and
|
| server instead, the extra hardware is not
| |
| | selected a whole bunch of songs
|
| needed.
| |
| | I selected Stream/Save under Advanced
|
| The following software was used:
| |
| | Options, and in settings, selected UDP,
|
| -Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition
| |
| | and set address to 10.0.0.5
|
| -VLC Media Player
| |
| | (Address of the server, where the files
|
| -TightVNC server and viewer
| |
| | were to be played)
|
| Note: The same setup could be obtained
| |
| | After this I pressed ok, and, the songs
|
| using a different operating system, such
| |
| | started playing on my stereo!
|
| as Linux or Mac OS, since the software
| |
| | Using my laptop from anywhere in my house,
|
| required is available for these operating
| |
| | I could remotely pause, play, forward, or
|
| systems as well.
| |
| | change songs on the stereo.
|
| What I did, step by step
| |
| | Using VLC media player for Windows CE
|
| 1) I hooked up the monitor, keyboard, and
| |
| | Pocket PC, I can stream music from my HP
|
| mouse to the Dell CPU
| |
| | iPAQ as well!
|
| 2) I powered it on, inserted the Windows
| |
| | The second wayis to play songs locally
|
| XP CD, and booted off the CD
| |
| | stored on the server, by remotely
|
| 3) Following the onscreen steps, I
| |
| | accessing the server from another device.
|
| formatted my 6 GB hard drive, and
| |
| | The following are the steps I followed to
|
| installed Windows XP on it
| |
| | accomplish this
|
| 4) After the installation was complete, I
| |
| | 1) I launched the VNC viewer on my laptop,
|
| plugged the computer into the router using
| |
| | and accessed the server as mentioned
|
| the Ethernet cable
| |
| | earlier
|
| 5) I launched up the browser, and
| |
| | 2) After launching VLC media player on the
|
| downloaded VLC Media Player from
| |
| | server, I clicked Settings -> Add
|
| 6) I installed VLC media player
| |
| | Interface -> Web Interface
|
| 7) I downloaded TightVNC from
| |
| | Enabling the web interface allows any
|
| 8) I installed TightVNC
| |
| | device on the network to go to and
|
| (During the installation, you will be
| |
| | remotely control the music from there
|
| asked to 'Select Additional Tasks'. When
| |
| | Of course, I could have just used the VNC
|
| asked, make sure to select both boxes.
| |
| | viewer to remotely control VLC media
|
| This will register TightVNC server as a
| |
| | player, but enabling the web interface
|
| system service, and start it whenever
| |
| | allows any device with wi-fi and a web
|
| windows starts)
| |
| | browser to control the player. Therefore,
|
| 9) I set a password for the VNC server
| |
| | even if a cell phone with wi-fi does not
|
| 10) I went to Control Panel -> Power
| |
| | have a VNC viewer, it can use its browser
|
| Options, disabled hibernate and standby,
| |
| | to access the controls of VLC media
|
| and set 'When I press the power button on
| |
| | player, and remotely control the music
|
| my computer' to shutdown
| |
| | being played on the server.
|
| 11) I went to the properties of the
| |
| | Now you can use your handheld devices to
|
| network connection, opened up TCP/IP, and
| |
| | control the music being played on your
|
| set a static IP address. The IP I set was
| |
| | stereo system!
|
| 10.0.0.5. The range for IP addresses
| |
| | I hope this guide was helpful. If you run
|
| differs from router to router. Consult
| |
| | into any problems while setting this up,
|
| your router's manual, or the internet if
| |
| | feel free to email me at , with the
|
| you need to find out the IP range for your
| |
| | subject "Wireless Stereo Help".
|
| router. More instructions on how to set a
| |
| |
|
