controlling graphical applications on a computer over a network

[Daniel]

I have a computer that I'm not using right now and I would like to connect it to a tv and use it to show pictures and video and stuff on the tv. The media would come from somewhere on the network and the computer would be controlled over the network. I would need to control a video/music/picture application on that computer from another computer on the network (likely a linux computer since the currently unused computer has linux on it). Is there a good way to do this other than using VNC?

[M0E-lnx]

NX is a much better technology than vnc is.
Try my howto here
http://m0e-lnx.blogspot.com

[rbistolfi]

If you are going to do this from a LAN, a plain remote X login would be enough imho. You need to configure GDM to allow remote connections. Keep in mind that this will enable a insecure connection, so the involved ports shouldnt be accessible from the Internet.

[Daniel]

I'll use a VNC-like thing (freenx or remote X login maybe) if there's no other alternative but I was really looking for something else... Command-line driven even. Something like ssh where you can pull graphical X windows over the connection to see them except I want to run the graphical program but leave the window at the remote computer.

[nightflier]

You can tunnel X over SSH, but I have found it to be very slow. If you're on a fast LAN it may be usable.

[Daniel]

nightflier: What exactly do you mean by "tunnel X over SSH"? Is that X11 Forwarding? I have used X11 Forwarding but I want to run graphical programs on the remote computer but leave the application's window at the remote computer so that the media could be viewed on the tv that the remote computer is connected to. If that's not what you mean, please elaborate.

[uelsk8s]

http://www.karlrunge.com/x11vnc/

[rbistolfi]

nightflier: What exactly do you mean by "tunnel X over SSH"? Is that X11 Forwarding? I have used X11 Forwarding but I want to run graphical programs on the remote computer but leave the application's window at the remote computer so that the media could be viewed on the tv that the remote computer is connected to. If that's not what you mean, please elaborate.

A simple ssh connection can do that iirc, try setting the DISPLAY variable as desired. For example, if the remote computer is 192.168.0.5 then

Code:

export DISPLAY=192.168.0.5:0.0

And you should be able to run X applications from the shell and display them in the remote box.

[M0E-lnx]

You need to enable X11Forwarding on the server box
Just setting the DISPLAY will not work if X11 is not forwared.
You also need to tell it you want X during the connection by specifying the "-X" flag

ssh -X you@192.168.x.x

But if you really think about this, it is the reverse of what you need

If what you really need is to control a remote display and display it on both machines at the same time, then x11vnc is what you need
we have packages for that in the repos.
It even comes with a nice gui to setup the server.

X11vnc allows you to display the currently running display on a remote box, and control it from there too.

That is if you're not concerned about security

[rbistolfi]

M0E: he doesnt want to forward X, he wants the application to be shown at the remote server

[M0E-lnx]

So he needs a way to push a local app to display on a remote xserver then.
That's a little hard to do. and you can't really control the remote app. you can only run it.

which is why I would suggest x11vnc. You get to control the whole desktop

[nightflier]

Yeah, with "X over SSH" I was referring to X11 forwarding. I thought you wanted to run a remote application in a local window.

As far as controlling a remote X app over the network using only command line, I wouldn't even know where to start.

[Daniel]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I might try x11vnc and ssh with exporting the display. Just to clarify, does exporting the display variable affect the local display or just send the X11 Forwarding back to the remote display?

[M0E-lnx]

Think of X11 forwarding as in launching a remote GUI app on your local desktop.
FOr instance, You are @ box "A", and connect via ssh to Box "B" with X11 forwarding enabled on box "B"

if you were to launch a GUI app on box "B" over that ssh connection, the window will actually show up on your box "A"'s display.
The display on box "B" gets no change at all. it's as if nothing ever happened.
So it seems to me that is the oposite of what you need.

[Daniel]

Ok, I've used X11 Forwarding before but if I "export the display variable" to point to the remote display, does that keep the graphical applications on the remote machine so that they stay and show up on the remote display?