Web page interface?

**jussing** · October 11th, 2010, 10:27 AM

Hi all.

Is there a way to access the Boxee interface/media from another PC?

The Boxee interface is great, but I hate having to turn on the TV just because I want to put on another song! (and I want to run Boxee on a Boxee Box, or a standalone PC with no screen, hidden away in a server room).

I know the remotes and remote apps can do the play/pause/next and stuff like that, but I need a screen where I can visually browse the titles and cover art, from another computer than the one running Boxee.

Thanks!

- Jonas

**judgeschambers** · October 11th, 2010, 05:29 PM

No. that is not possible.
Boxee is run on each pc it is being used on.

You'd have to remote desktop into the pc running it then. That would be more trouble than it's worth.

**jussing** · October 11th, 2010, 07:14 PM

OK, thanks...

But seriously -- do you really turn on the TV just to find a new song? Or do you heat your appartment with an always-on flat screen?

- Jonas

**judgeschambers** · October 11th, 2010, 07:31 PM

Boxee is a media center program for the most part.....I use it to watch tv and not for music.

suggestions:

#1 Then don't put boxee on the pc connected to your TV.

#2 As I suggested, you can remote desktop into the PC running boxee and do what you need and turn the TV off.

#3 Connect a second monitor to the same PC you have connected to your TV.

I guess I don't get it.

**gmd024** · October 11th, 2010, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by jussing

OK, thanks...

But seriously -- do you really turn on the TV just to find a new song? Or do you heat your appartment with an always-on flat screen?

- Jonas

-- Look at it this way --in your case, if you use a Plasma TV, you won't need to run your furnace much this winter - if you have an LCD, just turn up the thermostat a little more

-- or simply follow JC's suggestions
Welcome to the Boxee forum Jonas

**judgeschambers** · October 12th, 2010, 04:03 AM

Originally Posted by gmd024

-- Look at it this way --in your case, if you use a Plasma TV, you won't need to run your furnace much this winter - if you have an LCD, just turn up the thermostat a little more

-- or simply follow JC's suggestions
Welcome to the Boxee forum Jonas

Nice one GMD024, I'll supplement my heating bill with my 42" LCD.

**jussing** · October 12th, 2010, 04:05 AM

Thanks for the replies again.

Originally Posted by judgeschambers

Boxee is a media center program for the most part.....I use it to watch tv and not for music.
...
I guess I don't get it.

There's nothing to get, except that "media" also covers music, and Boxee has such a lovely music function with cover art and all, so certainly it's also meant as a music player. (personally, I tend to rip my CD's more than my DVD's, so for me it would primarily be a music player.)

But the idea of a digital media player for music would be to make things easier, I suppose, so you won't have to change CD's and stuff. But if that means turning on the TV to choose a song, or remote desktopping from a PC, then it's not really all that easier.

Thanks,
- Jonas

**judgeschambers** · October 12th, 2010, 04:11 AM

Well, I'm not saying boxee is not designed for music. My quote of "i dont' get it" is referring to your point of the unnecessary need to interact with a screen and or leaving it on and using up power i.e. TV, HDTV, PC monitor. Also the original request of viewing the Boxee interface remotely from another PC.

Being that Boxee is a media center program, and is meant to be connected to a TV or PC Monitor as such; I guess the real thing you're after is a play list feature as that would limit the need to see/use/turn on the TV screen.

Play lists are intended to be worked into a future build.

If a play list for music to limit interaction is not a favorable solution, I guess I still don't understand then. If Boxee is installed on a pc with a monitor, you'd still have to look at the screen to set up playlists or change songs anyway.... Same a Itunes, Zune, Media Monkey etc...

I think we're getting off track when you really wanted to know about remote access to the Boxee interface from another network PC. After thinking about it more, I'm guessing you want to use boxee as a "back end" media center that is not seen at all. Just guessing at this.

**jussing** · October 12th, 2010, 04:30 AM

Hi again,

it's got nothing to to with playlists at all, it's much simpler.

Look at it like this:
- A non-screen installation of Boxee (like the Boxee Box, or a shuttle PC stored away in a server room) requires the TV to display anything.
- Meaning you have to turn on the TV to find a song or CD (if your confusement comes from the fact that you know other ways to choose CD's, please let me know

)
- That's more trouble than putting on a CD on my 15 year old stereo. So "new technology" is one step forwards and two steps back.

That's it in a nutshell.

The request for access via a web interface comes from the fact that I always have a PC, laptop or smart phone on somewhere in the house. So that would be super easy, and win for all. I could work on my PC, access the web interface and change CD. Or from the couch with a laptop. Or in the kitchen or by the dinner table with a smart phone.

Like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Sy5dtJ9368 <-- awesome
(fast forward to 4:00 ish to skip the setup part)

- Jonas

**judgeschambers** · October 12th, 2010, 04:39 AM

Ok, I think I wrapped that around my brain now.

Aaah, well, I'd suggest putting in a suggestion in the Feature Request section of the forums. Be a concise as you can in the request so it is very clear. (since we struggled here "><"). Maybe copy most of you last post there as it is pretty good at explaining your need.

The tittle should be something like: "Remote Web Access to Boxee Interface" or something like that.