Sound on remote computer?

[michaelmorris]

I'm in the process of changing my set up so that I open up the observatory, set up the kit, then run an imaging session from the warmth of my study. At each end of the system I have a 1GB RAM machine running XP home. I have limited bandwidth and a monthly limit on my internet usage, so I want a system that has a relatively low impact on computing power, internet bandwidth and information transfer.

So far I've downloaded and workout how to use RealVNC to control the observatory computer from the study and I've jerry-rigged a Philips SPC 900NC webcam to monitor the scope. The study computer can now control the scope and I can see it moving on the webcam.

The next thing I'm after is getting the study computer to pick up sound outputs from the observatory computer. RealVNC doesn't seem to do this. I want this option for two reasons

1 - so that I get audible alarms on the study computer from software running on the observatory computer

2 - so that the webcam microphone can pick up noises inside the observatory (mainly the scope slewing).

Has anyone any ideas about the best/cheapest/easiest/ lowest computing power way to achieve this?

Thanks

[jjongmans]

I use Teamviewer, which is capable of passing sound.

[michaelmorris]

I've loaded team Viewer and the remote access works fine. However, when I try to play sound is says that the licence on my observatory computer doesn't allow it to share sound.

[Parallax]

I don't use RealVNC anymore (Teamviewer convert) but I do recall that there is setting to allow sounds to be 'passed through' to the remote computer.

Steve

[gkec]

I'll have to think about the sound bit but you should be able to connect just using the local network not using the internet at all so not using bandwidth. Unless your observatory is remote from you?

[gkec]

As you are using XP home Remote Desktop won't work. Thanks Microsoft!!. However this might

http://chrome.blogspot.hu/2012/10/controlling-your-computer-from-afar.html

I haven't tried it but I might now I know about it.

VNC doesn't do sound.

[FraserClarke]

Skype... It probably works on the easiest/cheapest way, though perhaps not the best / lowest computing power way.

RemoteDesktop (not on XP home??) will forward sound, but it will not pick-up and forward sound from a microphone on the remote computer. very annoying. apparently fixed in Win7 though.

[Freddie]

Baby monitor !!??

[Cath]

I have a pan and tilt remote wireless/lan security camera that switches to IR mode when it gets dark and has audio. Something like that could be useful for keeping an eye on your scope etc.

[kev]

I use Skype to keep an eye now on our pond, the sheds, and when Im out the scopes.

If you use Multicam you can change cameras that you view on the remote PC that you are viewing.

[michaelmorris]

I use Teamviewer, which is capable of passing sound.

It turns out Teamviewer's sound function doesn't work in Windows XP. :-(

[martin_h]

You can use Teamviewer directly over a network, and not over the internet, thus not using any bandwidth....open the teamviewer main window, and at the top there is an "Extras" tab, click this and follow my image below....................................By default this function is disabled.

As for the sound does not the "Voice over IP" function work?

[michaelmorris]

You can use Teamviewer directly over a network, and not over the internet, thus not using any bandwidth....open the teamviewer main window, and at the top there is an "Extras" tab, click this and follow my image below....................................By default this function is disabled.

As for the sound does not the "Voice over IP" function work?

Thanks for the tip about using the network option, I'll give it a try.

The 'voice over IP' works with the webcam, so If I turn the speakers up high on the observatory PC, the microphone on the webcam usually pick this up. However, I can't get a direct feed of sound from the computer.

[martin_h]

No i think all of these type of programms just show the desktop video feed.

[Cath]

However, I can't get a direct feed of sound from the computer.

Their is normally an option in the windows audio device settings to select the default audio source to use, ie webcam audio, sound card audio, mic etc. Whether TeamViewer uses that default setting I don't know.

[nightvision]

You can use Teamviewer directly over a network, and not over the internet, thus not using any bandwidth....open the teamviewer main window, and at the top there is an "Extras" tab, click this and follow my image below....................................By default this function is disabled.

As for the sound does not the "Voice over IP" function work?

Martin, does Teamviewer still work in that mode if you have no connection to the Internet? I got the impression it always requires visibility of the Teamview Internet servers to function. Teamviewer kept putting pop-ups up saying I should purchase a copy and it stopped working if the Internet wasn't visible. I switched to XP Pro on the obsy PC which provides a remote-desktop server as a default and can be accessed from any PC on the home LAN, it's a lot faster than Teamviewer. Not sure if the sounds are passed through, I will check it out.

Tony.

[nightvision]

Michael, I have the same set up, PC (but with XP pro) in the obs running the whole rig (APT, PHD, sharpcap, CC etc) and a PC in the study. I have just tested and XP pro does pass the sound and the desktop. XP pro detects that I have attached from a remote PC and runs the RDP audio driver, this makes all the remote audio devices look like local devices, so local (study) wav level controls work. Just playing a music CD on the obsy optical drive now and listening to it in the study so it looks like it works fine. (My other XP -non-pro PC's don't support RD server)

Tony.

[AllanJ]

Michael, Following a recommendation, I yesterday installed LogMeIn for outdoor/indoor control over wifi. Works fine in the study, but I haven't had a chance to test it with the imaging kit for real yet. There are two versions, Free and Pro. When you download, you get 30 day trial of Pro, then, presumably, it reverts to Free. The Pro version includes "Remote Sound - Allows sound from the host computer to be heard at the computer at which you are sitting.". I just checked that using Windows Media Player on the remote laptop, so I guess it should do the trick for you.

Allan

[Hobbes]

Another vote for LogMeIn. Great tool - use it all the time for remote control.

[Cath]

What about NetMeeting (a built-in windows util)?