After ripping with EAC, what?

The other option versus the Viewsonic, is to use a Tablet PC which is what i use to control the web interface and build my playlist and surf.

Cytocycle, can you use a Tablet PC as a remote desktop under the windows RDP protocol? I find browser-based interfaces typically pretty bad--hence the Airpanel. But, I'd like to implement the same kind of touchscreen interfaces in other places and don't even know if they still make the Airpanel.

Yeah I use RDP (Remote Desktop Connection) to control my 4 other machines in the house... I can work on my work laptop while listening to music and it's just in a window. Slimserver only has a web interface and it's not bad. I got the table pc so I can also remote control my HTPC in the other room use Microsoft Media Center 2005. I considered the airpanel for cost and how light it is.. but ultimately I wanted to use a tablepc for more items, plus I wanted to control my HTPC and the airpanel would turn off the video on the projector, the same as using the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection on XP.

I am looking at using another remote control program for my HTPC like VNC or something (i used tinyvnc for a little while).

Keep in mind a Tablet PC is not a Touch Screen (can't use your fingers) you have to use the included stylus for everything (selecting writing etc..)

Get a small and light Tablet PC as even my 12.1" 4.2lb laptop gets heavy when you hold it up like a book. I am so glad I didn't get one of the 6.6lb 15.4" tablet PC's. Make sure it has a Centrio Chip so it runs as cool as possible otherwise it gets hot and the battery doesn't last long.

I read PDF books and Zino magazines vertically on it while listening to music.

Yeah, its too bad that PCs won't support a normal session and a RDP session at the same time; maybe Longhorn will be able to deal with that. My next project is rehabilitating a system I used to run on the Airpanel--the original impetus to buy it--which used Mario Casio's Cinemar software to control all my gear. I've got a USB/RS232 controller and a USB-UIRT IR controller that can be integrated with Cinemar's Mainlobby to control everything. I would have liked to have built up a good HTPC that would have done all that and been able to display HD material on the main video screen, but the inability to maintain the RDP session while displaying on the main screen precludes that. I'm now waiting for the next generation of the DIVX devices--something that can access network stores and play back DVD .ifo files with menus intact. If I can integrate that with the Mainlobby functionality, then I'm set. But, nothing yet seems to have everything I want--DVI/HDMI out, full menu support, programmable API, etc.

Never thought I'd have system integration as a hobby. Or that I'd spend so much time acting as a sysadmin for my home network. *sigh*

I originally installed my second HTPC with 2003 server for that very same reason to be able to support multiple RDP sessions.. but Slimserver for my Squeezebox wouldn't install the service..damn back to XP..

http://www.golod.com/2005/10/enabling-multiple-remote-desktop-sessions-in-windows-xp-professional-and-media-center-edition-2005/

Cool you caused me to find the hack to enable mulitple RDP sessions to XP!!

There are some DVD players that currently support playing Divx (my Momitsu does) and now some have network jacks and software to stream from your XP box... I was worried support for the OS would disappear, then again these players are only $200.

You aren't kiddinga about bringing the IT home... I have a Checkpoint Firewall, 2 gigabit switches, 3 network printers 5 machines, Multiple VM's for testing, everything has 3 gig of ram (highly recommended for you htpc and disabling the local pagefile for reduced noise.) I gave up on the IR repeater controller (aka Girder) and bought the logitech Media Center remote and an RF mouse pointer and I can control most everything automated..

I think we officially GEEKED out an agon thread!
Chris