I Am Sure This Has Been Covered But...

[ohbythebay]

Hello,

New to the forum. I am sure this has been covered in several ways (Splashtop, remote desktop, etc) but not sure if its been address this way and at least not in such a way that I can understand (lol)

I have a Surface RT and an HTC Windows 8 phone. I use the Surface to play music through my stereo rig (quite a high end setup) and have even had the surface run through small legacy tube amps. The issue I have is when I am playing music, if I want to change the song I have to stand up and use the surface. My root question, is there any way to use my Win8 phone as a remote? I thought the whole reason for a single platform was the ability to interact ? I called MS support and they say the surface does't support remote desktop so, no.

I would like to believe there is a better answer...Thanks in advance !!!

 

[ArnoldC]

Windows RT allows Remote Assistance, so if you can find, or we can find, an application for our HTC phones, that would work for both of us.

OT:

Care to share you home audio set up? And your tube amp?

I designed and built tube pre-amplifier based on Western Electric 407, amplifiers based on 45, 2A3, 300B, 807 and other stuff. I also built a turntable powered by a floppy disk motor. You can find me at DIYAudio, but I have "retired" burned out as more appropriate.

 

[R0bR]

The only solution I believe there is currently is to throw an Xbox in the mix and use that for playback through your audio system, you can then use Smartglass on your Surface and your Phone to control the Xbox.

 

[ArnoldC]

It's kinda ironic that I can easily do this setup without using Remote Desktop with my older machines, i.e., 7 and below, and Sony Ericsson or Nokia E72 phones via Bluetooth. I can even do Powerpoint presentations remotely using the same applications.

I have Media Center, and this is what I have on my RT. This will still not address the question though.

media center remote for windows 8 app for Windows in the Windows Store

ps.

Maybe I should just find a non-Android Sony Ericsson and test it again!

 

[bosamar]

Xbox is your best bet.

 

[machistmo]

This is not a solution but I have a wireless mouse and keyboard combo I got from TigerDirect here locally and it controls the surface from across the kitchen and living room. Granted it would require you to be able to see the unit. I have perfect vision and use it in this manner for Netflix, which is pretty easy to see from a distance. I am going to look into a remote app option for my Lumia 822. Ill get back to you. I was able to create shares and access them but that's not what you are after. I cant seem to get an RDP session from the lumia 822 on this, but have spent a total of 5 minutes at it. Why again cant we create paragraphs here? Truly maddening.

 

[ArnoldC]

<snip>I cant seem to get an RDP session from the lumia 822 on this, but have spent a total of 5 minutes at it. Why again cant we create paragraphs here? Truly maddening.

The forum software kinda s****

In the other forum I go to, powered by this same vBulletin, I have to keep a finger on the text box, type a few letters using my other hand, then it will make the on-screen keyboard permanently visibible for that entry.

 

[ohbythebay]

Thanks to all

Thanks to you and too all for the suggestions...First to answer the setup question...

My setup is a Marantz SR4023 Receiver serving as a pre-amp. For power amps, I have a Yamaha M65 (ss) power amp and a Velleman K4040 90wpc Tube amp (very sweet). I can run my surface through an aux (actually, I have it going to a small Bravo II tube headphone amp, to the pre and then the rest ..)

As an aside, I have a couple of tube console amps (Motorola, Magnavox, etc) and have hooked the surface to them with a small pre..great success)

The mouse idea is not bad...just wondering if that will work from about 10 ft away...would be so much easier if I could just use the phone as a remote...anyway, some pictures of how cool the surface works as a music server...

BTW...anyone know about the Wolfsen DAC in the surface ? I don;t think I need an external because it sounds pretty good...






The Music room

 

[Rick Sutliffe]

Very cool and interesting setup...

 

[ArnoldC]

I saw a Surface RT teardown, and can't find a Wolfson DAC. Thanks for sharing the photos.

ps.

I used AMB Labs DAC on my Surface.

 

[ohbythebay]

From the teardown

The most surprising thing about the teardown is just low little computer there is inside, the mainboard is very clean with the main CPU, memory neatly spaced and certainly not packed in. Of interest to myself was the inclusion of the Wolfson audio code chip for providing the audio which makes it more surprising to hear reports that sound is too soft on the Surface.

I THINK its this - DACs | WM8524 | Wolfson Microelectronics


I know its this codec - related to the above somehow

CODECs | WM8962 | Wolfson Microelectronics

 

[ohbythebay]

Thanks all for the info...I am rerally trying to get the best experience out of my Surface ..love the interface but it is promarily a music source...kind of pricey for that but its very good at it..

Thanks Rick...everything was thought out..including the solid maple hand made cabinet (its not a put together)

The Turntable on the left I built myself with a Dual TT motor and platter, a high end Audion Technica Arm and moving coil cart
The cabinet holds
Marantz SR4023 Receiver as a pre
Teac CD with USB and IPOD input
Dual 721 Turntable
Yamaha M65 Natural sound power amp

On top is a Velleman K4040 Tube amp (90wpc)

And of course...The Surface !!!

Oh..and behind the double doors ? A few hunderd albums and a Record Cleaning Machine I also built myself.