Anyone handle administration remotely

[dpz147]

I'm working on my first cab and was wondering if anyone has tried to do most of their administration remotely with programs like VNC?  For those that don't know what VNC is, it's a free program that allows you to control any PC on your network from any other PC as if you were sitting right in front of it.  So basically, if someone is looking at the MAME screen they could see you moving the mouse or anything else that you could be doing from a PC in another room.

So, my plan right now is to wirelessly network my MAME PC (which will be in my basement) and run VNC on it.  That would allow me to sit anywhere in my house and from my laptop, download new roms, tweak the FE, adjust any ini or config files etc. on my MAME PC, without worrying about trying to access a mouse or keyboard I have inside the cab.  It will also allow me to minimize the admin buttons on my CP, so no one else can access the PC files and screw things up.  The only button I would really need to include on the CP is pause and esc to switch games (I think)?

Any thoughts on pros or cons of this setup?

Plus, it would allow you to mess with your friends game while he's playing...just when he's about to beat your high score! 

Here's a link if you want to read more about VNC
http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net/

[F1r3f1ght3r]

search can be your friend.

[Generic Eric]

Sounds like a good plan.  I am using tightvnc. 

Do you prefer one variant over another?  At work, we use RealVNC

[dpz147]

I used to use Ultr@ VNC for work, due to it's file transfer feature, but I've also used Tight and Real.  They all work pretty well.

How's the best way to handle the buttons if I don't want people to be able to get out of the FE?  I know I need esc so people can switch games, but doesn't that mean someone could esc all the way out to Windows? I'm planning on using Mamewah as of now for my FE.

Sorry if these are noob questions...but unfortunately that's what I am. 

[Lon]

I'm working on my first cab and was wondering if anyone has tried to do most of their administration remotely with programs like VNC?  For those that don't know what VNC is, it's a free program that allows you to control any PC on your network from any other PC as if you were sitting right in front of it.  So basically, if someone is looking at the MAME screen they could see you moving the mouse or anything else that you could be doing from a PC in another room.

So, my plan right now is to wirelessly network my MAME PC (which will be in my basement) and run VNC on it.  That would allow me to sit anywhere in my house and from my laptop, download new roms, tweak the FE, adjust any ini or config files etc. on my MAME PC, without worrying about trying to access a mouse or keyboard I have inside the cab.  It will also allow me to minimize the admin buttons on my CP, so no one else can access the PC files and screw things up.  The only button I would really need to include on the CP is pause and esc to switch games (I think)?

Any thoughts on pros or cons of this setup?

Plus, it would allow you to mess with your friends game while he's playing...just when he's about to beat your high score! 

Here's a link if you want to read more about VNC
http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net/

 I use the windows remote desktop to manage my mame cab. it works quite well.

Lon

[SQrL]

And for administration outside of your network, there is a great FREE remote control product called LogMeIn (www.logmein.com).  Free version doesn't allow file transfer, but that is no biggie, there are plenty of other ways to transfer files (www.yousendit.com, etc...).

best of luck!

[mahuti]

I use RealVNC on my pc to administer it from my Mac. As for file transfer, I use samba. On occasion, I still plug a keyboard into it and admin it right from the cabinet, but that's generally in emergency situations. My arcade pc is also one of my website testing PCs, so the VNC gets used almost daily.

I leave RealVNC running all of the time, and only very rarely have problems with it. Basically just requires a restart of the machine from time to time.

 

[nipsmg]

If you can, run windows XP and enable and use Remote Desktop.  Even over a broadband connection, the difference between using something like VNC and using RDP (Remote Desktop) is like the difference between using Dialup and Broadband to browse the web.

RDP is so fast it's like you're sitting directly at the remote pc.  No lag, no delays.  It's one of the VERY few things Microsoft did right.

--NipsMG

[Jess--]

Have been using vnc for around 9 years now, going back to when it was brand new and the alternative was PCanywhere (what happened to that?)

have used it on all of my servers and have never had it cause any issues.

[GoPodular.com]

I used to use PCAnywhere all the time.  But that was back when you installed it via floppy disk.  Right now I don't use anything.  I mess with the MAME settings too much.

[pmc]

RDP is so fast it's like you're sitting directly at the remote pc.  No lag, no delays.  It's one of the VERY few things Microsoft did right.

Isn't it based on the ICA code they licensed from Citrix? I don't think that MSFT wrote the RDP code. That said, I may be completely wrong.

-pmc