Notice : Two general means of Remote Control exist :
- Through Keyboard Shortcuts
(click here to view them);
- Via an external device.
The Keyboard Shorcuts are merely to control XXHighEnd while there is no user interface present (Unattended Mode). This is not really Remote Control as such, but it sort of is when we see that the sound engine is running on its own without user interface control, while it still needs that control.
The external device is what this Tutorial topic is about and it describes the means of remote control which retains good sound quality. Such a device can be a tablet or smart phone. Notice that this just as well can be a infrared remote control, but this is actually not used by XXHighEnd users. Look
here for that.
It is a good thing to understand that Remote Control for XXHighEnd in optima forma goes without LAN connection and most certainly not via WiFi in the Audio PC. Both debet sound quality - WiFi severely.
Edit May 30, 2015 :It is also good to understand that using LAN means for music storage and retrieval, is better for SQ than doing so internally in the Audo PC.
Lastly we can state that net it is the best to have the music files on external storage (but accessed through the LAN, so not meaning USB and the like) and THUS we are now allowed to use the LAN for remote control as well.
For the remainder it is now assumed explicitly that the LAN is used.
Might you have the idea that a Bluetooth network is even better for SQ (this is called a Personal Area Network - PAN) and that you can utilize that because you have / can set up the Bluetooth connections, then the last chapters of the Remote Control Tutorials deal with that. Howeverm at this moment (May 2015) we regard this impossible because of lacking drivers for Windows 8 and up, or not knowing the how-to for Windows 8.
So the LAN assumed, you can set up an RDC Connection by means of
this tutorial.
In XXHighEnd always activate this (red, see mouse pointer) :
Don't look at the other settings in this picture. They are irrelevant at this moment (but see below).
With appropriate "RDC Software" (which reads : Remote Desktop Connection software) which runs on the remote, you can connect to the Audio PC. It is up to you which, but notice quite some "prerequisites" exist to let all work fluently. Other tutorials are dedicated to that.
The general means of making a connection to your remote control device (iPad Tablet, iPhone, Android Tablet, Android Phone or other Smartphone, Windows Surface or Windows Phone) are these :
You have the LAN activeSince WiFi in the Audio PC is a forbidden thing, you will be having your Audio PC cable connected to another PC with WiFi, a router with WiFi or a separate WiFi transceiver connected to the network.
By this (always) WiFi means, you can directly connect to the Audio PC.
You have the LAN shut offThat's what you will need now : a PAN (Personal Area Network).
But you will need more. So, while this is about BlueTooth communication and your Tablet or Phone may support that, it won't support a PAN which is what we need. This is why the Tablet/Phone will communicate through WiFi to an intermediate PC/Laptop. See here for how the connections can be set up :
Choosing the WiFi / LAN connection.
The text below is obsolete per May 2015 (and XXHighEnd version 2.00).
The intermediate PC/Laptop can be an old cr*ppy thing and you will be using it only to "calibrate" the XXHighEnd screen to match the Tablet's or Phone's screen (see tutorials about that in this same Remote Control section). Otherwise it doesn't need to be fast or anything. Do note though that it's screen resolution is related to a. the source Audio PC and b. the target Tablet etc. So, do not use an intermediate with a resolution of 320x240 unless you understand what you are doing (it could be good for a SmartPhone !).
This concluded :
Audio PC -> BlueTooth -> Intermediate PC -> WiFi -> Remote.You have a Phone / SmartPhoneThe same applies as in the previous chapter. One thing : you'll have to choose between Remote Commands only (via the On Screen Keyboard provided by XXHighEnd), or you use the complete XXHighEnd user interface + OSK;
The latter is not obvious at all, but you should try; It just works very well with the appropriate XXHighEnd screen settings (which will not be much different from Tablet settings) if you're only used to reading very small print. That's really all, because using the touchscreen buttons is just doable by means of averahe fingers (let alone touch pens). Even the veryically designed OSK for the Phone van be used in horizontal fashion as designed for the Tablet. So, try it. Besides, nobody prevents you from not using the interface and its buttons and music selection, and use the OSK for Remote Commands only just the same.GeneralWhile the Remote Interface has been designed explicitly for music selection as how you are used to that via normal XXHighEnd usage, it is good to know that preparing your playback session somewhat may prevent small irritations otherwise. For example, when it is necessary to change main music folders (like from Jazz to Rock) this is somewhat more tough. So if you only know that this goes one step too far, then when such a thing is needed you run to the Intermediate and do *that* there. Otherwise you just as well might preload a couple of albums in the Playlist Area, not being sure yet which you will like later, and anticipate on using Alt-L (from the OSK) to skip to the next album easily; see the difference : at preparing the lot on the Intermediate (or Audio PC for that matter) you could save yourself these itches later.
Obviously it all depends what you are doing, but supposed you are in a real demo, you would want it to all go fast.
