Need help understanding 'headless' concept for controlling music server.

[Mikefan]

I want to try 'topanga' or 'lagoon' pocket server but I need this to sit on an equipment rack with no display, keyboard, etc. just a USB to dac connection with music sitting on an WD NAS drive in another room. I realize I will need keyboard, monitor to initially set up Jriver, once set up I am planning to use Jremote and my IPAD to control things. Question is, if I lose power, or need to restart for some reason do I have to reconnect keyboard, screen to do this ? I realize this is a pretty basic question but I am just not clear on how this works. Any help would be greatly appreciated

[souptin]

I'm not an expert on the particulars of the pocket servers, but in general you will not need to reconnect the screen and keyboard for re-starts.

 

However, the screen and keyboard are invaluable for troubleshooting, so I'd suggest keeping then close by for your first few days of running the system. Also, even when you're quite confident that everything's running smoothly, don't get rid of the screen and keyboard completely... keep them in a cupboard somewhere. They're the first things you're going to want if something goes wrong.

[obt_man]

Windows has embedded virtual keyboard, and I am using this successfully. So you will only need screen if no major work is required. In fact this headless concept is a bit challenging since with Windows things may happen from time to time - at least with my system 1-2 times per months the system may freeze or not properly shut down (maybe that just me, but all my Windows experience confirms this), so it is very handy to have a screen in close proximity to quickly solve whatever issue you may have. I personally would have gone with laptop if I did not have my TV by my equipment rack, and my PC server is connected to it just in case.

[89reksal]

My situation is pretty much just as the op describes. Running CAPS V2 headless in my equipment rack. I use remote desktop connection for all initial logins when I do any kind of planned or unplanned restarts. Also for the majority of any other access needs. I also use free version of Teamviewer since in some cases, RDC is unable to access the headless computer. I also have Teamviewer installed on my iPod Touch, which is what I use to control JRiver (using My River app),to allow remote access to the server. That's how I turn my server off if I'm shutting it down for the night or whatever.

 

For the rare times that I have a problem where I'm unable to access with either of these two options, I have to disconnect the server and physically move it to my main computer and connect it up to one of the monitors there, with keyboard and mouse also. It's a pain but it doesn't happen very often (I'd say no more than once every couple of months at the most).

[bluesman]

with Windows things may happen from time to time - at least with my system 1-2 times per months the system may freeze or not properly shut down

 

Oh yes! I'm still using Audiogalaxy to stream my FLACs over the web, and at least once a week the PC on which the Audiogalaxy "helper" app is located hangs up. When my song list won't load on my iPhone or I see the dreaded "Your Audiogalaxy helper is offline" message on my office PC, I know I'll have to reboot when I get home. I just cannibalized my old server and am building a Linux box to see if I can set up a web streamer that won't suffer from Windows influenza.

 

BTW, Audiogalaxy was apparently bought by DropBox, and it seems they're planning some kind of integration. Current AG accounts will be maintained until whatever's going to happen happens, but you can no longer set up a new account. I hope that the same excellent service and functionality is preserved in whatever's coming, because I love Audiogalaxy!

[Mikefan]

Thank you for the input. I think I am beginning to grasp the fundamentals here (I'm a bit of a slow study). Whereas I would like to banish the monitor/keyboard from the room for all time I see the wisdom of having them nearby for the inevitable crashes, etc. now I just need to decide if I should get the LAGOON or just get a MacBook and live happily ever after. Decisions, decisions.

[Mikefan]

Thank you for the input. I am beginning to lean toward a MacBook myself but am still up in the air, or maybe I'll just keep my CD player and spin discs.

[4est]

I wouldn't get really hung up on this too much. If I understand it, even though a monitor may not be connected, the resources are still used to create the image on the music server . The only real benefit I see is not having noise from the monitor going back into the server. Something like the Vortexbox, Auraliti, Sonore ect are truly headless without video processing if set up properly.

[iago]

Whereas I would like to banish the monitor/keyboard from the room for all time I see the wisdom of having them nearby for the inevitable crashes, etc. now I just need to decide if I should get the LAGOON or just get a MacBook and live happily ever after. Decisions, decisions.

 

If you should go the way of Lagoon and Windows, once you have set up your computer you will need the keyboard and monitor quite seldom. You control the music playback via remote control on a tablet or smart phone. If you need access to the server itself, you use a remote protocol from another machine. You could use the Windows built-in RDP, or install VNC server and use it's protocol. RDP runs best between Windows machines, VNC can be used on multiple platforms.

 

Apart from other machines, I run a Windows 2000 server headless. It was migrated from the previous instance early 2010 and has been connected three times in total to a physical monitor. Two times were induced by hardware changes.

 

There is one caveat with Windows: you should either leave it running, or power down from a remote session, or configure the ACPI event for the power button correctly. Powering down without proper shutdown will eventually lead to problems. But the same applies to machines running OS X.

[Elberoth]

I also use free version of Teamviewer since in some cases, RDC is unable to access the headless computer.

 

What is the main difference in a way a RDC and the Teamviewer operate ?

[89reksal]

What is the main difference in a way a RDC and the Teamviewer operate ?

 

RDC is Remote Desktop Connection, a component of most current Windows operating systems. Some versions of some Windows OS may not support it fully, I'm not sure which ones. Here's a link with some better detail:

 

Remote Desktop Connection - Microsoft Windows

 

Here's a link to better info about Teamviewer than I could provide:

 

Solution for remote control, remote access, home office and TeamViewer features

 

In my setup, I use Windows 7 Ultimate on my CAPS 2, with J River and Fidelizer. I use RDC from my Windows XP Pro computer to access the CAPS. I can use RDC to log in, then start Fidelizer, then start J River, then close RDC and use MY River app on my iPod Touch to control J River and play music.

 

In my case, I've found if I use Fidelizer on the CAPS, I'm then unable to access the CAPS server with RDC. This is where free version of Teamviewer comes in. I have it installed on my Win XP computer as well as the Touch. Teamviewer will allow me to access the CAPS server from the Win XP computer or the iPod Touch, allowing me to get access to shut the server down, restart, change settings, etc. As well, I've also noticed when using RDC to access the server, there's some features/functions/settings I'm unable to access in Windows, while these will be accessible if I use Teamviewer to login.

 

I have no idea why the difference in accessibilty between RDC and Teamviewer, but for me, between the two of them I am very rarely unable to remote into the server. In the rare circumstance when I can't, the majority of those times, doing a hard reboot will restore accessibilty. If that doesn't work, or for making hardware changes, etc., then that's when I have to connect the server to a monitor, keyboard and mouse.

 

I've been using the server about 18 months like this and very satisfied. I also have all my music stored on a HP server running Windows Server 2011, which is also run headless. I use RDC or Windows Home Server 2011 Dashboard to access the HP server. The CAPS get's all it's music remotely from the HP server. This setup works well for me.

 

I hope this explanation answers your question.

[wgscott]

I am beginning to lean toward a MacBook myself but am still up in the air,

 

the macbook air was made for you.

[Elberoth]

lasker98 - thanks for the detailed info.