cKGunslinger
Lifer
I'm having a hard time figuring out how to ask the question correctly, using correct terms, and thus, Googling for answers, so I'll (over) describe it the best I can here:
I have a headless file/media server running an older version of Ubuntu (Karmic.) It autostarts Remote Desktop on boot, so I manage it from my PC via a VNC viewer. It runs in graphical mode, as I have a few services that seem to require it.
I also have an original XBOX running XBMC (outputting to my TV,) as well as other PCs on the network that run XBMC, pulling videos/music from my server.
What I want to do is get rid of the XBOX completely (no real HD support,) and use my existing file server for both purposes (HTPC and Server.) To that end, the only hardware I think I need is an nVidia video card with HDMI out and I'm set, as the server is a dual-core machine with 2GB ram.
The software end is confusing me a bit. As a use case, I want the Server/HTPC to boot and run XBMC software, full-screen. From my TV, that's the only thing I ever want to see - XBMC.
But also, I'd like to still be able to remote in (via VNC or whatever) and see a second desktop, with all my services running (Podcaster downloader, Deluge, DropBox, etc.) I don't want this remote login and management to interfere at all with someone watching TV. That is, I don't want to log into the same display and have to minimize XBMC and have the person watching TV watch me moving a mouse around.
How can I go about this? It almost seems like I want the Server to boot up and auto-login with 2 users - the HTPC-user and a second user that is running all the services and has remote access. Just start up a Web Server and remote-mange the Server via that and cmdline? (I'd have to ensure that all my apps support one of those options - I know Dropbox does, as well as Deluge.) Perhaps I should run 2 X-servers?
Or maybe it's something vastly simpler, like remote logging in with a "DISPLAY:1" for a second desktop?
I have a headless file/media server running an older version of Ubuntu (Karmic.) It autostarts Remote Desktop on boot, so I manage it from my PC via a VNC viewer. It runs in graphical mode, as I have a few services that seem to require it.
I also have an original XBOX running XBMC (outputting to my TV,) as well as other PCs on the network that run XBMC, pulling videos/music from my server.
What I want to do is get rid of the XBOX completely (no real HD support,) and use my existing file server for both purposes (HTPC and Server.) To that end, the only hardware I think I need is an nVidia video card with HDMI out and I'm set, as the server is a dual-core machine with 2GB ram.
The software end is confusing me a bit. As a use case, I want the Server/HTPC to boot and run XBMC software, full-screen. From my TV, that's the only thing I ever want to see - XBMC.
But also, I'd like to still be able to remote in (via VNC or whatever) and see a second desktop, with all my services running (Podcaster downloader, Deluge, DropBox, etc.) I don't want this remote login and management to interfere at all with someone watching TV. That is, I don't want to log into the same display and have to minimize XBMC and have the person watching TV watch me moving a mouse around.
How can I go about this? It almost seems like I want the Server to boot up and auto-login with 2 users - the HTPC-user and a second user that is running all the services and has remote access. Just start up a Web Server and remote-mange the Server via that and cmdline? (I'd have to ensure that all my apps support one of those options - I know Dropbox does, as well as Deluge.) Perhaps I should run 2 X-servers?
Or maybe it's something vastly simpler, like remote logging in with a "DISPLAY:1" for a second desktop?
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