"Since I have a server (paris) that is always on, I figured I could turn it into a music server, aside from being an internet/file/print/scan server. The real 'problem' in my situation was twofold: first, the server is headless mouseless and keyboardless; second, it resides in a different room than the HiFi that I wanted to connect it to.
"Luckily, there is such a thing as LIRC (Linux Infrared Remote Control), which allows you to use almost any IR remote control to give commands to the programs on your computer that have a plugin for LIRC. I had some experience with LIRC due to my Hauppauge WinTV-FM (which, btw is very well supported in Linux, so don't let the product name fool you) that comes with its own IR remote sensor and remote control. This time around, I had to build my own IR receiver, since the server had none, and I wasn't going to put a TV-card in my server just for the IR eye.
"Also, the Hauppauge IR receiver only lets me use the IR remote control that came with it; I know it says (for instance in the LIRC FAQ) that the Hauppauge remote receivers should also function with any RC5-standard remote, but I tried with the various Marantz (CD-50) and Philips (Garbo Projector remote) remotes that I have lying around here, and they just don't work with the Hauppauge IR receiver..."
