[NBLUG/talk] Remote Admin

[Howard]

This is may not necessarily be Linux specific, but hoping that 
some one here will have some information on the following.

I have a friend that wants to use his laptop to control a desktop 
machine that is controlled to his Home Audio & Television. So the laptop
will be like a remote control, but he wants to have the Television as the
monitor.

I have been told to look at VLC ( VideoLan) & VNC. But it seems to me that
these 
are for accessing a remote machine and seeing the display on your local
machine.
Is there any way so that the video signal can be sent to the Television
instead.

I would prefer to use what he is already using; XP and just load a client.
But would
load a Linux Distro if there was any benefit. He has a recording package
that he is 
already familiar with, the machine has a high end sound card for recording, 
so we would need drivers to support it. I think it's an Echo Darla. 
I think that is the only program that would have to be replaced
by an alternative package.

Thanks 

Howard