Remote access to selected programs only, both screen and audio?

[leo-tech]

I wonder if it is possible, or what would it take, to provide remote access to a single program, running in Mint, both screen and audio sharing?

UPDATE 1: more precisely, remote access to selected programs only, both screen and audio sharing

UPDATE 2: what I'm trying to accomplish is this: to provide my friend in another country with remote access to just one program, running on my computer in Mint, namely Spotify, so he can access and use it at any time, when I am away

[redlined]

I wonder if it is possible, or what would it take, to provide remote access to a single program, running in Mint, both screen and audio sharing?

hi leo-tech!

I'm fairly new to Linux, but no matter how many times I reread your question I can't sort out what you are wanting to do exactly.

perhaps better to describe the environments host computer and target computer, as well a web link to or more info about desired program/application you want to remote control.

If you want simple desktop sharing (e.g. "both screen and audio sharing") then tons of remote desktop tools out there can do that, a few of which have been discussed in these forums recently. I bring up remote desktop because once you have the connection to target you can mouse around and run app on target machine.

You could also do this via ssh into remote and shell your way around.

[leo-tech]

Thank you redlined, what I'm trying to accomplish is this: to provide my friend in another country with remote access to just one program, running on my computer in Mint, namely Spotify, so he can access and use it at any time, when I am away.

As far as I'm aware, some time ago precisely this type of remote access - to a single program - existed in TeamViewer (likely in Windows only, and prior to version 13, then they discarded it due to low popularity, something like that).

[redlined]

Thank you redlined, what I'm trying to accomplish is this: to provide my friend in another country with remote access to just one program, running on my computer in Mint, namely Spotify, so he can access and use it at any time, when I am away.

As far as I'm aware, some time ago precisely this type of remote access - to a single program - existed in TeamViewer (likely in Windows only, and prior to version 13, then they discarded it due to low popularity, something like that).

hi leo-tech,

thank you for clarifying, it does make sense in that light. I do have some ideas and think some more info will help sort this, although I am unfamiliar with spotify desktop client for Linux. To help sort this, your thoughts on what access is permitted then how best to achieve that is what we need consider. Like:

What level access do you intend to provide? to a spotify stream service, to local files (mp3s and/or playlists), ect...
1. full remote control of music app? as implied by your question for help to setup, they have the ability to navigate your music directory, select and play anything desired Unless this is fully supported by spotify I do not know how to keep remotes from being able to control and manipulate the actual spotify app running on your computer and be able to change music played (while you are there and listening or not)
2. or is this more for sharing a playlist, what you're listening to sort of deal, where friend on remote has access to play whatever you are listening to? (another thought I was having is you could grant them access to your spotify playlist, if it uses such
3. or you grant them read only/shared access to your music (directory/ies), and setup a login over SSH for them on your computer, then allow them to play whatever is desired and not change/affect what you are doing with spotify at the moment of access.

my reasoning behind these questions/ideas is two fold, to get a better understanding of how you see this friend access "playing out", then determine if spotify app is best to serve this desire or if another music app, such as VLC would serve you better. VLC is fully opensource, well maintained and highly regarded in the community and may be much easier to setup and ensure access controls are enforced.
I also feel firejail ("sandboxing" app in repositories) will help, it comes with a preconfig for VLC, and may be considered for spotify as well by making a custom profile for it. Then it is simpler to lock access down and edits to UFW/iptables rules can further refine access.

edit to add: forgot to address remote desktop apps, such as TeamViewer. It has been a long time since I've used any such and not remembering which, if any, allow fine tuned desktop sharing locked down to only an open window or not. It may be worth your time to see if the popular ones do support such, like VNC family (ultra, real, tight, etc), or google desktop which was a real easy one when I last used it a couple years ago (but requires logged into chrome/chromium profile on both systems, iirc)

[lsemmens]

Would setting up a Plex media server achieve the desired result?

[leo-tech]

I tested TeamViewer for Linux, unfortunately it does not support sharing audio (TeamViewer versions for Windows and Mac do), so to compensate I would need to find some program, capable of transmitting audio from selected audio source.

After that, assuming everything works properly, I would need to find a way to isolate those three programs (Spotify, TeamViewer and the audio transmitter) in some kind of container.

At this point, this small project is not so much about sharing Spotify with my friend in another country (where Spotify is not yet available), as about the way of isolating some selected programs in a suitable container and allowing remote access to those programs only.

[leo-tech]

Would setting up a Plex media server achieve the desired result?

I'm not sure, never used it, need to read more about its functionality, thanks for the tip.

[leo-tech]

thank you for clarifying, it does make sense in that light. I do have some ideas and think some more info will help sort this, although I am unfamiliar with spotify desktop client for Linux. To help sort this, your thoughts on what access is permitted then how best to achieve that is what we need consider. Like:

What level access do you intend to provide? to a spotify stream service, to local files (mp3s and/or playlists), ect...
1. full remote control of music app? as implied by your question for help to setup, they have the ability to navigate your music directory, select and play anything desired Unless this is fully supported by spotify I do not know how to keep remotes from being able to control and manipulate the actual spotify app running on your computer and be able to change music played (while you are there and listening or not)..

Level of service - same as local, as if I myself would be sitting in front of the remote computer and using Spotify. Certainly it is not ideal, I would need to ask my friend to be careful and try not to delete my albums, but other than that I can't think of anything else that matters.

[redlined]

ok, I can be slow at times

and think I understand more after reading up on spotify (their site, app, free/pay service, forum etc), since they are drm enforcers VLC player/server won't do it (unless there is a stream drm plugin for it

Neither would plex, which is an exceptional idea proposed, but I don't think it handles relaying or being proxy for external music stream which is what you need imo. Other ideas are icecast/shoutcast where remote connects via vlc or other stream listener app compatible with the format you push it in. But again, no experience with them, nor plex so it may be a long search and read time unless someone else weighs in with a golden egg.

Otherwise, seek alternatives to spotify app, see if anything jumps out at you for sharing audio with remote control and listen. Clementine may serve, in a funky way- there are tons of other apps of similar form and fashion. and... I am out of gas for ideas, beyond suggesting if trust is there giving remote access to any app on system, regardless how locked down (sandboxed/firejail and firewalled/UFW/iptables) then consider share the creds instead (because they may have access to those credentials while remoting in to the app anyways?).

Good luck! I'll continue watching for solution, and if I find a good, safe clear example then I'll check back in with it.

[leo-tech]

I wonder if anyone can suggest a program, which would allow me to transmit (or stream) Spotify audio to the remote computer, accessing it via TeamViewer? (as current TeamViewer for Linux does not support audio).

If I can arrange such a remote access to Spotify (both screen and audio) via "TeamViewer/Linux + additional audio transmitter" combo, then perhaps I can move to the next step.

UPDATE: my friend is using Windows 10, so for this exercise to make sense there must be a suitable audio receiver program available for Windows.