How can I use the Slingbox away from my home?

A reverse Slingbox?

• Is there a set-top box that performs the opposite of a Slingbox? I have a Ubuntu server at home with a TV tuner in it. I am using VLC to stream the TV tuner to my machine in another city over the internet. I change the channel by logging in via SSH and issuing a "tune" command (that uses ivtv-tune to set the frequency). This works great for when I am sitting in front of the computer, but I'd like to be able to be a vegetable on the couch in front of the television and use a remote control to change the channel on a set top box and watch it through the television. Is there a set top box that is less complicated, power hungry, and noisy than a complete computer that will a) allow me to run VLC, b) display VLC's output in full screen on the television, and c) issue SSH commands with the push of buttons on a remote control?

• Answer:

  For "c", a remote control can trigger http://www.lirc.org/. "a" and "b" may be doable with Apple's TV box. Fairly cheap, with IR, tuner stuff. I think it can run linux, too.