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XBMC Gets a Dedicated Remote
Malard writes "XBMC users can rejoice, developers from the team have partnered with Motorola to re-develop their previously announced Nyxboard remote with RF, programmable IR and full support on Windows, Mac, Linux and Original Apple TVs."
Without a doubt, I'm sure it will ship with a locked bootloader. How am I suppose to root and flash my remote with such nonsense? COM'ON!!11
I've been looking at the XBMC wiki for how to program a Logitech Harmony -- or any other universal remote -- and was thinking "they have to be kidding". Modify the keyboard.xml file by hand?
I've been using the Android app and my phone as a remote, but it is limited. This will save a bunch of headaches.
Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
...I can get rid of the crappy remote I was using. Since my harmony didn't work with it well I was using a standard Meritline special, that basically just did mouse and keyboard inputs. Got the job done, but I would much rather have the full functionality of XBMC in my hand instead of the work around method I was using. This will really turn XBMC into the all-in-one media front end it was meant to be. It will also be much less daunting of a task to control for some of the less tech-savvy out there, such as my parents. They have no issues using the keyboard/mouse combo, but a remote that has all the functions you need built in (such as being able to bring up all the various menus) will make like easier for a lot of people.
"I hope you know how very lucky you are to know me, because I am so incredibly incredible."
And another remote that tries to confine a computer UI into the classic TV remote. Granted, adding the keyboard is a nice touch, but it's still too limited.
I've been using a mediacenter computer for a few years now. The remote control solution I use:
- keyboard
- mouse
- Griffin Powermate
1. a mouse makes for a much better pointing device than a four-way button
2. the keyboard and VLC's configurability gives me dedicated buttons for VLC's functions, like very short jump/short jump/medium jump/long jump; crop/aspect ratio; subtitles. Much better than the buttons on this remote which are straight copies from a VCR UI.
3. the best way to control volume is a rotary knob. The Powermate is ideal for this. I never want to go back to the incredibly annoying +/- buttons on a remote.
Just using a standard Xbox remote receiver with a DirecTV RCA remote and it works very well, but an RF remote with a keyboard on the back? That's perfect. Ever since I saw the Boxee box I wanted to get one just so I could have the remote, but this is even better. The only other thing I could ask for on this remote would be a trackpoint -- or even better -- an analog slider a-la PSP/3DS that works as a trackpoint.
Twinstiq, game news
XBMC is no longer (Officially) on the XBox, it has had a Linux branch for a long time now, and now also has OSX and Windows versions. It's also the codebase that Boxee and Plex were forked from. I'd suggest you take a look at it, as it's truly an awesome media center.
As I understand it, XBMC is pretty much a misnomer these days. Unless I'm thinking of a different project, I believe it runs on HTPCs as well, sort of as a less convoluted MythTV alternative without Live Tuner support.
Been considering ditching LinHES since Comscat keeps moving all the good channels to digital-only...
It is always a bit surprising how expensive and/or limited remotes have continued to be. The hardware for implementing IRDA (at least when purchased in USB dongle form) costs peanuts(and, while ordinary remote control IR is somewhat different in operation, it has fairly similar part count and less demanding data rates, plus much higher volume, so it could hardly cost more) on the PC side, BT HID peripherals start fairly cheap as well, and have fairly standard support in most OSes for all normal keycodes, some extended multimedia ones, as well as mouse position and button state information. Ample.
The only real complication would be dealing with the assorted wacky IR codes used by random consumer electronics. Even there, though, an IR receiver for 'learning' or a small abuse of the HID spec for allowing a utility program to download premade device control sets would be neither difficult nor expensive.
And yet, we still have just a few classes of remote: the 'free in the box, impossible to obtain a replacement' device specific ones, the dollar-store 'universal' ones(universality may vary), the MCE-yes-the-computer-is-MCE-enabled-out-of-the-box-but-it-still-comes-with-this-ghastly-USB-dongle ones(all of which seem to have hit every branch while falling out of the ugly tree), or the extremely expensive basically-an-entire-PDA fully programmable universal ones.
Yes, and they should be controlled by XBMC remotes.
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
I'll buy one. Would really appreciate it if it had an "Info" button though - that screen is such a pain to get to with most remotes.
I will definitely be buying this once it's out. And to those who think a keyboard/mouse is good enough...you've got to be kidding me. That is such a fugly setup for a HTPC that it's not even funny.
What is the advantage of IR v WiFi (if any)? XBMC would seem like a relatively natural thing for a smartphone to control, no? I think Boxee has an API for WiFi remotes you can use. There is some code explaining some of it here: http://code.google.com/p/boxeeremote/wiki/AndroidUDP
PocketPermissions Android Permission Guide
I understand that people use devices differently and that for a lot of people this will be great, so I'm not trying to threadcrap here or anything. However, this remote wouldn't work for me for a couple of reasons.
1) Gyroscope that makes only one side active at a time, depending on orientation. This wouldn't work for me because I use my remotes in all sorts of orientations depending on how I happen to be sitting/laying. Often instead of pointing it at the TV, I have it in my hand, upside down (ie: my hand on my chest), with the IR signal bouncing off the back wall. In this orientation, the remote would think I'm using the keyboard.
2) Button layout. It seems so many of the remotes these days put the number keys at the very bottom of the remote, and the transport keys (play, rewind, etc) at the very top of the remote, with tons of stuff in between. This doesn't work for me because I love to use mythtv's arbitrary skip feature, where you can hit (for example) "1 - 2 - forward" to skip forward 12 minutes. I use this sort of thing all the time...mostly to deal with skipping commercials on programs where commercial detection is flaky (like shows with lots of black scenes).
Holycostal? What is that, the shores of the Vatican?
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
For anyone wondering, the whole implementation will be open source, so you can port the remote to work on any other media centre, Myth, Plex, Boxee (if they want!)
XBMC | Pulse-Eight
...probably have a universal remote. What xbmc really needs is just a USB receiver. I wonder if they sell that receiver separately.
Also, from a hardware design perspective that receiver looks rather small. I think you would want to build this to have a very wide IR receiving angle. I would be interested in seeing this thing get tested in the real world.
Even with this remote, you may or may not be able to turn off/on your xbmc system from it. That depends on your motherboard/BIOS/processor.
I think, what XBMC really needs is official hardware, with a built in RF, IR receiver.
I read the the headline and thought... what the fark does an internet comic need a remote for?
Love tequila! Just love it.
FTA:
The feature with the coolest potential is a gyroscope, which tells the remote which side is facing upright. That means you can hammer away at the miniature keyboard without triggering an unintended volume change from the buttons on the other side.
Except when I'm laying in bed watching TV and I want to use the remote upside-down. I think I'll keep my AVS Gear infrared remote for now, kthx.
I really prefer my Crestron remote and system. I talk to the XBMC dedicated box via tcp/ip and get two way info so that my Touchscreen remote displays elapsed time, show info, etc....
Glad to see that a XBMC specific remote is coming out with a keyboard on back to make IR remote users life's easier for searching or entering info.
and no, I'm not filthy rich.. I am using outdated Crestron gear that I bought for near nothing on ebay. you can have rapper and sports legend level home integration if you simply put the effort out there to find what is affordable and not have a "it's used, thats ooky" response to used gear.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
If this came with a dedicated VFD it'd be a ton better. That said, getting the mplay blast VFD / IR receiver working under ubuntu brought new meaning to the words "suck" and "pain", so embedded / native support might be nice...
love it. Been using it for years with a MythTV and other devices (bluray player, etc) and have not found anything I have liked better as far as macros, remote learning, and button feel. Only thing I have really wanted is to be able to do RF as well for a dish network receiver, but have not found anything that will do both IR and RF.
For a while I've been looking forward to getting this http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Wireless-Keyboard-Rechargeable-Notebooks/dp/B003UE52ME/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1298676916&sr=1-2
For half of the price, you get a keyboard+touchpad combo in a very compact package, and it has a backlight which I admit to needing most of the time. It's even more stylish, so while I agree that a dedicated remote layout is a good idea, the price, and the availability of very good alternatives make me doubt it will have that much success.
But... the future refused to change.
Does this work for Netflix when XBMC launches IE to play the movie? I've yet to get any remote to work in IE/Netflix in XBMC.
I hope they ship a IR dongle for the Xbox with it or how else is this supposed to work?
btw, it's a shame that they still call it XBMC. They should have dropped that name when they ceased to make it work on the Xbox, so the few guys who continue the development for the Xbox wouldn't have had to use the rather stupid name XBMC4Xbox.
The thing I hate about most remotes that come with devices (except strangely my DVR remote) is that they aren't really handy
in the dark. Yeah I'm looking at you Logitech, Seriously? Google TV keyboard, awesome, Not Backlit? WHY?
I think maybe it would be nice if everything was just wifi, With bi-directional communications your remote could actually maybe
know that the device powered down or the output was changed to another device. With IR mostly you get the "ok I tried doing what you
told me to do but I have no idea if it happened" effect.
Great to hear that they'll have their own dedicated remote - a necessary tool for a media PC, IMO. The tactile feel of the buttons is important and a dedicated remote should make setup a breeze.
What I love is the flexibility: I setup lircd from scratch, using my stereo receiver's remote. It took a few hours to configure since I had to teach it my remote's buttons, but the results are fantastic. One remote for the stereo, TV, and XBMC. That's all that's needed.
Does it control anything besides XBMC/media pl
From one of the articles:
"The Nyxboard Hybrid supports IR to function as a universal remote for your TV and includes an RF adapter for operating your home theater device without line-of-sight."
For a while I've been looking forward to getting this http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Wireless-Keyboard-Rechargeable-Notebooks/dp/B003UE52ME/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1298676916&sr=1-2
For half of the price,
When it launched just over a year ago, it was going for $90 ...
you get a keyboard+touchpad combo in a very compact package, and it has a backlight which I admit to needing most of the time. It's even more stylish, so while I agree that a dedicated remote layout is a good idea, the price, and the availability of very good alternatives make me doubt it will have that much success.
You weren't clear on the subject of your last sentence, but I currently have a cheap (15 GBP) RF remote for XBMC, and 4 other IR remotes (amp, TV, DVD/HDD player/recorder, Satellite receiver). While I can use the amplifier's remote for most of the functions on the TV and DVD player, I still need at least the DVD player's remote for some features (switching between HDD and DVD etc.), the bluetooth-only solution won't help me, and neither will a Logitech Harmony (currently), but the Nyxboard Hybrid remote for XBMC etc. may just ...
We just need more details on how programmable the IR portion is.