HTPC Remote Manifesto (No real products, just wishful thinking) - Page 2

So you've never heard of a USB-UIRT? Even cheaper is the HP Media Center IR Receiver (search for that on eBay).

I use a URC MX-980 with a MRF-350 RF base along with the USB-UIRT. The remotes in this thread don't interest me because they are too specialized for the HTPC and not very good for all components as a whole. For my use I rarely need keyboard access and seldom need to break out the air mouse. When I need direct input to my HTPC I'll simply use a remote desktop connection from my laptop.

Not sure what usb-uirt support is like on Windows, know it works well in Linux.
I guess it should still work nicely...

Good pot RE remotes in this thread, none are truly universal remotes.
But I guess the OP made that clear form the outset.
Seems to be wanting a fusion between HTPC remote (not universal) & keyboard.

I'm quite happy with my dinovo edge for keyb, & if i ever need mouse I just use the built-in one.

Yes & No, it turns on the PC which switches the Processor on, Im not aware that any remote (as yet) turns on a Power Amps BUT Im talking about home cinema.. no Tv's, cable, etc, If I wish utilise the TV card within the HTPC and watch tv on an 8ft screen then I can do so, do I really want to do that...dont think so! TV, Cable, etc, is located in another room and I spent a small fortune keeping it that way.

I'm about to integrate cable into my HTPC anyway
DVB-C; not a standard in US & restrictions for doing this in the UK. (already have DVB-T integrated)

Now if only there was decent amps one could get for their HTPC too.
The market never really took-off unfortunately

But I still see the value in a universal remote, for me anyway.

I presume your talking about the use of VNC OR UNC software via your laptop?
I tried several of these types of software which and are considered the big hitters within the commercial developers in the IT word; Team viewer, GoMyPc, UltraVnc, to name but a few, none of them are able to open and control WMC due to as I understand it Microsofts own protocal and directx codacs

I'm talking about the built in remote desktop in versions higher than premium. It does allow you to run media center from a RDP connection, but it will exit when you first connect and you must restart it due to the graphics change. However, I rarely need to remotely connect while running media center so VNC would work fine as well. Only to maybe do initial setup or messing with Media Center Studio.

Most of my remote desktop connections involve managing downloads and updating software. I also have my HTPC running Homeseer for my lighting control (which is controlled via my MX-980 and USB-UIRT with a USB Z-wave controller), a backup program that backs up all the computers in the house, and a surveillance cam monitoring program. I can manage all of that using RDP and would not even want to do consider doing all that with a remote.

Even if I had the perfect keyboard and mouse solution on a perfect universal remote I'd still use my laptop and remote connect just because of the 10' interface issue.

This looks pretty nice, cant see anything about it also being a true UR though
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/10/m...pacitor-based/

+1 critical point.

Yeah we're a long way from the panacea I think...
It will come one day IMO, just not for a few more years

if u merge the above remote with the lcd and versitility to control/learn of a harmony one and make the ok button a trackball like a blackberry with a click down to press ok you would be pretty much set i would think

Remotes (and input devices for HTPC, in general) are in dismal state. Somebody, like Apple (i don't own any of their products, BTW) should step in and clean this mess. Or perhaps Win7 Kinect driver will see the light one day.

Recently, I was trying to find an equalizer in Win7. It is hidden pretty good! Sure I found an info on the web and some excuses why sound chip vendors fail to do something with their driver. Come on MS, you are in OS business for good 30 years; you can standardize and enforce whatever API you want!

Next, there is analog output, and digital one. Why on earth MS can't enable both simultaneously and torture a user to switch the "default" back and forth?

That's the one I linked to earlier, but it's not a true universal is it?*
TBH I've never really been a fan of the AIO UR/Keyb...
I think they're better as discrete devices, there'll probably always be too many compromises with an AIO.
But if I were to get such a device, this looks like the ticket.

*even if it was a universal remote in the limited sense that harmony remotes are i'd be happy

*edit* there's an update to that story now:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/05/m...c-reclaims-it/

I want to know more about it's universal IR remote functionality before I'm interested.
So far he's highlighted very little in that regard...

Calling that remote universal is really pushing it. For one thing it would have a very low WAF compared to other universal remotes. It only has one button for MediaCenter/TV. What about the AVR? I won't even mention lighting control (oops). It looks to me like it might learn a TV power toggle command that is mapped to the MC/TV button.

I'm not even sure what is the big deal about this remote. It has a MCE remote on one side and a tiny keyboard on the other. The mouse function looks about as useful as mapping the arrow keys to a directional pad.

Yeah I fear it's still a long way off being a replacement for discrete devices.
But it's better than any other devices of it's kind, that I've seen yet...

Basically all I'm looking for is a Logitech Harmony One with a QWERTY keyboard on the back, but I want multiple USB receivers that I can plug into my various boxes (TiVo, HTPC, Boxee Box, etc) that support regular HID devices. That way, depending on the "Activity" I'm in, it'll send my key-presses and keyboard entries to the right device.

Comeon Logitech!



+

Has anyone received and used a Motorola Nyxboard remote (see above) with WMC7? If so, how well does it work?

I was considering getting one from Conspin, model CRU-200TQ. It seems to include an optical trackball, qwerty keyboard, and full universal remote, but have been on a backorder list for the last 2 months without any response from the manufacturer and no info from the seller (Provantage).

The only issue I foresee with either the Nyxboard or the Conspin on this link is the lack of a backlit keyboard. I'm using a Lenovo model with no backlight and it sucks when typing in low light (which is quite often when you're watching a movie).

^ You might have better luck with Pulse-eight's take on the nyxboard?
It was mentioned in this thread... Geared to work nicely with XBMC etc.
There's a dedicated thread over at XBMC forums....
Quite a few whiny bitches...but it's only early days...
And it sounds like support will at least be a bit better than from Conspin.
Still no back light, like the default Motorola incarnation.

Where can I get 1???

Found this:

http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/info/WES-MWK03/

Isn't it about time the Harmony One was refreshed?

It's been out literately for years!

Harmony isn't the only brand of PC programmable universal remote.

I owned the Rii 2 (from the above pic with the trackpad in the middle) for 48 hours. The first day, it worked pretty well. It was responsive within 14ft of the transmitter, backlit, had a nice feel to the keys and seemed ok. The isues I found were:

1- You see that silver ring around the "e" key, under the trackpad? That opens up Internet Explorer. Why they didnt make this an enter/select key is beyond me.

2- Sometimes it would take more than 10 seconds for the remote to wake up from sleep. Pretty annoying.

3- It died on the second day, and no amount of pairing, battery-changing or forum-reading got it working again.

Sounds like quite the piece of hardware!

It was a piece of something, alright

Ok, so the price is a bit steep at $79, but it'll eventually come down. Lenovo seems to have heard the gripes about their handheld keyboard/trackball combo and made some improvements:

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/c...E300F333&tab=0

This model (5902) moves the mouse buttons to a silver rim at the bottom of the keyboard, and FINALLY has a backlight!! Not sure if they did something about the sh*tty reception when you're more than 10 feet away, but here's hoping

FYI - Other changes include the omission of the orange "My Computer" key on the upper left (a media center or programmable button would have been nice), the addition of a "close program" key on the upper right, and some kind of touch-sensitive area below the trackball for scrolling. There's also a bump on the down arrow key, which is much better than the current version's key, which has nothing to indicate where the arrow pad starts, therefore forcing you to look down at the thing from time to time.

UPDATE - Just ordered it with coupon code USPC11AG36678. The total was $47.99 ($32 off) with free 3-day shipping. I'll let you know if it rocks or blows.

UPDATE (8-26-11) - The a-holes at Lenovo cancelled my order without an explanation. Judging by the limited info on this product, I'm not sure it was ready for prime time.