Best HTPC remote - again :-)

I have the gyration with music integration and it works quite well. I don't use the music feature, but it's there. The remote works quite well out of the box, and it's very intuitive as a mouse, took almost no time to get used to it.

I haven't tried it, sorry, been on Win7 since purchase, I'll see what I can do though.

I use a small 7" touchscreen as remote (in my case with my own software). You can use it a main monitor or as an extended desktop.

Soitjes.

I use this:
http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Multime...5925742&sr=8-1
the only real disadvantage it has is there is no backlight, so at night or in the dark, you have to tilt it towards your monitor/TV to be able to see the keys. Oh, there are no function keys for some reason either, and no middle mouse scroll wheel control. But the trackball is pretty responsive, using right hand you can move the trackball and arrow keys easily, and it even works while you have a second mouse/keyboard plugged in.

I personally use the ZVRemote. It's a little pricey at $150 (you need to purchase both the ZVRemote & ZVReciever) but like the saying goes "you get what you pay for". It has very good build quality. I bought a Gyration remote for my sister because she couldn't afford a ZVRemote, build quality doesn't feel as good as the ZVRemote.

The great thing about the ZVRemote is that it has a trackpad. It's very easy to navigate websites with it. Plus it has a virtual keyboard.

I have the Lenovo combo trackball/keyboard and a URC 200 Automator.

However, recently I have been using the AirMouse software on my iPod Touch. For $2, it seems to be the most responsive trackpad, and most unobtrusive (since my iPod is usually somewhere in the living room as well). It is IP based, so no line of sight requirements. And, it knows your current app, giving contextual buttons for the functions you're likely to need in that app.

For example, Boxee won't respond to any of my IR remotes which work in MC7 and other apps. But, the AirMouse knows I am in Boxee, and gives me a Boxee keypad. That, alone, is worth the $2.

And, you can use it on OS X, and Linux in addition to Windows, from the same iPod/iPhone instance.

Does this remote support learning ir commands, macros and that sort of stuff? I like the mouse feature, but I need all those bells and whistles as well.

Currently I use a URC Remote that was the same price, and lacking the mouse-pad, it's pretty functional. I would like to upgrade at some point.

Ah, that reminds me, I've also used my Droid as a touchpad with Gmote and it works very well. The media integration is a little annoying as the play/pause/next/last buttons don't work with any media software besides their invisible integrated software, but the trackpad works great.

Aw nuts - you had me excited for a while there! Thanks for checkin' for me, though. Now I have to go buy some flowers for my URC (it knows I was looking at other remotes) and hope nothing happens.

It works in Windows XP just fine. You just need to install Zinc.tv for the "Control Buttons" to work. The yellow Zv button launches the Zinc.tv application. Similiar to the way the green button on Media Center remotes launch Media Center.


Zinc.tv is a program that is based on Firefox. It gives you direct links to online video sites using a 10ft interface. I use it mostly for Netflix and RSS feeds. It has links to Fox, ABC, CBS, Youtube, Revision3, etc. etc..(If you know a little about the RSS feed structure you can make your own custom RSS feeds).

I've played with Zinc.tv a couple times and I really don't find it very useful, I'm sure there are others that may love it, but with Hulu and Netflix, I've never needed it, and I find it annoying to navigate.

Personally, I use a URC remote (forget the model number) and Girder to control my HTPC.

I'll break out the diNovo Edge mostly just when I rip a disc.

Personally, I have no desire to use a trackpad or mouse or anything like that when using the computer to actually watch stuff. So I have set my system up to be 10ft UI friendly, even with online content.

That ZV looks pretty cool, but I'd never pick a computer dedicated remote over a good universal with proper learning capabilities. With Girder (or EventGhost) if you can't get all your media player programs working well together without the need for a mouse function, you're just not trying hard enough imo.

-Suntan

The ZVRemote works fine with Eventghost. You can also use VLC with it but you have to use Eventghost.

The Volume, mute, TV1,TV2,TV3 buttons can not be mapped using Eventghost. Those are meant for the ZVBox. The remote works with Windows Media Center, GBPVR, and i'm sure most other DVR programs right out of the box with no need for Eventghost.

Suntan. I managed to mostly accomplish the same thing with Eventghost and the ZVRemote. I would love to see some about your setup.

A good universal remote is important for controlling everything that happens when the PCs are off.

In the livingroom, I have an older plasma display (without an internal ATSC tuner) that has a PC and an outboard ATSC tuner attached to it (and a receiver running the audio.) I use the remote to control the panel (power on/off, discreet input switching, etc.) as well as the receiver and the STB tuner (they are all setup to come on and go off together.) I power on the PC (from complete off, not S3) by using the PS2 connection of an old Airboard keyboard Ir receiver (I have the BIOS set to power on from keyboard when the A key is pressed and learned the A IR remote code from the old Airboard to the remote.)

The remote switches both the plasma and receiver inputs between PC and outboard tuner as one (it is an older receiver that does not have very robust input switching.)

As for Girder control, I have it setup to control various activity functions so it automatically runs through program switching for disc playback, vs DVR, vs Online content It used to be setup to control zoomplayer, a MyHD130 HD card and SageTV complete with program startup/shutdown, but in reality I only use SageTV on the PC anymore. As for online content, SageTV can be setup as a UPnP client that can accept the feeds from Play On. As such, all the Play On feeds from Netflix/hulu/etc. are all compiled and selectable from the same interface as the DVRed OTA recordings.

I also have a urc remote in the basement but all it does with the computer is the ability to power the upstairs PC on, as the basement runs the PS3 and a SageTV extender.

If the ZV remote hand comprehensive learning/macro functions on its own, and ideally the ability to label soft buttons (label buttones DVR or BluRay for example, instead of having to tell people to press the red square to make the computer turn on the media player) then I would say that it would be a very attractive remote.

-Suntan

Not only is it lacking that, but it is not an IR remote. Since it is RF only it will only communicate with its RF receiver and no other devices. If you buy this remote and then later see the light and buy a universal remote you will have to either: a) keep this remote for control of your HTPC and use the universal for everything else; b) ditch this remote and buy a USB IR receiver for the HTPC.

For that reason I would not recommend a RF remote for a HTPC. Now a universal remote that is RF with a RF to IR base station is a different story.

Whenever I need mouse or keyboard control on my HTPC I either remote desktop connect using my laptop or grab my wireless mouse and/or keyboard. I rarely need the keyboard and seldom use the mouse. Mostly use the remote and sometimes the laptop/iPhone RDP. If I can't control it using a 10' interface then I'm probably not interested and will just use my laptop.

That is the reason I recommended this remote to him.

I might have missed you saying so, but are you averse to switching to Windows 7?

this thing might be becoming a reality:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/10/t...cc-test-bench/

here hoping we can buy it as a universal remote...

Not having a back button is not a bad thing. I would rather have that then have a back button visible all the time. Besides pressing "Backspace" on your keyboard accomplishes the same thing.

As for the clutter. That's the whole point of having a Favorites section. (The "Heart" icon on the left hand menu.) Just click on Netflix then at the top you have a "Add to Favorites" button. Just click on that and Netflix is added to your favorites. You can do the same with FOX, Hulu etc. And you also add any content that has an RSS feed.

I don't really use Zinc for viewing my local media. There are lots of better options for that.

It does have an onscreen keyboard. You press the "INPUT" button and an onscreen keyboard pops up. You have 2 ways to type. If you wan't to type the letter "B" you click on the #2 twice. This is what they mean with:
"After installing Zviewer software, the numeric keypad allows “triple-tap” text entry. Enter text as if text-messaging on a cell phone.

You can also type by clicking on "INPUT" then move the mouse to the letter or number you wan't to type then click on it. This is what they mean with:
or onscreen keyboard with mouse clicking?


They don't work and can't be mapped either by using something like event ghost.


0 lag. That's why it's perfect for an HTPC.