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bluetooth buttons  

post #1 of 9
8/9/06 at 7:11am
Thread Starter 
I'm sure this isn't the place to ask, but I thought I'd try here.

When I get my Mac mini, I'd like to basically emulate the 6 button remote with a bluetooth something. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a bluetooth...maybe keypad or something like that (all I really want are a handful of buttons I can map to up-down-left-right-escape-enter)?

Thanks for any advice you might be able to offer!

Nate

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post #2 of 9
8/9/06 at 7:26am
Thread Starter 
Well, I found this

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...124838070_.jpg

but it seems like overkill (especially since I'd have to buy the whole darn set). I'm probably barking up the wrong tree here, but I figure it is worth a shot.

Nate
post #3 of 9
8/9/06 at 7:26am
Maybe Salling Clicker will do what you want. It's bluetooth, but you'll need a bluetooth device (pda, phone, etc) to use it.

http://www.salling.com/Clicker/mac/

FYI, the Apple remote is not bluetooth but infrared.
post #4 of 9
8/9/06 at 7:43am
Thread Starter 
And never mind --

doesn't look like it works with Mac OS X...You could probably hack it to work with USB OverDrive, but the LCD screen would go to waste.

Hmm...I wonder how hard it would be to hack a 6-button bluetooth mouse :-)
post #5 of 9
8/9/06 at 7:46am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew67
FYI, the Apple remote is not bluetooth but infrared.
THe main reason I am looking for bluetooth is that my basement is an L, with the projector and media center on one leg and the exercise room on the other. I want to be able to play/pause while working out, but in my experience IR just won't make it around the corner.

I guess I could install a mirror, but that just seems so low tech :-)

I had forgotten about Salling Clicker. I do have an old PocketPC with bluetooth. I wonder if that'll do me any good....

Nate
post #6 of 9
8/9/06 at 7:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by nathanziarek
I do have an old PocketPC with bluetooth. I wonder if that'll do me any good....
That's a good way to go. Until the untimely death of my PPC, it's what I used to control iTunes streaming to my bedroom. There is also a 'free' alternative but I forget the name of it. You'll have to hunt it down with google. Clicker is nice because it also displays album art.

I should also mention that you may need a stronger bluetooth module than the one included in the mini. You can pick up BT dongles that have external antennas that may double the range. Somthing like this extends BT up to 150 meters.
post #7 of 9
8/9/06 at 12:01pm
Thread Starter 
That's good advice. The house really isn't that big, but I'll keep it in mind when things don't work quite the way they should.

For anyone else that is interested in some "remote" buttons like I was, Salling Clicker seems like the way to go. On my PocketPC, it can control FrontRow, QuickTime, iTunes & iPhoto without a hitch. Looks pretty nice, too :-)

Thanks again Andrew,

Nate
post #8 of 9
8/9/06 at 1:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew67
There is also a 'free' alternative but I forget the name of it.
Maybe Romeo?
post #9 of 9
8/9/06 at 2:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Further
Maybe Romeo?
That would be it. Thanks. I still think Salling Clicker is the better option.
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