[mythtv-users] Remotes, irxevent and menu navigation

[Julian Tibble]

> Many people use LIRC and irxevent to navigate the main
> menus in MythTV.  A common problem that I've seen with
> many remotes is that the CH+/CH-/Vol+/Vol- buttons are
> grouped together in the cardinal directions, and
> that's the really only sane way to navigate through
> the menus for these remotes.

Yes. I've only been using mythtv for a few days and I've
noticed this too.

> MythTV of course, uses the keyboard arrows for
> navigation in the main menus, which conflicts with the
> remote programming (as Vol+/Vol- are "]" and "[").
>
> I've come up with a way to fix this, having the main
> menu navigation system accept either the Left/Right
> arrows or the "["/"]" keys (it's only two lines). 
> What I'm wondering before I contribute a patch (which
> for two lines might be a waste) is if people think
> that the "[" and "]" keys should also be used for
> navigation within the configuration menus as well
> (which are typically keyboard oriented).  If so, then
> I'll work on adding that in.

Don't forget the LiveTV Browse Mode!

Personally, I think your solution is just covering over
the underlying problem - as you've said most controls have
an four arrows which are also labelled CH+, CH-, VOL+, VOL-
I think the only sensible way of mapping these keys is
onto the four arrow keys on the keyboard - after all, it
makes sense when navigating menus.

The problem is, who decided that RightArrow and LeftArrow
would be good for fastforward and rewind?!?!?!?!?!
Clearly they didn't have the typical remote control in mind.

I think that in the long run, the best way of proceeding
would be to change the keys throughtout the whole of MythTV
so that there is more consistency between the typical remote
control, LiveTV mode, LiveTV Browse Mode, _all_ the menus, etc.

For me, that would mean that UpArrow and DownArrow are always
up/down (menus) or channelup/channeldown (tv), and Right/LeftArrow
are used for moving right/left (menus) or turning the volume up/down
(tv).  Of course, this would mean finding different keys for
fast-forward and rewind.

Another huge annoyance is that the key for mute is "|".
On UK keyboards you have to type SHIFT-\ to produce this character.
Is it possible to have a single key for mute?

This is means I can't get the Mute key working on my remote control!
(because my control produces events on /dev/input/event0 I just map
the keys to match mythtv, and avoid having to use lirc - this is
impossible with the mute key because I can't reproduce SHIFT-\)


Anyone else agree/disagree?

Julian