[mythtv-users] Semi-OT: Using the PS3 remote with multiple Frontends

David Kubicek foceni at gmail.com
Sun Mar 7 17:24:46 UTC 2010


On 03/07/2010 06:12 PM, Matt Emmott wrote:
> This isn't MythTV-specific (or maybe it is and I don't know it) but
> I've read good things on this list about using Sony's BlueTooth remote
> with Myth and I have a question before I pull the trigger.
>
> I have potentially 4 different frontends in my apartment. I'll need to
> purchase BlueTooth dongles for a couple of them, but assuming that all
> of my FEs are BlueTooth ready, can I use this remote with more than
> one? And if so, how hard is it to switch between each frontend? I
> don't have a PS3 but with my Xbox and Wii it's a matter of hitting a
> button on the console and then a button on the controller to get them
> to talk. Obviously there's no button on the frontends so I'd assume
> I'd have to use software each time I want to switch? Or does the
> remote itself have a way to cycle between paired devices? Would I be
> better off getting one remote for each frontend and pairing them
> appropriately?
>
> Thanks in advance and sorry for the general off-topicness.

As any BT device, the remote is *paired* with your FE. You cannot use 
one remote with two FE's at the same time. You can however have several 
remotes for several FE's without interference. To use one remote with 
different FE's one at a time, you just have to re-pair on each switch.

With PS3 DB remote it's just a matter of activating a "pairing mode" on 
your PC and pressing OK+Start on the remote for like a second. Once the 
remote is paired with a new device, it stops sending events to any 
previous ones.

For a quick FE switch, I'd suggest a dedicated button on your PC case 
(or a special hot-key for your desktop environment), which would 
instantly initiate BT pairing. With current BT & udev versions, the 
pairing is permanent across reboots.

I'd also suggest you use the latest BlueZ version with extra PS3 
patches. It supports auto-disconnect timeout (and auto-reconnect on next 
button press), which tremendously extends battery life.

-- 
David Kubicek


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