[mythtv-users] rc_keymaps and non US

[Michael T. Dean]

On 09/12/2013 04:41 AM, Rick Lane wrote:
>> I'm saying using LIRC is more work, but gives you a lot of benefits because
>> it's /designed/ for use with remote controls (and the way remote controls
>> can be used with computers).  In other words a remote control is /not/ just
>> some stupid keyboard--it's much more useful than one if properly configured
>> with a good application to manage it.
>
> Is LIRC going to diappear eventually? I switched to rc_keymaps
> recently when i was rebuilding my mythbox as most of the forum/wikis
> suggested it was the 'new way', but i've never really got it working
> as well as I got LIRC working. I'm thinking of switching back, but if
> all it does is mean I have to jump the same hoops in a year or two
> when lirc dies permanently, that might change my mind again...

It shouldn't disappear any more than MythTV should disappear and be 
replaced by MPlayer.  The two are designed for completely different 
things.  The kernel's keyboard support for remotes is a basic, 
low-level, "one size fits all" approach to handling a device; whereas 
LIRC is a designed-specifically-for-remotes user-level application that 
makes remote controls useful on a computer.  And, since LIRC now 
supports using that low-level kernel keyboard support for the remote 
(meaning LIRC no longer requires special kernel drivers for many 
remotes), it just simplifies LIRC so that the LIRC devs can focus on 
making the value-add that LIRC brings even more valuable (and ignore the 
kernel driver/device support side).

That people think, "Oh, I don't /need/ LIRC, now," is really just lack 
of understanding of what LIRC brings to the mix.  It's like when people 
say, "You don't need to run a Window Manager."  That's true--you don't 
need to run it--but then again, you don't need to run MythTV or 
LibreOffice or ...  However, running a Window Manager is actually a very 
useful thing (whether those people realize it or not) and has no 
downside.  Just as you run MythTV to have DVR capabilities and a nice 
home-theater-PC setup, you run a Window Manager to manage windows in X, 
or you run LIRC to manage remote-control input to multiple applications 
on your system.

Anyway, just my $0.02.

Mike