[mythtv-users] Combination RF/IR remote?

[Michael T. Dean]

Maverick wrote:

>On 7/14/05, Tim Hamer <tdh1 at cec.wustl.edu> wrote:
>  
>
>>Ross wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>I've been looking around for a nice remote for my myth front end, but
>>>I can't find one that I really like.
>>>
>>>I would like a RF remote (see though walls, etc) that can do IR as
>>>well, so I can control everything else in the AV cabinet with the one
>>>device.
>>>
>>>Niveus have a remote that seems perfect:
>>>http://www.fstop-blues.com/2005/05/windows-media-center-tip-use-rf-remote.html
>>>but I'm not sure about linux support, or if it's available any more.
>>>
>>>Any thought/suggestions?
>>>
>>you can get a much better remote if you use a regular rf/ir universal
>>home theater remote and regular ir on the mythbox. i get 100' range from
>>my urc-200 and rf basestation (expensive but cool). the one for all 9910
>>does a pretty decent job too, about 50' range and comes with the rf
>>basestation for only $50 at fry's.
>>
>I found this thread about using the ATI RF remote control:
>
>http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/archive/index.php/t-453429.html
>
>Howto:
>http://www.fedoranews.org/contributors/youssef_makki/remotewonder/
>
>Looks like there might be some weird kernel hacking involved,
>  
>
Only if you do it the hard (and less useful) way: using the kernel's 
built-in keyboard driver (which, interestingly, is often considered the 
easy way :).

>although, if it's lirc compatable,
>
It is.

>myth should have no problem using it.
>  
>
No problem, indeed.

>If you get it to work, let me know, I might want to go that route! :)
>  
>
I'm using the ATI Remote Wonder.  I like it because it provides a bunch 
of buttons and is LIRC-compatible.  Many people using the RW are using 
the kernel's built-in "keyboard" driver for it.  The main problem with 
that is that each button sends a keycode, so you have to map your key 
combinations for each application with which you want to use the remote 
(which means you start memorizing your non-default settings for use with 
a real keyboard and--depending on how you set things up--you may lose 
functionality or break applications with bad key configs--i.e. as new 
commands are added to new versions, they may conflict with your remapped 
key configs).  Also, LIRC provides a means of doing virtually anything 
(from sending a message to an app to sending keystrokes to running 
scripts/applications to ...) whereas keyboards provide only a means of 
sending keystrokes...

So, I highly recommend use LIRC.

That being said, I also recommend not getting a combination RF/IR remote 
(i.e. like the X10 Lola--which is basically the ATI RW with IR modes).  
With that, you would have to have "modes" (i.e. TV, VCR, Myth, DVD, 
etc.) so the ("stupid") remote knows what to send and how to send it and 
a ("smart") person who knows which buttons to push in which order.

Instead, you can use one remote (RF or IR) and an IR blaster.  Then, you 
program the ("smart") computer to do what it should when a key is 
pressed.  For example, you press the "TV" button on your remote, and 
your computer sends a "discrete" power on command to the TV and the 
Audio/Video receiver using the IR blaster, and sends the appropriate 
message for the LiveTV jump point to Myth using LIRC (zero to LiveTV in 
0.25 seconds).  You press the volume down button, and your computer uses 
the IR blaster to send a volume down to your A/V receiver (instead of 
trying to control the volume in software--which is especially wrong with 
digital sound).  You press the "Music" button on your remote, and your 
computer sends a discrete power on command to the A/V receiver and a 
discrete power off command to the TV (assuming you don't want your TV on 
during music playback) using the IR blaster and sends the appropriate 
message for the MythMusic jump point to Myth using LIRC.  With this 
approach, you're only limited by your imagination (and, to some 
extend--barring additional software--the number of buttons on your remote).

HTH.

Mike