[mythtv-users] (no subject)

Nick Rout nick.rout at gmail.com
Wed Nov 10 19:14:12 UTC 2010


On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 5:28 PM, Greg Oliver <oliver.greg at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 6:00 PM, Matt Emmott <memmott at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 6:41 PM, Richard Morton <richard.e.morton at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> This is where remote controls on phones should be, review what media
>>> you have available on the remote device, playback on the big screen.
>>> While playback is occurring allow the remote device user to continue
>>> to browse media wihtout interrupting playback.
>>>
>>> Also the remote device user can control the normal media controls such
>>> as volume, pause, fast forward etc.
>>>
>>> Google has just attempted it with "leanback".
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/09/youtube-remote-app-released-brings-android-phones-and-google-tvs/
>>> _______________________________________________
>>
>> I've used a ton of phone-based remotes on my iPod and HTC Evo. I've used
>> remotes for media players such as MythTV, Boxee, XBMC, Plex, as well as PC
>> remote controls like RemoTux(I think that's the name? My iPod's at home),
>> Gmote, and various VNC clients.
>>
>> I completely agree that this is a step in the right direction. IIRC at least
>> one of the Boxee remotes gives the feedback on the device showing what's
>> currently playing and lets you bounce around while your stuff is playing on
>> the big screen. But I haven't found one killer app yet that does everything
>> we need or want from such a device. MythDroid seems to be decent at two-way
>> communication by telling you what recordings are where, but it's been so
>> buggy for me that I haven't been able to use it to its full potential.
>>
>> I think we're at the point where the technology is there, both on the media
>> player and the power of the phones we're using; what we need is somebody to
>> take the reins and put everything together into one usable, slick package.
>> I'm not so sure if or when this will happen, with all the fragmentation of
>> media players and aggregators that are out there (Boxee? Plex? Roku? WD?
>> Sonos? Google TV? Myth?).
>>
>> Off the top of my head, to be a truly great remote, we need, in no
>> particular order:
>>
>> 1) Two way communication. Show screenshots or album arts on the remote
>
> Sony and Phillips have been doing this for quite a while.  Maybe
> others?  Not graphics per se, but 2-way comms..
>
>> 2) A truly dynamic interface - I think MythMote on my iPod changes its
>> available control buttons based on what type of media I'm playing and what
>> menu I'm in on Myth
>> 3) Launch-and-go usability - Right now it's still a little dodgy to
>> configure your remote for the correct device. It should be maybe three
>> clicks to launch the remote, pick your frontend of choice, and launch your
>> content.
>> 4) A killer app - Something amazing that blows the others out of the water.
>> For Myth, it could be a transcode button that 'sucks' the content to the
>> mobile device to watch on the road. For the aggregators like Boxee, it could
>> be a personal dashboard that recommends other things to watch based on what
>> you're watching with a one-click launcher to the new content. For the geeks,
>> a great remote control for Linux / Windows / whatever that's part VLC, part
>> portable trackpad or keyboard. For anything with a microphone, voice input
>> would be nice.
>
> The only thing I can instantly think of that would probably gain
> instant traction is to make a touch-screen remote have feelable
> buttons.
>
> I have several high end remotes that will almost wash the dishes if I
> tell them to, but honestly I prefer the cheaper reomtes with buttons.
> Having no touch feedback on a touchscreen remote is a huge drawback.
> Granted, I can do much more sophisticated things with them, but for
> usual TV items, I will always grab a remote with buttons over a remote
> with a touchscreen.

my android phone remotes give a short vibrate when a touch button is
pressed. It's very positive.

>
>> 4) A nice front-end to a web interface that makes scheduling recordings or
>> setting up playlists super easy, perhaps even when not on the local LAN. How
>> cool would it be to set up recordings and queue up playlists that launch
>> when you get home?
>
> It is already possible.
>
>> 5) Use of the existing technology - Why isn't there a bluetooth proximity
>> detector? Pause the show when I walk out of the room! Know that I want to
>> control my kitchen HTPC when I'm near it, and play back the show where I
>> left off in the living room! Things like this aren't too technically complex
>> (from a 5000 foot view) yet nobody's doing anything about them!
>
> There are a lot of thees already.  Search for voip and bluetooth..
> The same techniques can be applied...
>
>> I haven't paid much attention to Google TV yet. I'm heavily invested in
>> MythTV and Boxee (My Boxee Box ships tomorrow!) and I just don't want to get
>> involved with yet another media player at this point. But I've spent a lot
>> of time daydreaming about the perfect system, which would include the
>> perfect remote, so this is a topic I like to talk about. We have all this
>> great technology with our mobile devices and a clean slate with the big
>> touchscreen phones (Don't get me started about tablets) and yet nobody has
>> taken the ball and run with it
>
> I think everything you described is possible with today's feature sets.
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