Logitech 670

[joshr219]

I have the m$ mc remote (http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Image:MCE-Remote-2-alt.jpg) and i was wondering if i could use the infrared receiver with the Logitech 670

[tschak909]

No. I would recommend a USB UIRT for dealing with an IR remote....

But really, you have...so many...better.....options.....

The Harmony remotes were designed for a non-integrated system... It tries to be everything and then some, and as such, as a remote, they are insanely awkward.

LinuxMCE can control _ALL_ of your legacy A/V devices... all of them... and furthermore, If you LET LinuxMCE control all your devices, there is no need to have a remote that you have to program macros into, or switch modes manually on the remote, etc.. Let the system take care of it.

(*hmm* I know you haven't read any of the FAQ, the documentation, or watched the demos closely, but I guess I will repeat all of this _AGAIN_)

Since you can control all of your devices, you can throw away all of your remotes. Put them in the junk drawer.

And pick a much simpler, or more versatile remote, you have a lot of choices:

* IR Remote (we support the MCE stuff out of the box) ... this is the cheapest, and it works..okay.. but there are better options
* A Gyration Go Mouse, three buttons control _EVERYTHING_ in the house.
* A Fiire Chief, expands on the Gyration technology by providing a full remote, as well as being natively developed for LinuxMCE.
* Anything the Orbiter software can run on! This includes
   * Windows PCs... think a tablet
   * Nokia N810 Internet Tablets
   * My PadOrbiter distribution which currently runs on the WebDT 366s being sold here in the forums.
   * Any Windows Mobile PDA a few years old. Get em off ebay for cheap
   * A supported Symbian, Windows Smartphone, or J2ME based cell phone with bluetooth support
   * A Cisco 7970 IP telephone

With all those choices, especially the Orbiters, you get a graphical control that can be used house-wide, and you can have any number of any of the above devices, mixed and matched.. they all stay in sync.

-Thom

[randomblink]

Question on the Fire Chief Remote.
Can you use this as your remote EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER FIIRE PRODUCTS?

I do NOT want to spend the kind of money they require for a thin client, nor a server, as I can custom build my own. But I really like their remote? Can I have it without their other products?

[tschak909]

*hmm* I thought that was abundantly clear.

Yes.

-Thom

[skeptic]

Question on the MCE remote you have.  Without the red/green/yellow/blue buttons how do you do things like pull up/hide the LMCE menu?

Thom - should a GoMouse work inside MythTV as well?  What I have read implies it should, but for me after I go into MythTV the gomouse doesn't appear to do anything.

[tschak909]

the mouse pointer disappears, which makes it hard to use...

but in the end, I am making a series of UI enhancements that will completely negate the MythUI completely, so this is going to become a non-issue.

-Thom

[seth]

On the MCE remote. The Media Center button in the middle of it pulls up, and exits out of the menu. You can also use the Back Arrow button located to the left of the directional pad. Pulling up sub-menus, can be accomplished by using the directional pad to move the rectangular cursor around.

Using UI1, while watching the media, pressing the button in the center of the directional controls, pulls up the on screen remote.
In UI2, this button is how you choose what is highlighted by the rectangle in the UI2 Menu system.

With the MCE remote, while on the main LMCE screen, pressing the Live TV button launches MythTV.
Pressing the Recorded TV button, launches the video menu.
Pressing the Recorded TV button while in MythTV, brings up the MythTV recordings menu.
Pressing the Guide button brings up the MythTV guide.

I have not used more than this on the remotes I have.

Regards,

Seth

[skeptic]

the mouse pointer disappears, which makes it hard to use...

Ah, that explains it.

but in the end, I am making a series of UI enhancements that will completely negate the MythUI completely, so this is going to become a non-issue.

-Thom

While I do like the MythUI in some ways (functionality mainly), I don't like the disconnected feeling of obviously running a separate media program (MythTV) from within LinuxMCE.  I'm really looking forward to your enhancements.

I really wish I could help out more, but I really just don't have the time to invest in learning all the details and there appears to be a ton of stuff already in the works for the next release.  Perhaps after the next version comes out if I identify things I see as shortcomings I'll try to dedicate some time to them.  I'm just really thankful to people like Thom that seem to be working on issues that bug me the most.  As it is, I don't even have basic things like lighting modules, and my TV isn't under full LMCE control (screwy TV with semi-discrete IR codes).

On the MCE remote. The Media Center button in the middle of it pulls up, and exits out of the menu. You can also use the Back Arrow button located to the left of the directional pad. <snip>

Just to be clear let me give you a couple examples, assume UI2 for all this.  From the main LMCE menu you select videos (or press the recorded TV button while on the main LMCE screen) and you see the videos screen.  From there how do you close the video menu and return to the main LMCE window?  If you are watching a video, how can you pull up the lmce menu and get to things like aspect ratio?  While watching a video, is there any way to adjust the lights in the room?

I have a universal remote that came with my cable box, and one mode emulates a MCE remote.  Unfortunately it does not have the "Windows logo" button or the color buttons, so the examples I gave above do not seem possible on my remote. 

The stuff I snipped out I am familiar with and use the same way. 

FWIW, I'm looking into non-IR orbiter options as well.  Anything for under $100 that is recommended?  Now that I have a new phone, I may even try to get it working as an orbiter.

[tschak909]

(1) Get an old iPAQ PDA (Running WinMO 2003 or so), and run the Orbiter software on it
(2) run the orbiter software on an existing Windows PC or a linux PC under WINE, or run the native Linux orbiter all by itself on a machine.
(3) spend a bit more and get one of tkmedia's WebDT 366's
(4) spend a bit more than that and get a Nokia N810.
(5) Get a Nokia N70 and run the Mobile Orbiter on it.

Take your pick.

-Thom

[skeptic]

(1) Get an old iPAQ PDA (Running WinMO 2003 or so), and run the Orbiter software on it
(2) run the orbiter software on an existing Windows PC or a linux PC under WINE, or run the native Linux orbiter all by itself on a machine.
(3) spend a bit more and get one of tkmedia's WebDT 366's
(4) spend a bit more than that and get a Nokia N810.
(5) Get a Nokia N70 and run the Mobile Orbiter on it.

Take your pick.

-Thom

Thanks for the suggestions.  I was also just browsing e-bay and came back with more questions.  I was going to start a new thread, but since I've unintentionally steered this one off topic:

What are the requirements for running the Orbiter software on a PDA (option 1 above)?
Memory - what is the minimum for RAM and storage?
CPU speed - does this even matter, and if it does what is minimum for smooth operation (think WAF)
OS - Windows CE (as per the wiki)?  Or should I stick with windows mobile 2003 or newer?
Wifi/bluetooth - one, the other, or is either one ok?
model - I know there are a ton of options, should I stick with an iPaq or would any PDA that meets these specs work?  I looked at a couple off the wiki, but before I buy I'd like to look at all my options.

I'll also search this forum a bit for option 3 - WebDT 366.

My first choice would be a Nokia N810, but I just can't spend that much on what amounts to a kick-butt remote.

[tschak909]

The PDA orbitercan run on winCE, and Windows Mobile 2003SE. It needs at least 128 megs of ram, 256 megs recommended, it must have wifi.
As for the webDT 366, talk to tkmedia. $250 until end of the year.

-Thom

(1) Get an old iPAQ PDA (Running WinMO 2003 or so), and run the Orbiter software on it
(2) run the orbiter software on an existing Windows PC or a linux PC under WINE, or run the native Linux orbiter all by itself on a machine.
(3) spend a bit more and get one of tkmedia's WebDT 366's
(4) spend a bit more than that and get a Nokia N810.
(5) Get a Nokia N70 and run the Mobile Orbiter on it.

Take your pick.

-Thom

Thanks for the suggestions.  I was also just browsing e-bay and came back with more questions.  I was going to start a new thread, but since I've unintentionally steered this one off topic:

What are the requirements for running the Orbiter software on a PDA (option 1 above)?
Memory - what is the minimum for RAM and storage?
CPU speed - does this even matter, and if it does what is minimum for smooth operation (think WAF)
OS - Windows CE (as per the wiki)?  Or should I stick with windows mobile 2003 or newer?
Wifi/bluetooth - one, the other, or is either one ok?
model - I know there are a ton of options, should I stick with an iPaq or would any PDA that meets these specs work?  I looked at a couple off the wiki, but before I buy I'd like to look at all my options.

I'll also search this forum a bit for option 3 - WebDT 366.

My first choice would be a Nokia N810, but I just can't spend that much on what amounts to a kick-butt remote.