User

15.02.2011 11:13:06

Trying to improve the user experience of my mini HTPC further, I am puzzled on how to solve the following:

Currently I run Plex and EyeTV on the mini and use RB to switch between the applications. To manipulate the menus I use either AJAX or a Harmony 555. The Harmony is currently using the EyeTV IR receiver; I effectively replaced the EyeTV IR remote with the Harmony and changed the EyeTV remote buttonmap to my liking in RB. This includes using some scripts to change between Plex/EyeTV easily etc.

The nice thing here is the EyeTV remote buttonmap is extensive enough to assign custom actions to buttons I otherwise don't need and still have all the functionality to easily manipulate EyeTV. Plex and other applications are a lot less demanding in the buttonset needed. 
The disadvantage however is I can't use IR controls until EyeTV is running. This implies e.g. that when my mac sleeps there is no method to wake it, and if EyeTV hangs for whatever reason my IR control is lost.

As alternative, I understand I can also make use of the mac mini native IR that responds to an AppleRemote. 
This would allow waking, but a major drawback of this remote is the very small amount of buttons/actions available. I already have trouble with the AJAX interface's limited amount of buttons (almost the same buttonmap), but the AppleRemote has even less. I am really struggling to get all the actions in I'd like to use. And e.g. typing numbers to go to a certain TV channel is of course plain impossible.

My question is how to use a more extensive button/action-remote on the native IR receiver of the mini? Is this possible and if yes how?

Thanks

Kind regards 
Jurgen 

User

16.02.2011 10:14:09

Hi Jurgen

Using the Harmony Remote Software program add this new device:

Device: Computer-->Media Centre PC 
Manufacturer: Plex 
Model: Plex

This is a profile that is made up of 10 different Apple remotes giving a total of 59 buttons (no, not 60—59; for some reason the Plex team didn't include the "select" button on remote number 153)

The easiest way to get Remote Buddy to accept all 10 is simply to assign the following commands to 10 different buttons on your Harmony remote:

Remote ID 150: Direction Up 
Remote ID 151: 1 
Remote ID 152: Volume Up 
Remote ID 153: Info 
Remote ID 154: Rewind 
Remote ID 155: Exit 
Remote ID 157: Aspect 
Remote ID 158: Channel Up 
Remote ID 159: Large Up 
Remote ID 160: Skip Back

I'm not sure of the exact wording in Remote Buddy to add them, but in essence you want to assign new physical remotes. When Remote Buddy is ready to detect and add new remotes just point your Harmony at the computer and press each of the 10 buttons once. If I remember correctly Remote Buddy will detect the remote ID number and add that remote to the list. Once you've got all 10 added you can go nuts assigning IR commands in the Harmony software and the corresponding actions in Remote Buddy.

A word of advice: use a table, e.g. a spreadsheet, to track what Harmony IR command goes with which Apple remote and button and what the Remote Buddy function is. I'll happily send you mine, if you like, to get you started.

Last edited: 16.02.2011 10:23:34 

User

16.02.2011 13:36:15

Dave, thanks for this great tip. 
I had chosen the standard Apple remote and this limited the amount of buttons considerably. But Remote Buddy allows virtual mapping (another thumbs up for you Felix on enabling this!) of multiple remotes functioning simultaneously so this indeed allows extension.

I searched a little more on internet on this topic and I found the following tutorial: http://miniharmony.blogspot.com/2010/06/episode-2-preparing-harmony-one-to-be.html

Useful for any other RB users having a similar question on how to get this operational. It's written for a harmony one, but I'm sure Logitech has enabled the "Plex" remote settings for other Harmonies as well. This is quite essential if you don't want to teach the remote all settings manually...

Of course I would still like to ask Felix to work on an update of AJAX to make better use of the iPad interface and add a couple of extra programmable buttons, so we can also employ AJAX with a bit extended functionality :D

Kind regards 
Jurgen