why hasn't anyone mentioned flirc?

Yup, they will work great, I did a lot of testing with those. But as was pointed out, flirc doesn't detect when the apple buttons are being held down. It will in a firmware update, it's not necessarily something that is difficult, but just trying to get in some of this important feedback and enhance the GUI stability before adding firmware features.

Most remotes will work fine with buttons being held down.

If anyone is interested in a technical brief on why this is, I'd be happy to share.

Count me in for several dongles then as soon as I will return home from holidays. Anyway, this looks to me as a neat approach to the whole htpc/remote idea. Keep up the good work!
Looking forward to feedback from other users, too!

is flirc compatible with linux?

also, if I've understood this well.. flirc is simply a generc ir receiver? How is it different from any other IR receiver?

PatrickVogeli Wrote:is flirc compatible with linux?

also, if I've understood this well.. flirc is simply a generc ir receiver? How is it different from any other IR receiver?

Pretty GUI. From what I've seen it's not any different than what a person with a reasonable IQ can do with ir-keytables (new) or irrecord (old).

My TV on "STB" mode and my Receiver remote on "DVD" both control my XBMC.

The hardware is also relatively cheap compared to shotgunning things on eBay if you're not sure if they'll work.

This looks really neat, but i don't really understand what the extra is about flirt as opposed to 'eventghost'+'any-generic-IR/RF-reciever'. Could it be that it works with every brand of reciever?

Also, do key-presses get mapped to specific XBMC-commands or keyboard-commands? This is important for me, since i use my normal PC as HTPC with my TV as second screen. So if i press a button on my keyboard (trying to type something on my first screen) while XBMC is open, will it also do something in XBMC (which i hope it won't)?

I'm curious, so i hope someone understands my questions

Smobbo Wrote:This looks really neat, but i don't really understand what the extra is about flirt as opposed to 'eventghost'+'any-generic-IR/RF-reciever'. Could it be that it works with every brand of reciever?

Also, do key-presses get mapped to specific XBMC-commands or keyboard-commands? This is important for me, since i use my normal PC as HTPC with my TV as second screen. So if i press a button on my keyboard (trying to type something on my first screen) while XBMC is open, will it also do something in XBMC (which i hope it won't)?

I'm curious, so i hope someone understands my questions

The difference is simplicity. Nothing really exists that has an easy to use, dead simple interface. I'm an advanced user of linux and thought the whole LIRC thing was way to difficult for what it was trying to do, not to mention my remote wasn't on the supported list.

I tried to deliver this simple interface and experience across all platforms, which a lot of the other solutions don't do. Most are made to work with Linux, and hacked to work on windows.

Remote buttons are linked to keyboard keys or keyboard key combinations. Those in turn can be XBMC keyboard shortcuts. The reason I did this was because if you emulate a keyboard, you eliminate the need to try and get your hardware supported in everyone's software. They are all meant to work with keyboards.

Then you can do advanced things like link a keyboard key to an application launcher which will allow you to select the media center app you want to run.

Hope that answered your question.

after the explanations I got here, plus what I've read in the wiki: let me say this looks really awesome.

And then the price.. $20 is very reasonable. If I ever need an IR receiver for my computer... FLIRC it will be.

Good work

jasonkotzin Wrote:The difference is simplicity. Nothing really exists that has an easy to use, dead simple interface. I'm an advanced user of linux and thought the whole LIRC thing was way to difficult for what it was trying to do, not to mention my remote wasn't on the supported list.

I tried to deliver this simple interface and experience across all platforms, which a lot of the other solutions don't do. Most are made to work with Linux, and hacked to work on windows.

Remote buttons are linked to keyboard keys or keyboard key combinations. Those in turn can be XBMC keyboard shortcuts. The reason I did this was because if you emulate a keyboard, you eliminate the need to try and get your hardware supported in everyone's software. They are all meant to work with keyboards.

Then you can do advanced things like link a keyboard key to an application launcher which will allow you to select the media center app you want to run.

Hope that answered your question.

Thanks for the explanation!
My remote is supported with EventGhost (and i figured out how it works... ).
But when i ever want a new or more complete remote i'll definitely go for Flirc!

I think a lot of people can use this, perhaps this could be something that is added to the 'how-to'-guide for getting your remote to work (or would that be to much advertising ?)

jasonkotzin Wrote:I'm an advanced user of linux and thought the whole LIRC thing was way to difficult for what it was trying to do,...

+1
I moved from LIRC to using a Bluetooth/USB keyboard remote (see sig), and I couldn't be happier. The LIRC team is trying to re-design, but as it is now it's glued together with sticks and very difficult to configure. Just using a keyboard and modifying keymap.xml is way simpler! Flirc sounds like a great solution for anyone having trouble with LIRC.

Inglorious Wrote:Nice! I've been looking for this kind of product for a while now. I'll definitely be ordering one!

I'm currently using a Universal Remote (One For All) with the HP receiver but I never liked it. For some reason, I would rather use the remote that came with my cable box (Scientific Atlanta 8300HD PVR) as it feels more comfortable.

I'll be using a short USB extension though, I hope that won't cause an issue.

I'm of the same mind I really want to use my current cable remote (comcast) which runs the DVR and TV already with my HTPC, this sounds like a viable solution. Will be purchasing for sure when I get around to the HTPC part of my project, right now still finishing the NAS side.