Controlling XBMC via LCD (iMon)
#1
I'm in the process of selecting parts for an HTPC for my in-laws. They want to consolidate all of their media related devices into one box (radio, cds, dvds, blurays, photos, homevideos, etc). Since I'm a big fan of XBMC myself, I want to use XBMC for this.

I'm thinking about buying them an Antec Fusion Remote case, which sports an iMon LCD screen. The reason for the LCD screen is that I want them to be able to play music (from either radio, cd, usb or harddrive) without having to start the tv.

I've been looking through the forums and google, but can't find a definite answer to one very important question: Is it possible to control XBMC entirely via the LCD screen, without using the main interface?
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#2
I have an iMon vfd display on my case. Its the iMon software I downloaded from their site. I've gotten the remote portion working well but the display is lacking. It will display the title for what I am watching/listening to and thats it. It does not display what menu item is highlighted.


You may have better luck with the iMon software found on this thread. Look at the last few pages for an updated version compatible with Pre Eden. I'm reading good things. I haven't tried it yet because I don't want to loose my button mappings.
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#3
My advice, buy them a cheap second hand ipod touch or android tablet. Maybe even mount it into the case somehow. The smartphone apps for XBMC are perfect for using XBMC's music functions without turning on a TV. Plus, used touch devices are often cheaper than the dedicated HTPC LCD screens, are in color, and touch controlled. I got a "broken" second gen iPod touch with a bad dock connector the other day for $30 on ebay. Solder 4 pins from the dock to a USB cable for permeant power due to the back dock port, mount into case somehow (look up Shapelock or Polymorph), and it would blow any iMon LCD out of the water. (I haven't done this to mine yet or I'd post pictures. I'm actually going to try to replace the dock port first, but boy is that tricky.)
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#4
Ned Scott Wrote:My advice, buy them a cheap second hand ipod touch or android tablet. Maybe even mount it into the case somehow. The smartphone apps for XBMC are perfect for using XBMC's music functions without turning on a TV. Plus, used touch devices are often cheaper than the dedicated HTPC LCD screens, are in color, and touch controlled. I got a "broken" second gen iPod touch with a bad dock connector the other day for $30 on ebay. Solder 4 pins from the dock to a USB cable for permeant power due to the back dock port, mount into case somehow (look up Shapelock or Polymorph), and it would blow any iMon LCD out of the water. (I haven't done this to mine yet or I'd post pictures. I'm actually going to try to replace the dock port first, but boy is that tricky.)

I would do this in a hearbeat with an android device, if the official android remote would display tv shows with banners in landscape mode.

*edit*

iDisplay for android lets you clone the display or extend the display as a secondary monitor. Could be useful but reviews show that even over wifi video quality is poor so thats out.

xbmc's web gui would be useful. Fire up the android browser and point it to the ip/port for xbmc and leave it on the now playing tab.

hmm.....

Ned, if you do this you will definitely have to start a thread with pics and results.
How to use Git
| AMD Athlon II X3 Triple Core Processor 2.9 GHz |GIGABYTE GA-MA785GM-US2H Mobo 2GB DDR2 Ram | MSI N430GT |
| Logitec Harmony Smart Control Remote| 52" Sharp Aquos LED TV | Denon AVR-X1000 |
| Freenas Server with 18TB ASRock Intel Avoton C2750 |
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#5
I probably should have clarified this in my original post, but I'm planning on using Ubuntu. As I understand from searching the forums getting the LCD to work is a bit complicated, but possible. My main concern is if (assuming it is working) the navigation function can be used without the tv.

All the info I could find on the wiki is this: http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=LCD.xml

Quote:[...]
The file contains several sections representing each functions:
Navigation (Used for Navigation in menus)
[...]

This doesn't give any info however on what that navigation function looks like and/or how functional it is. Is it something that just looks fancy but still needs the tv, or can it be used entirely by itself without a tv?

Some further investigation leads to this page, which apparently lists all the stuff you can put on the LCD: http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=InfoLabels

Quote:[...]
System.CurrentWindow Current Window we are in
System.CurrentControl Current focused control
[...]

I don't see a previous or next control/window on that list, which would be very useful info when navigating on the LCD. I'm imagining this to look kind of like the following:

[Current window]
[Previous control]
[Current control] --> indented or blinking, but made to visually stand out somehow
[Next control]

Did anyone here who has one of those LCDs try something like this?
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#6

I've got the same problem with navigation on LCD.
Lacking of [Previous control] and [Next control] makes navigation a lot harder , however possible.
XBMC with LCD makes xbox excellent "standalone" music player .

Maybe we should "push" development team to extend LCD InfoLabels.
But how ?

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