[THRobinson]

I post this once or twice a year, never many responses but... new stuff comes out so hopefully there are more remotes to choose from.

I see a lot on eBay for the remotes that are essentially small keyboards (like this one) but kinda enjoy the look/feel of a traditional remote and I have almost no need for the keyboard.

I saw a thread about the PS3 remote, but also saw some issues about lost connections, hibernation issues, etc...

Are there any decent cheap Bluetooth remotes so I can ditch this bulky IR receiver? Found a few but, seem that they're always IR/Bluetooth and the fine print says that the Bluetooth is for the PS3 only.

... or I guess RF even. Anything that doesn't require line-of-site. Though, if something like a universal remote even better if it also has IR so I can turn on/off my Sony Bravia TV.

Reason being, and in another thread and on EventGhost's forum, I was having random occurrences of EventGhost crashing and needing a reboot of the entire computer to fix it. The "MCE_Vista: MceIr pipe is not available" error. Turned out that the light from my TV reflecting off my couch would cause the IR receiver to sometimes freak out. The log in EG was full of unknown events which would crash it. Eventually had to make a paper tube to go around the front of the receiver to block out as much of the reflected light as possible. Looks ugly and limits the angle in which I can aim the remote.

So, looking for something RF or Bluetooth. Something like the HP remote I have or even the PS3 remote if easy to setup and works well... I see a TV button on it, so, maybe has IR as well? turn my TV on/off and get a generic bluetooth dongle for XBMC?

[solamnic]

one of the biggest problems with Ps3 remotes is that they extinguish batteries really fast...

i dont know if anyone has a solution to the problem other than buying rechargeable batteries...

cant comment on their stability though (lost connection)

this one is the 2nd generation remote that features an IR also.. (TV - Amp)..

and in order to use it with openelec one has to pair it with a Bluetooth adapter in another Windows Machine first...

[calev]

I dont know why no one has gotten the ps3 remote to work as good on pc as it does on ps3. If it just didnt eat batteries like a fat kid eats cake then it would be my favorite remote. It wouldnt even take up a usb port in most scenarios.

[solamnic]

When some one turns off the ps3 - the remote is turned off also....
but NOT in the PC ...!!!!! it stays turned on forever !!!!!! (thus the fast "eating" of batteries)

[calev]

I think the remote has a sleep mode that doesn't work also. Since I never turn my ps3 off and the batteries dont die the same way.

[THRobinson]

Seriously? the remote stays on and eats batteries? kind of a dumb design though I guess as solamnic says, it shuts off with the PS3... they didn't design it for the PC. Still... I use to have a PS3 and remember the game controller would auto-shut-off. Not sure if a controller feature or PS3 though.

After 2yrs, my HP remote is still on the original batteries.

Calev... if the PS3 isn't your fav, which one are you using?

[calev]

Im using a regular mce remote. I would really like bluetooth for use with android.

[THRobinson]

Ya, I'm currently using a basic one myself... this one actually. And I like it, has a good feel, been working 2yrs no problems, same batteries even... but, with the IR issues I had and the IR receiver sitting here, and no way to turn my TV on/off with it well... I'd like something else.

[kreeturez]

Are you tied to Windows for any reason?

If not, OpenELEC from 3.2.3 onwards natively supports use of the PS3 BD remote via a relatively new Bluetooth menu; including sleep mode (hibernation) that should see batteries last a few months. Plus, OpenELEC is very, very fast-running compared to Windows...

I have three environments running OE; all now with the PS3 BD remote.

If you are tied to Windows, Eventghost will work fine - it has a plugin for this remote. The only issue is that hibernation doesn't work reliably under Windows. So rechargeables are the way to go; my 2400mAh rechargeables lasted about 10 days when I used Windows. I just got into the habit of charging once a week.

That said, the remote does disconnect if you power off your PC - provided the USB port the Bluetooth dongle is attached to powers down (which may not apply to standby mode).

Also holding the PS3 button for six seconds will switch it off; assuming you remember to do so.

The model in your OP picture is the new version with IR and Bluetooth; so if your TV make is supported, it does work for controlling the TV. The only catch compared to the older (non-IR) Bluetooth PS3 BD Remote is that the new one forgets paring when it's batteries are removed/die and has to be paired again... Have no clue why. So my recommendation would be the older, non-IR model :-)

[THRobinson]

Funny enough I have another thread... I decided to get a used SFF system, like a Core2Duo E8400 for $75, make a basic media centre for my family to use. 10yr old DVD player plays DivX but, an old version and well, time to replace. Was debating Win7x64 since I use it now on my system and figured be easy for me to work with on theirs and network to mine etc. Also debated something like UBUNTU, since it's free and I heard uses fewer resources so, maybe make a slower computer seem faster.

Never heard of OpenELEC, but since it's for my system I need to stick with Win7x64. 80% of the time I am using the computer while watching movies. This system runs as my personal computer as well as a media player (22" monitor, and a 40" HDTV). Eventually, when I have enough saved for a Mac Pro Tower (2008 or newer, so has a 64bit architecture) I'll use it as my main system and dual boot.... and dump the guts of this computer into a nice SilverStone LC10-E case... at which point I may consider a different O/S.

Remote wise, I have a Sony Bravia TV, can't recall the exact model number... I liked the new PS3 control simply because it should allow me to turn the TV on/off rather than having 2 remotes. My HP for XBMC, and the Sony remote which other than the power button I never seem to touch.

I dunno though... recharging batteries that often seems a pain... this HP remote get used daily and many times each day and the batteries are 2yrs old and still working fine.

I just find it weird that the industry hasn't gone the way of RF or Bluetooth, simply because of the line-of-site annoyance of IR.

[navigates]

A perfect thread for what I was looking for. I too come here once in a few months to see what I can do with the remote situation.
I have tried the following:

1. PS3 remote new one and that has the best reflex and touch feel. It does loose pairing and hibernate is iffy at its best. I do use windows because I like the ability to switch to Netflix on windows media center. Not sure if open elec has that.
2. PS3 old remote. I don’t like the buttons feel. It does not loose pairing when batteries go but that too looses sync with Bluetooth.

For now I’ve purchased a windows Lenovo IR dongle and put it behind my bose lifestyle v35 and made it learn the WMC commands. So basic commands are done through the bose remote. Its like an RF as the connection from the bose remote is RF and then the bose does a signal blast and that hits the dongle?

I do like the PS3 remote as you can customize almost all of its buttons to shutdown, restart xbmc, Netflix shortcut in the Red button.
I believe if someone would write a correct driver for the ps3 on windows, it would surely be the best remote you can buy without the keyboard.
Does anyone know who is the remote manufacturer for the PS3 remote? I know its Sony but who is behind the scenes. I remember in CES there was a remote manufacturer and at that time I was a boxee fan so didn’t see the industry need there.

[verismo]

Are you tied to Windows for any reason?

If not, OpenELEC from 3.2.3 onwards natively supports use of the PS3 BD remote via a relatively new Bluetooth menu; including sleep mode (hibernation) that should see batteries last a few months. Plus, OpenELEC is very, very fast-running compared to Windows...

I have three environments running OE; all now with the PS3 BD remote.

If you are tied to Windows, Eventghost will work fine - it has a plugin for this remote. The only issue is that hibernation doesn't work reliably under Windows. So rechargeables are the way to go; my 2400mAh rechargeables lasted about 10 days when I used Windows. I just got into the habit of charging once a week.

That said, the remote does disconnect if you power off your PC - provided the USB port the Bluetooth dongle is attached to powers down (which may not apply to standby mode).

Also holding the PS3 button for six seconds will switch it off; assuming you remember to do so.

The model in your OP picture is the new version with IR and Bluetooth; so if your TV make is supported, it does work for controlling the TV. The only catch compared to the older (non-IR) Bluetooth PS3 BD Remote is that the new one forgets paring when it's batteries are removed/die and has to be paired again... Have no clue why. So my recommendation would be the older, non-IR model :-)

does the new ps3 remote lose pairing in openelec too?

in windows, are there any other problems except the batteries? I do shut down my computer every night, will that be a problem?

[navigates]

Are you tied to Windows for any reason?

If not, OpenELEC from 3.2.3 onwards natively supports use of the PS3 BD remote via a relatively new Bluetooth menu; including sleep mode (hibernation) that should see batteries last a few months. Plus, OpenELEC is very, very fast-running compared to Windows...

I have three environments running OE; all now with the PS3 BD remote.

If you are tied to Windows, Eventghost will work fine - it has a plugin for this remote. The only issue is that hibernation doesn't work reliably under Windows. So rechargeables are the way to go; my 2400mAh rechargeables lasted about 10 days when I used Windows. I just got into the habit of charging once a week.

That said, the remote does disconnect if you power off your PC - provided the USB port the Bluetooth dongle is attached to powers down (which may not apply to standby mode).

Also holding the PS3 button for six seconds will switch it off; assuming you remember to do so.

The model in your OP picture is the new version with IR and Bluetooth; so if your TV make is supported, it does work for controlling the TV. The only catch compared to the older (non-IR) Bluetooth PS3 BD Remote is that the new one forgets paring when it's batteries are removed/die and has to be paired again... Have no clue why. So my recommendation would be the older, non-IR model :-)

does the new ps3 remote lose pairing in openelec too?

in windows, are there any other problems except the batteries? I do shut down my computer every night, will that be a problem?

The question is not just the hibernation. The question here is how soon does the remote wake up. in windows its a hit or a miss that the remote will wake up for sure.

[verismo]

Are you tied to Windows for any reason?

If not, OpenELEC from 3.2.3 onwards natively supports use of the PS3 BD remote via a relatively new Bluetooth menu; including sleep mode (hibernation) that should see batteries last a few months. Plus, OpenELEC is very, very fast-running compared to Windows...

I have three environments running OE; all now with the PS3 BD remote.

If you are tied to Windows, Eventghost will work fine - it has a plugin for this remote. The only issue is that hibernation doesn't work reliably under Windows. So rechargeables are the way to go; my 2400mAh rechargeables lasted about 10 days when I used Windows. I just got into the habit of charging once a week.

That said, the remote does disconnect if you power off your PC - provided the USB port the Bluetooth dongle is attached to powers down (which may not apply to standby mode).

Also holding the PS3 button for six seconds will switch it off; assuming you remember to do so.

The model in your OP picture is the new version with IR and Bluetooth; so if your TV make is supported, it does work for controlling the TV. The only catch compared to the older (non-IR) Bluetooth PS3 BD Remote is that the new one forgets paring when it's batteries are removed/die and has to be paired again... Have no clue why. So my recommendation would be the older, non-IR model :-)

does the new ps3 remote lose pairing in openelec too?

in windows, are there any other problems except the batteries? I do shut down my computer every night, will that be a problem?

The question is not just the hibernation. The question here is how soon does the remote wake up. in windows its a hit or a miss that the remote will wake up for sure.

eh..the ps3 remote is way too complicated to use for most people in my household anyways..still looking for the perfect remote.

The df10 remote from dx.com works but it's IR and the buttons feel cheap

[kreeturez]

does the new ps3 remote lose pairing in openelec too?

in windows, are there any other problems except the batteries? I do shut down my computer every night, will that be a problem?

The question is not just the hibernation. The question here is how soon does the remote wake up. in windows its a hit or a miss that the remote will wake up for sure.

eh..the ps3 remote is way too complicated to use for most people in my household anyways..still looking for the perfect remote.

The df10 remote from dx.com works but it's IR and the buttons feel cheap

The IR model does lose pairing when batteries are replaced, even under OpenELEC. The Bluetooth-only version is fine; never loses pairing.

It's much more responsive under OE than it was under Windows in terms of waking up.

My non-technical Mrs has adopted it as her favorite remote - so it can't be too complicated...
(It was designed for turning a PS3 into a bluray player, after all )