[akshay2000]

I have been developing a remote control client for Windows Phone for a while now. I am now opening up beta program so that it can be tested heavily. It'd be great to have feedback from the XBMC community. Here are a few details and some FAQs about beta testing. If you're absolutely sure that you want to be a tester, jump directly to the bottom of this post.

What should I expect from this beta?
Well, you should expect what you generally expect from beta software. Cutting edge, burning hot software with new features and a few bugs here and there. Specifically, you might run into some memory management issues, but they shouldn't stop you from trying it out.

What do I need to be a beta tester?

1. Patience and tolerance: You should understand that the app might behave unexpectedly sometimes.
   
2. A Windows Phone 8 device: That's where you test the app.
   
3. XBMC: You need to have XBMC running somewhere on your network. That's what you're trying to control using this app.
   
4. A Microsoft account: You will need to have a Microsoft Id associated with your phone to be a beta tester.
   

How do I become a beta tester?
Just give me your Microsoft Id here. I won't sell it to anyone. I won't spam either.
Update: Sign up here: http://wpbeta.me/kodi-assist-beta

How do I report issues?
You may create an issue on Github here.
Update: Report issues here: https://github.com/akshay2000/XBMCRemoteRT/issues
You may post it on this thread.
You may contact me over the twitter at @akshay4000.
At times Google+ can be a good choice.

Can I contribute to the code?
I'm glad you asked. Here is the Github repo! Fork it, fix something, make some commits and make a pull request. I'll be glad to take contributions. Just make sure that the code is pretty.
Update: Repo moved to http://github.com/akshay2000/XBMCRemoteRT

Again, here is the link if you want to be a beta tester: http://wpbeta.me/kodi-assist-beta

Thank you all for the support.

[TimoV]

Hi!

Just wanted to say that your application works perfectly with my XBMC setup! Have been waiting a long time for a Windows Phone app which not only works great (there were several XBMC remotes who did their job well), but also holds true at the Modern UI Principles!

My congrats to you! Left a positive review on the Windows Phone Store and also subscribed myself as a beta tester (Nokia Lumia 930, Windows Phone 8.1)

[akshay2000]

Hi!

Just wanted to say that your application works perfectly with my XBMC setup! Have been waiting a long time for a Windows Phone app which not only works great (there were several XBMC remotes who did their job well), but also holds true at the Modern UI Principles!

My congrats to you! Left a positive review on the Windows Phone Store and also subscribed myself as a beta tester (Nokia Lumia 930, Windows Phone 8.1)

Thank you. Nice Metro UI was one of the major factors which made me write that app. Let me know if you have any feedback or want some UI elements shifted by even a pixel. If it adds to a better user experience, I'll implement it.

[tarakan]

Hi akshay2000,
Is this still in active development?

[akshay2000]

Hi akshay2000,
Is this still in active development?

Of course, it is. Repo has been moved to http://github.com/akshay2000/XBMCRemoteRT
Beta is at http://wpbeta.me/kodi-assist-beta

[tarakan]

Ok, cool. Just signed up for the beta program.
What's the best way to contact you regarding "development stuff". I might have a few suggestions (or even be able to contribute them myself) for the remote control side of things.

[akshay2000]

Ok, cool. Just signed up for the beta program.
What's the best way to contact you regarding "development stuff". I might have a few suggestions (or even be able to contribute them myself) for the remote control side of things.

I wouldn't mind continuing discussion on this thread. If not here, email would probably be the best way for longer communications. Since I'd rather not reveal my contact info to spammers, you can find that out from inside the app. You don't have to wait for the beta though. For the most part, contact info can be found in the public version too: https://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=389...9e53c55b78
Once we have established what to do, you can create an issue on GitHub and start working on it.
What sort of things do you want to do with remote? If it's about design itself, first condition is that it has to be beautiful. Ugly UI is not acceptable.
Thanks for the help!

[tarakan]

Hah, the UI I'd rather have someone else more capable than me do it.. I would suggest, however, that at least those buttons around the center are made bigger. In fact, the official IOS remote has probably nailed it in that regard.
The idea behind that is so that you can actually operate the remote without looking. And having large buttons occupying all the space they can in "their corner" helps alot.

And second, again just like the iOS remote, the left and right buttons should do analogue search(or small step forward/rewind). For some reason, what happens with all current WP remotes - is that there's no way to move through a movie just a little bit. You have to jump by minutes! using normal forward/back buttons.

In fact I've made a very quick and hacky "fix" to Kodi just to get myself going - by making JSON-RPC interface emulate left/right keyboard presses when the remote left/right buttons were pressed. (You can probably still see my post in another forum)..

Anyway, that's my 2c worth

[akshay2000]

Hah, the UI I'd rather have someone else more capable than me do it.. I would suggest, however, that at least those buttons around the center are made bigger. In fact, the official IOS remote has probably nailed it in that regard.
The idea behind that is so that you can actually operate the remote without looking. And having large buttons occupying all the space they can in "their corner" helps alot.

Actually, the buttons are pretty big - bigger than they appear. Try tapping the blank area outside the buttons. The button will still activate.

And second, again just like the iOS remote, the left and right buttons should do analogue search(or small step forward/rewind). For some reason, what happens with all current WP remotes - is that there's no way to move through a movie just a little bit. You have to jump by minutes! using normal forward/back buttons.

100 times this. However, I just couldn't find required APIs to achieve this. First we need to detect if the playback is going on. I think this can be done. After that, we need to have a way to forward/rewind by 30-ish seconds. I just can't find a way to get this one working.
However, there is small step function integrated into the remote. Go to settings and choose what forward/backward buttons do. I think that will solve the purpose. Let me know once you try it.

[tarakan]

Ok, I'll give that a go cheers. A bit swamped at work for now, but probably will get to it over the weekend.
Btw, I had a look at the IOS remote code, and I think it has what you're talking about. It detects playback and sends different commands. I lack the specific knowledge in this area though (i.e. what particular command needs to be sent, etc), but I'm quite sure I was on the right track. If IOS remote can do it via JSON intrfce, I'm sure we can too

[akshay2000]

Ok, I'll give that a go cheers. A bit swamped at work for now, but probably will get to it over the weekend.
Btw, I had a look at the IOS remote code, and I think it has what you're talking about. It detects playback and sends different commands. I lack the specific knowledge in this area though (i.e. what particular command needs to be sent, etc), but I'm quite sure I was on the right track. If IOS remote can do it via JSON intrfce, I'm sure we can too

Meanwhile I'll take a look at iOS remote too. If you would like to implement it, go ahead and create a fork. Start work and submit pull request once you're done.

[Paxxi]

This seems interesting, I just signed up for the beta [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

[tarakan]

Ok, I had a bit of play with the remote over the weeked and have some feedkback.

Firstly, the +/- 30 sec jumps actually work! And that's awesome! I won't say if same action should be mapped to left/right arrows(for me would be useful) as it's a matter of prefference. However from usability perspective it might be a good idea to have large navigational controls which can be used without looking at the remote.

Secondly, I do miss the audio switch / subtitle switch buttons, and I do use those often.. Right now it's easier to switch to another remote with those dedicated buttns rather than to fiddle through the menus using arrow navigation etc. It seems in the settings there're options to enable at least subtitle button? But it didn't work for me.

Also the arrows are still too small(They are not activated by touching near them).

Would also propose rearranging the UI layout to follow the official IOS remote more closely. In particular, for example, the back button should be large and should replace the "file" button (Left, under arrows) or maybe right button. Where it sits right now - at the botton, next to home, makes it very easy to click home instead of back.

Again, don't want to take uniqueness away from your work, but I reckon official ios remote has about the best layout (Had a look at the android one and it doesn't seems to be as thought through) and perhaps if we could get official remotes to look similar, it would be better. Again, that's not critisism of your work, just trying to be constructive with my subjective feedback

[akshay2000]

This seems interesting, I just signed up for the beta [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

I will add you to the beta only when I push the next build to Store. It might take a couple of days. You'll receive an email as soon as you're added to the beta. Meanwhile, I don't want ot keep you waiting! You can checkout the public version. It's lagging a few features behind the beta. Here's the link to public version: http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=3897...9e53c55b78

[akshay2000]

Firstly, the +/- 30 sec jumps actually work! And that's awesome! I won't say if same action should be mapped to left/right arrows(for me would be useful) as it's a matter of prefference. However from usability perspective it might be a good idea to have large navigational controls which can be used without looking at the remote.

I'm glad that the thing works for you. I'm still looking into getting the behaviour on navigation buttons - like the keyboard buttons do.

Secondly, I do miss the audio switch / subtitle switch buttons, and I do use those often.. Right now it's easier to switch to another remote with those dedicated buttns rather than to fiddle through the menus using arrow navigation etc. It seems in the settings there're options to enable at least subtitle button? But it didn't work for me.

There's a subtitle switch button. It works. Right now, there's a bug that causes some buttons to overlap. To avoid this, go to settings and enable only Back, Home, Keyboard and subtitle buttons. That is first four buttons on settings page. That should make your subtitles button work. This bug is fixed in one of the latest commits.

Also the arrows are still too small(They are not activated by touching near them).

Let's make those bigger. Right now, I'm a bit busy with other things. Soon. Or, someone else may go ahead and do it.

Would also propose rearranging the UI layout to follow the official IOS remote more closely. In particular, for example, the back button should be large and should replace the "file" button (Left, under arrows) or maybe right button. Where it sits right now - at the botton, next to home, makes it very easy to click home instead of back.

Moving the back button is nice idea. Will implement that. Other than that, I'm not sure what else can be done.

Again, don't want to take uniqueness away from your work, but I reckon official ios remote has about the best layout (Had a look at the android one and it doesn't seems to be as thought through) and perhaps if we could get official remotes to look similar, it would be better. Again, that's not critisism of your work, just trying to be constructive with my subjective feedback

No, problem. We love feedback. Firstly, this isn't really an official remote. Although I'd like it to be, I didn't get a lot of positive response on IRC channel the last time I tried to make this official. Maybe, someone can bug Team Kodi again.
Secondly, like you said, this is subjective and large amount of users have preferred the cleaner layout. For them iOS layout just felt too crowded. With that said, I do appreciate your feedback and will keep this in mind. In fact, if someone is ready to design good looking and good behaving UI, I'll implement it right away. So, if you have a mockup, let's discuss it.