[TIP] Configurable SonyEricsson Bluetooth Remote with XBMC for Linux, Mac, & Windows
#1
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Hi,

Most modern SonyEricsson mobile phones with bluetooth has the remote control software installed. The default installation comes with three configurations: Presenter, MediaPlayer and Desktop. I've been using the Desktop mode to control xbmc, it has mousecontrol and directional keys. It's a little sparse so I couldn't use it all the time but then I stumbled upon the "Bluetooth Remote Control V4.0" from SonyEricsson.

This is a software that you can configure all the available buttons on your SonyEricsson phone. My phone (W610) has 22 buttons that you can assign to keys or kombinations of keys(alt+tab and such). You can even create your own image to combine with the keymap. I recently found this program so I haven't created "the perfect" XBMC map. But I you do, please share the .HID file!

From what I can understand, this bluetooth remote is HID compatible so it should mean that it also works in linux. Not the configuration software though.

Link to the software: Bluetooth Remote Control tool 4.0 - Windows (2.2 MB) (it's also available for mac, not linux though)

Screenshot of the software:
Image


To transfer the file to the phone use this:
Image
screenshot on how it could look on your SE phone:
Image

Anyone knows wich are the 22 most common keys in xbmc?
1: Left
2: Right
3: Up
4: Down
5: Return
6: Menukey
7: P
8: Backspace
9: ESC
10: TAB
11: SPACE
12: X
13: Period
14: Comma
15: U
16: D
17: O
18: T
19: -
20: +
21: I
22:
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#2
googled around a bit and tried it myself, it works on linux too.
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#3
Link http://www.mediafire.com/?dusy4mdmbmm

Image
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#4
Do you know if this will work on any other bluetooth capable phone? I have a Samsung Glyde and would love to use the touchscreen to control XBMC. That would be friggin sweet!
Living Room System
XBMC Live HDD install / Zotac 330 / Silverstone case with iMon Multimedia VFD and remote / 1TB drive for storage of all media / 32" LCD TV
Bedroom System
XBMC / Boxee on Windows XP SP3 / MCE303 case with MCE remote and Samsung VFD powered with LCDsmartie / Hauppauge 950Q for live tv / 22" LCD monitor
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#5
No, the software is preinstalled on SonyEricsson phones and I don't think you can download it anywhere.

try to google "j2me" "hid" and see if you can find any universal software. I know that there are some that requires you to install a server application on the computer.
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#6
I'll look into it and post my findings.
Living Room System
XBMC Live HDD install / Zotac 330 / Silverstone case with iMon Multimedia VFD and remote / 1TB drive for storage of all media / 32" LCD TV
Bedroom System
XBMC / Boxee on Windows XP SP3 / MCE303 case with MCE remote and Samsung VFD powered with LCDsmartie / Hauppauge 950Q for live tv / 22" LCD monitor
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#7
SWEET !!! That's exactly what i need Nod Big Grin
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#8
Thanks for the tip! Big Grin

I bought a cheap class 1 (100m) usb BT-stick and tried the recommended bluesoleil drivers first, they worked pretty good at first but then they stopped working all of a sudden. Luckily windows' built-in drivers worked good by them selves after I uninstalled bluesoleil Tongue

I'm using a W660i and since it's bluetooth transceiver isn't as powerful as the one I use in my HTPC it works good up to about 5 meters. Some times (not too ofter luckily) it gets stuck on repeat when scrolling through items in XBMC. It would be nice if this could be avioded using some clever key mapping. Any tips? Smile

I also played around with different kind of images since the one generated from SE's program looks pretty bad when using custom keys. I noticed that (atleast on my W660i) large images arn't displayed in fullscreen, they are zoomed out a bit. And strangely each time the mobile screen goes to sleep and you wake it up again by pressing a key the image gets a little bit large each time. Really strange behavior :confused2: So after testing a buch of different image sizes I worked out that the maximum image size for W660i is 168x212 pixels (that's 4px of spacing around all edges from full resolution). Both JPEG and PNG images works (didn't test GIF), just import them to the sonyericsson tool and save (ignore the size warning).

//seeker
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#9
There is an eventclient made by me which should work on all platforms and makes all buttons mappable, it to is mainly SE aswell.
If you have problems please read this before posting

Always read the XBMC online-manual, FAQ and search the forum before posting.
Do not e-mail XBMC-Team members directly asking for support. Read/follow the forum rules.
For troubleshooting and bug reporting please make sure you read this first.

Image

"Well Im gonna download the code and look at it a bit but I'm certainly not a really good C/C++ programer but I'd help as much as I can, I mostly write in C#."
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#10
Dunno how other SE mobiles do, but I can't get the camera button on my w660i to send anything. No matter what key I tried mapping to it, windows never seem to receive anything when I press that button. All other keys works as they should.

I don't care that much about it, but if anyone knows something... Wink

btw, I tested some more images and GIF also works Smile The manual actually states that all images the phone's image handler can handle are supported in the hid file. So if the phone's web browser can show the image it'll probably work just as well as background image for the remote control program.
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#11
@watzen

how did you get it working with linux?
http://www.xbmcnerds.com - german xbmc community
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#12
I got it to work with a bit elbow grease...but i don't remember how i did it. I purchased a dinovo mini and has been living happily ever after Wink
  • Livingroom - C2D E8400, P5N7A-VM on a Samsung 46" LE46M86 FullHD via HDMI
  • Kitchen - ASRock 330 HT Displayed on a Samsung Lapfit 22" dual touch screen LD220Z
  • Bedroom - LG Laptop on a 32" tv
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#13
thx.

i'll try it with wine...
http://www.xbmcnerds.com - german xbmc community
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#14
i've just found out, that it seems to work out-of-the-box with ubuntu.

link: (german)
http://www.kde-apps.org/content/show.php...ntent=6028

and english:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Blueto...oteControl
http://www.xbmcnerds.com - german xbmc community
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#15
works very nice.

i'll make a new layout for the HID next week.

in ubuntu you just have to pair your device once.
after that you can start the application on your mobile when ever you want to controll xbmc with it.

one of my blue-tooth dongels, which works perfectly with my wii-remote, didn't work with my mobile phone.
it did pairing (and files can be send from the htpc to the phone) but the remote-app didn't work.
the other one works out-of-the-box.

very nice.
thx.
http://www.xbmcnerds.com - german xbmc community
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[TIP] Configurable SonyEricsson Bluetooth Remote with XBMC for Linux, Mac, & Windows0