cheap usb remote from dealextreme
#1
hi all,

was wondering if anyone has experience with the MCE remote available from Dealextreme, sku number 14380? It is only USD$11. If so, can you please comment its functionality with regard to xbmc and its mouse function?

while I love my wiiremote, I found it too draining on the battery. I do use rechargeable battery, though.

thanks in advance,
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#2
here this will make it easier for folks... -> http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.14380
Openelec Gotham, MCE remote(s), Intel i3 NUC, DVDs fed from unRAID cataloged by DVD Profiler. HD-DVD encoded with Handbrake to x.264. Yamaha receiver(s)
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#3
thanks for posting the link. I wasn't too sure if live link to a retail website was allowed in this form (as it wasn't in most).

any help is very much appreciated,
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#4
I just got one of these remotes today and many of the functions work out-of-the-box (particularly the arrows and enter keys). I've taught my learning remote a number of the codes and it's fine. I've come from an Xbox remote on an Xbox and haven't yet replicated all the functions (the play/pause/stop buttons don't seem to work out-of-the-box!) but it's very early days.

I've tried setting a keymap up for it using the <keyboard> tags but not having much luck. Any suggestions on figuring out what button does what for XBMC purposes?
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#5
This works out of the box. But it's not your typical lirc remote. This is a remote that sends "keyboard" signals to the box. Basically if you don't need lirc to use this. I would not recommend this remote if you planning on configuring/customizing etc. If u don't want to customize and used what it has then definitely go for it else buy a proper remote.
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#6
I've been using this remote for some time. Just about everything worked out of the box on Intrepid, but when I downgraded to Hardy due to the multithreaded video decoding issue, Stop and Play buttons no longer worked properly. Something to be aware of.
Also, if you hit any of the A B C or D keys at the top of the remote, it'll drop you to the console (TTY1 - 4). While that rarely happens to me, last night I dropped the remote in the middle of a movie and ended up having to reset the machine as a result (I'm considering physically deactivating those buttons on the remote).
Aside from that, I have mapped some of the extra buttons to some scripts, context menu, etc. I'll try and post my Keymap.xml when I get home tonight.
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#7
Here's the relevant portion of my Keymap.xml (under global keyboard):

Code:
<!-- Desktop --> <key id = "61508">XBMC.RunScript(/home/htpc/.xbmc/scripts/TWC Supplemental/default.py)</key>
<!-- My PC --> <key id = "61509">XBMC.RunScript(/home/htpc/.xbmc/scripts/XBMC Lyrics/default.py)</key>
<!-- Power --> <key id = "61555">XBMC.Quit</key>
<!-- Folder Icon --> <key id = "65442">ContextMenu</key>
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#8
I just recently got this remote+ir reciever.

I would not recommend it.
The reciever is detected as a HID keyboard and mouse. LIRC cannot decode any IR from this device.
It also does NOT support key repeat except for on the volume control. This is annoying when scrolling lists (you cannot hold the button)

If anyone has had success with another cheap USB ir reciever that is supported well by lirc please share!

If you already have it, this is how to use it

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=805876

The above guide says to use lirc with no config but ignore that and configure the /dev/input mode

After that is complete you should be able to run irw and get output such as this
Code:
0000000000040004 00 ARROW_UP Cyp_Se_WitheHome
0000000000040004 00 ARROW_DOWN Cyp_Se_WitheHome
0000000000040004 00 ARROW_LEFT Cyp_Se_WitheHome
0000000000040004 00 ARROW_RIGHT Cyp_Se_WitheHome

Then use the mappings in lircmap.xml and use 'ARROW_UP' etc to map to XBMC commands

There are maximum 39 remote codes on the OEM reciever.

Once configured in the above guide the remote will no longer push keys as a keyboard would in the console. This is nice so it doesnt conflict.

Any problems with configing it lemme know ill try and help.

As a side note I've have had great success with dealextreme's tiny bluetooth paired with a PS3 remote. Very slick and VERY VERY responsive!
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#9
fasteddy Wrote:Here's the relevant portion of my Keymap.xml (under global keyboard):
That's really useful, thanks. I'm using a Windows install though, do you have the IDs from the play/pause/etc buttons as I can't get them to work...

I can't speak for a Linux install, but if the machine is solely a HTPC like mine is, it doesn't really matter if it's emulating keypresses or is actually sending IR codes as long as it does the job. For a multipurpose machine it might not be a good purchase.
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#10
BLKMGK Wrote:here this will make it easier for folks... -> http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.14380

Thanks for the tip. I had been looking for a good remote (wireless keyboard and mouse from gyration is feeling a little clunky these days...) and this seems to fit the bill for less than 30-40 dollars i was seeing everywhere else.
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#11
anyone geting this working on xbmc for xbox
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#12
Many people talk about the Microsfot MCE remote which have recently been discontinued. Its a 'work out of the box remote' for xbmc(with lirc). Another reasonably cheap remote which pretty much is a 'working' clone of this remote is the Hauppauge Media Centre Remote Control Kit. I can confirm this remote works exactly like the MS version and its about $10-$15 cheaper. Those HID remotes are not worth the trouble IMHO.
HW : Multiple Asrock 330HT + NAS
SYS: xbmc-live 10.0
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#13
Loto_Bak Wrote:I just recently got this remote+ir reciever.

I would not recommend it.
The reciever is detected as a HID keyboard and mouse. LIRC cannot decode any IR from this device.
It also does NOT support key repeat except for on the volume control. This is annoying when scrolling lists (you cannot hold the button)

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=805876

The one I received from dealextreme works differently. All keys (or most) autorepeat, and the codes are different. I've done what it says at that ubuntuforums.org link (not exactly like that but I get similar results, I could explain if someone needs it)

Mostly works although the problem is that some keys do not map as a "single key" but as a combination, for example pressing "close" gives TWO keys, KEY_LEFTALT and KEY_F4 (something like pressing Alt-F4 in a real keyboard, only that lirc receives both two distinct keys). Or "rewind", produces 4 keys: LEFTSHIFT, LEFTCONTROL, LEFT and B. If lirc receives a "KEY_LEFT" signal, there is no way to determine if the user has pressed "left" or "rewind" (if pressed "rewind" it will ALSO receive "KEY_LEFTCTRL", "KEY_LEFTSHIFT" and "KEY_B", but I believe XBMC/lirc architecture does not allow to differenciate)


All that makes impossible to uniquely identify 6 keys, and 2 other keys (power and numlock) plus the simulated "mouse" never reach LIRC. The result is still pretty good, since there are still 29 different functions, and since there is a really cheap device (less than 7€ including P&P to anywhere in Europe) and the receiver is not very intrusive, I think is not a bad option. Also, you can use other programmable remotes simply by cloning the signals from this one.

The usable keys as seen running irw in a console are:
first two rows:
[power unusable in lirc]
KEY_MAIL
KEY_HOMEPAGE
KEY_F4 [D]

KEY_F1
KEY_F2
KEY_F3
KEY_D KEY_4 KEY_F4 [D]

The two "mouse buttons":
BTN_LEFT
BTN_RIGHT

next two rows:
KEY_PREVIOUSSONG
KEY_PLAYPAUSE
KEY_NEXTSONG

KEY_B KEY_LEFT [D]
KEY_STOPCD
KEY_F KEY_RIGHT [D]

the two "up/down" and "full screen":
KEY_VOLUMEUP
KEY_VOLUMEDOWN

KEY_3

KEY_PAGEUP
KEY_PAGEDOWN

the next 4 rows (the fifth one later):
KEY_MUTE
KEY_E
KEY_BACKSPACE

KEY_TAB
KEY_UP
KEY_LEFTMETA [D]

KEY_LEFT [D]
KEY_ENTER
KEY_RIGHT [D]

KEY_O
KEY_DOWN
KEY_ESC

The last row. If you press "num lock", the signal never reaches lirc, but changes the function of other keys... so do not press it :-D
[num lock unusable in lirc]
KEY_TAB [D]
KEY_D [D]

[D] means the function appears also when pressing another button but it is usable (simply that button is a duplicate of another one)
[R] means the function appear also when pressing another button but cannot be easily used as a duplicate.

This is my current Lircmap.xml (to be copied to ~/.xbmc/userdata o to be appended to /usr/share/xbmc/system/Lircmap.xml), there are still 5 keys I haven't decided how to program (see picture):

<lircmap>
<remote device="devinput">
<Left>KEY_LEFT</Left>
<Right>KEY_RIGHT</Right>
<Up>KEY_UP</Up>
<Down>KEY_DOWN</Down>
<Select>KEY_ENTER</Select>
<VolumeUp>KEY_VOLUMEUP</VolumeUp>
<VolumeDown>KEY_VOLUMEDOWN</VolumeDown>
<Mute>KEY_MUTE</Mute>
<BackSpace>KEY_BACKSPACE</BackSpace>
<Pause>KEY_PLAYPAUSE</Pause>
<stop>KEY_STOPCD</stop>
<SkipPrevious>KEY_PREVIOUSSONG</SkipPrevious>
<SkipNext>KEY_NEXTSONG</SkipNext>
<Info>KEY_MAIL</Info>
<display>KEY_3</display>
<mymusic>KEY_F1</mymusic>
<myvideo>KEY_F2</myvideo>
<mypictures>KEY_F3</mypictures>
<power>KEY_F4</power>
<power>KEY_D</power>
<pageplus>KEY_PAGEUP</pageplus>
<pageminus>KEY_PAGEDOWN</pageminus>
<back>BTN_RIGHT</back>
<menu>BTN_LEFT</menu>
<title>KEY_HOMEPAGE</title>
</remote>
</lircmap>

The duplicates are 2 keys for "menu", 3 for "power" and 2 for "left/right". The two "unused" ones will be duplicates of two of the currently undefined (or be left with no function)

Image
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#14
It would be great if you could explain what you did differently to the unbuntuforums link.

Thanks
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#15
....out if interest, if it works as a keyboard and mouse (as mine does), why not just remap the keys to work with xbmc and not use lirc? That way the repeat etc works.
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