Info key

Ok... so probably a dumb question - but I have used XBMC since it was XBMP 8 yrs now? Ok so I want to know why MediaStream is defulted to use the keyboard "I" key for information insted of the standard "info" or "more" key on an IR remote. Seems like once setup is done with any skin people would be using an IR remote not a keyboard. Also, since I am new to this PC side of things why did it seem so much simpler on my trusty old XBOX to get a good setup working? Mod a few xml files to point everything in the right direction and presto! flawless... I think with every skin I have tried now that I'm building a HTPC has tried too hard to make it "easy" to setup with out modding xml files and we have lost the basics of directly telling XBMC where you want it to look for media or thumbs or whatever.

I guess what I'm saying is the XBMC project, at this point, isn't for the average home PC user who wants the Windows Media Center experience... I understand that, so insted of making things all adjustable from the skin (GUI) bring back my damn xml files!!!!

Sorry folks I'm just fustrated its been a few years since I have played with config and I just cant get things to work the same way twice... I have xtv on my box upstairs in my bedroom that has a build from probably 2004 or 2005 - no issues. :confused2::confused2: My PC vista with XBMC on top its been a trial and error for at least a couple of months.

I don't expect any real comments or replies - just wondering if anyone else has been in these "shoes".

this has nothing to do with mediastream.
do you have your remote set up with the pc at all?

and btw, mod xml files all you want. they are all still there. (maybe not the same as in your ancient installation, still there nevertheless)

You say ancient in a derogatory fashion. When I was talking about the older version I was giving a little back ground and basically wondering why so much effort has been put towards simplified end user setup which to me has made things much more complicated.

I posted in this forum since I have been trying to use this skin and have noted that other skins use the "I" button for info where this one does not. Lack of unified structure for some reason that I can't wrap my mind around. As for having a remote setup, I understand the question as a "lets work out the basics first", however it is semi insulting coming from someone who works on the XBMC WIKI which is a good read.

I wrote this late last night and rambled on, I apologize. I love XBMC and have since day zero when I switch from evox to a direct boot to XBMP.

kermyb123 Wrote:wondering why so much effort has been put towards simplified end user setup

Just as a note. There was great effort into the area to make it simplified for an end user to setup.

I think it made things harder. Just my $.02, where there used to be one way to do something now there are 3-4-5 to do the same thing.

I never use Mediastream, but keymapping is skin independent.

In the first post you state that Mediastream uses the i button on the keyboard but other skins don't (which is incorrect).
In your second post you say that other skins use the i button but Mediastream not.
(which should also be wrong considering my first sentence).

Which is it you mean?
What are you trying to achieve?


"bring back my damn...."
Give a little thought in who is talking in an insulting derogatory fashion.
And yes, XBMC is a very organic application, something 4-5 years old is ancient.

Damn was a little harsh of a word I guess, Sorry for the strong statement - Again it was late and I had just had a bout with Mediastream. I was/am not asking for anything in reality, just making some personal noise on how things on this project have seemed to (in some ways) gone south IMO and only IMO. We all have wishes and wants which is why I ended my fulster post with the wording I did -not expecting any real reply-. I didn't say this in terms of calling the forum or the project a joke. In retrospec of the attention I have gotten with the post I would/should have written that "things sure have changed" and again IMO not all for the good.

As for the "I" button on the MCE remote in skins such as xTV it brings up info for things such as movies, I like that; and wonder why simple things like this have not been trickled into all skins SUCH AS Mediastream. Some skins seem to rely on keybord interface more then others. Again when I spoke of the "I" in mediastream i was speaking about ascii "I", while the other mention was the "I-nfo"/"more" key on a MCE remote.

I have a lot of respect for all end users, coders, dev teams, and skinners, as well as a person with the will to work in the XBMC wiki (a huge amount of info) it just seems that while making things "easier" some things just get harder. It's a design flaw with a lot of things, at some point when you simplify goods (hardware or software) there is a reversal of trend when you have gone beyond your simplification goal and ended up with a difficult mess.

I hope that this project, as "organic" as it is, at some point comes together to make a whole. My four to five year old install on my old moded xbox seemed closer to that whole to me then current builds mixed with the 90% completed skins. If we want to make this a simple to use piece of software then outline "alpha", "beta", "gold" on these skins- so some people -myself included are not trying to make somthing stable and usable on all levels out of somthing so "organic". This is not just about keymapping, however, i=I wish someone could explain why we cant have a unified keymap xml for all skins.

SHO, thank you for seeming taking a real interest in my topic as much as you seem to think it is a non-issue. I feel that it is people such as yourself who help programs like XBMC survive the hard times. - As for myself I may have to start back at square one on the wiki? I'm in a better mood at five pm rather then 11pm.

As I tried to say above, keymapping has nothing to do with what skin you are using.
There is some other underlying problem you are experiencing. (And presumably unique to your installation since I have never heard of anything similar).
Unless I have missed something big.