XBMC gets dedicated remote - Motorola Nyxboard

(2012-03-17 11:22)jhsrennie Wrote:  There's a Home button isn't there? Assuming you're using Eden this should take you to the Home page.

JR

Thanks, running Dharma atm but will go for Eden when it hits the shelves, guess the home button will work then.

(2012-03-18 19:05)Malard Wrote:  

(2012-03-18 10:52)Adeiko Wrote:  My new remote also arrived. It seems ok... but... well some thought into it:

1- The Play/Pause button is so small and on the top that it's really uncomfortable. Pausing a movie/TV Show it's almost the most used button in my remotes. Every time someone enters the room i want to pause it, and i want to pause it fast, having a small buttom for that is painfull

2- This is a remote made for xbmc... where the hell is the Contextual menu key? Yeah i know you can modify it via xml but still... the second of third most used key in the menus and you have to modify the xml to use it?

3- While i like having a keyboard in the remote, i usually throw it into my couch, and every time i move a little the search menu opens because it blacfliped, would love to disable the auto search when backfliped, at least when i'm playing a video.

4- Sometimes the buttons stop workings for some seconds when you push them repeatedly. Do not know if this is a problem only with my htpc or a usual problem. This is not a hardware problem, because happens with all the buttons.

5- Until i recieved the unit, i thought the on/off button was for doing a shutdown/Wake on Lan on my HTPC. I red the instructions and it seems that it's used to shutdown the remote only, not the htpc. Can anyone confirm this? What's the use for it? Can you mod it to shutdown/WoL your htpc someway (i use XBMCbuntu RC2 live)?

Also would love if someone can confirm how to change the keys in the keyboard with the xml, at first i've read this :

http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=HOW...yboard.xml

and saw this example:
http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Alt...r_Nyxboard

I modified my keyboard.xml and put exactly the same as the alternative keyboard.xml but the remote doesn't seem to care, still uses the same keys Can somebody tell me if this info is not updated to eden? if we must edit another xml?

Also if someone can post your custom xml for it so we can get ideas?

Everyone's feelings are different on how big or small the play/pause button should be, this is the decision we (Pulse-Eight) took, that said, we took an existing plastic case from Motorola and got them to change the remote to what I felt the requirements were, regarding the Context menu, this is often a tricky one that is debated, my feeling is, that as a team we are working to remove the context menu, and over the next few releases it will be gone entirely, this is more the case because touch interfaces don't support right click etc to bring up context menus. I felt it would be stupid to end up with a remote that in a couple of releases time had a button no-one used.

The flip action can be disabled via the Preferences menu, and we (Pulse-Eight) will be submitting some patches to the rest of the xbmc team to improve this feature in the coming weeks.

The power key will send VK_SLEEP windows will support this fine, I believe in Linux some hacking needs to be done, there is already a thread on what to do if you search the forums

very interesting thoughts but can you explain to me how the context menu is going to be removed completely? what will it be replaced with? lol.

im looking at getting this remote but i really need some sort of idea on its range, and from the last version people saying the range was crap can anyone comment on the range of the new version? is it going to be able to go thru thin walls at about 5-10m? (by thin im talking about super thin, shed like walls)

i need a remote thats has a keyboard and can function for xbmc but be used at a distance. the main computer with the receiver will be in a room behind the lounge room so it wont be pointed at the receiver.

(2012-03-19 01:40)frieten Wrote:  

(2012-03-18 19:05)Malard Wrote:  

(2012-03-18 10:52)Adeiko Wrote:  My new remote also arrived. It seems ok... but... well some thought into it:

1- The Play/Pause button is so small and on the top that it's really uncomfortable. Pausing a movie/TV Show it's almost the most used button in my remotes. Every time someone enters the room i want to pause it, and i want to pause it fast, having a small buttom for that is painfull

2- This is a remote made for xbmc... where the hell is the Contextual menu key? Yeah i know you can modify it via xml but still... the second of third most used key in the menus and you have to modify the xml to use it?

3- While i like having a keyboard in the remote, i usually throw it into my couch, and every time i move a little the search menu opens because it blacfliped, would love to disable the auto search when backfliped, at least when i'm playing a video.

4- Sometimes the buttons stop workings for some seconds when you push them repeatedly. Do not know if this is a problem only with my htpc or a usual problem. This is not a hardware problem, because happens with all the buttons.

5- Until i recieved the unit, i thought the on/off button was for doing a shutdown/Wake on Lan on my HTPC. I red the instructions and it seems that it's used to shutdown the remote only, not the htpc. Can anyone confirm this? What's the use for it? Can you mod it to shutdown/WoL your htpc someway (i use XBMCbuntu RC2 live)?

Also would love if someone can confirm how to change the keys in the keyboard with the xml, at first i've read this :

http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=HOW...yboard.xml

and saw this example:
http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Alt...r_Nyxboard

I modified my keyboard.xml and put exactly the same as the alternative keyboard.xml but the remote doesn't seem to care, still uses the same keys Can somebody tell me if this info is not updated to eden? if we must edit another xml?

Also if someone can post your custom xml for it so we can get ideas?

Everyone's feelings are different on how big or small the play/pause button should be, this is the decision we (Pulse-Eight) took, that said, we took an existing plastic case from Motorola and got them to change the remote to what I felt the requirements were, regarding the Context menu, this is often a tricky one that is debated, my feeling is, that as a team we are working to remove the context menu, and over the next few releases it will be gone entirely, this is more the case because touch interfaces don't support right click etc to bring up context menus. I felt it would be stupid to end up with a remote that in a couple of releases time had a button no-one used.

The flip action can be disabled via the Preferences menu, and we (Pulse-Eight) will be submitting some patches to the rest of the xbmc team to improve this feature in the coming weeks.

The power key will send VK_SLEEP windows will support this fine, I believe in Linux some hacking needs to be done, there is already a thread on what to do if you search the forums

very interesting thoughts but can you explain to me how the context menu is going to be removed completely? what will it be replaced with? lol.

im looking at getting this remote but i really need some sort of idea on its range, and from the last version people saying the range was crap can anyone comment on the range of the new version? is it going to be able to go thru thin walls at about 5-10m? (by thin im talking about super thin, shed like walls)

i need a remote thats has a keyboard and can function for xbmc but be used at a distance. the main computer with the receiver will be in a room behind the lounge room so it wont be pointed at the receiver.

I had one remote from the first batch and it was really bad, the range was crap, I couldnt press left, overall it was a bad experiance.
I got my replacement a few days ago and its all I could hope for.
1. The range is fixed, I can stand in a room behind my media room and it works (through a thick wall)
2. The left button is fixed and it is now a breeze to surf all my media
Havent really tested out the keyboard side yet, but did with the first batch and it worked great then so cant imagine its gotten bad with the new one.

thanks tetzuoshima thats pretty much what i needed to know. i can't afford to get a remote that wont work at range without directly pointing at the receiver. my father in law has a really bad back so i need it to work out of the box so he can sit in bed and use it and also so he can sit in the lounge-room and use it while the media center is in another room.

hopefully i can get a few others confirm the range on the new model and i'll be able to feel safely in buying one.

I can second everything said about the new, fixed, batch.

I had a remote which suffered from the range issue and the left click issue which has now been replaced from the new batch and, as tetzuoshima said, it's all I hoped for when I originally ordered

The buttons are now responsive both physically and, as a result of the stronger signal, within XBMC. Range is now a total non-issue and it works from the room next to the one my media center lives in.

On a separate note my experience with Pulse Eight has been excellent. They've been polite, professional and customer friendly during all my direct correspondence with them. The replacement was sent by Pulse Eight without any need for chasing beyond the original RMA.

Basically, I really recommend the remote, it's a joy to use and my MCE remote has now been retired; Thanks Malard for making it available and sticking with it.

(2012-03-19 11:40)ReducedToZero Wrote:  I can second everything said about the new, fixed, batch.

I had a remote which suffered from the range issue and the left click issue which has now been replaced from the new batch and, as tetzuoshima said, it's all I hoped for when I originally ordered

The buttons are now responsive both physically and, as a result of the stronger signal, within XBMC. Range is now a total non-issue and it works from the room next to the one my media center lives in.

On a separate note my experience with Pulse Eight has been excellent. They've been polite, professional and customer friendly during all my direct correspondence with them. The replacement was sent by Pulse Eight without any need for chasing beyond the original RMA.

Basically, I really recommend the remote, it's a joy to use and my MCE remote has now been retired; Thanks Malard for making it available and sticking with it.

Thanks for the positive review!

Regarding the Context menu, it won't be replaced with anything, what needs to be done is the UI refined so that all the functions it did are displayed at a top level

I can confirm that all the d-pad problems have been resolved after they switched to a Gold Plated trace PCB. It is now my third remote and I must express my happiness with the customer service i got from Pulse-Eight.

I'm against displaying more functions that are rarely used and keeping a concept of a context menu. Touch screens aren't really an excuse as context menus aren't new nor limited to xbmc. Touch and hold has been around for years.

I also don't understand the want to move away from the context menu, Its nice to have the less frequently used functions under the menu.
A context button in touch screen skins could be an option.

But my nyxboard is now in Canada and can't wait till I receive it this week!

After a few days with it, I'm noticing a new problem, mentioning it here incase anyone else is seeing the same thing. The remote will stop working, no buttons function at all. It can be set on a table, after having been working fine, then I pick it up a half hour later and it's unresponsive, like if no batteries are installed. Remove and replace the batteries to reset it, no difference.

Remove the batteries for ten minutes and put them back in and it will start to work again. Happened three times so far. I'll keep an eye on it for a bit, just wanted to mention it incase it was happening to others.