[cfsnatch]

I'm a long time user of Xbox XBMC and recently been trying to get Windows and XBMC Live running. However I have a couple of questions that I can't find the answers to anywhere:

1) What is the default remote configuration for XBMC Live? ie what remote, if any, "just works" - I have a built-in IR port on my Vista Media Center PC and no remotes seem to control anything by default

2) Is there a way to control XBMC Live with a remote without using LIRC? (I have a Logitech Harmony, so configuring a remote is the easy part)

3) Please could someone write a step-by-step guide for getting LIRC up and running, for those not entirely familiar with Linux? From various web searches I think I have LIRC installed, but was getting errors at times, and no idea how to auto-start / link it in with XBMC

4) Any options other than LIRC that are (most importantly) stable and reliable solutions to using a remote with XBMC Live

Any help would be appreciated - I've moved on quickly from XBMC for Windows to XBMC Live to get faster boot times and get around the sometimes temperamental remote configuration for Windows! If there was a way to just use the old Xbox remote codes with my built-in IR that would be ideal.

Thanks in advance.

[SpiffBB]

1. My MCE remote with a dongel worked out of the box with XBMC live, have uou tried if yours may work directly too?!

3. You shouldnt need to configure/install a MCE remote with XBMC live, I tried the linux XBMC on Kubuntu and there I had to install it in a terminal with:
sudo apt-get install lirc
and then choose my remote (Windows MCE).
There are old and new MCE remotes, if it dont work try to switch to the other version. Do so by reconfigure lirc (in a terminal):
sudo dpkg-reconfigure lirc

[cfsnatch]

Thanks for your reply!

Yes, I've definitely tried my MCE remote, but no buttons work on XBMC Live. Now you say yours worked out of the box, maybe I need a driver or something for the built-in IR? Does anyone use an internal IR + MCE remote, or have any suggestions? (Windows XBMC seems to work like everyone else's, so def no problems with my IR or remote)

I see, to have only got part way with lirc - I installed lirc, but no options appeared for choosing remotes, is there a command to run it? I do remember issuing the restart command to lirc, but receiving an error when it was trying t stop the service, but success starting it. I will certainly give the reconfigure command a go today and see what options there are.

[rodercot]

Thanks for your reply!

Yes, I've definitely tried my MCE remote, but no buttons work on XBMC Live. Now you say yours worked out of the box, maybe I need a driver or something for the built-in IR? Does anyone use an internal IR + MCE remote, or have any suggestions? (Windows XBMC seems to work like everyone else's, so def no problems with my IR or remote)

I see, to have only got part way with lirc - I installed lirc, but no options appeared for choosing remotes, is there a command to run it? I do remember issuing the restart command to lirc, but receiving an error when it was trying t stop the service, but success starting it. I will certainly give the reconfigure command a go today and see what options there are.

As stated, The XBMC live comes with Lirc built in I think 0.8.3 rev with the MCe_USB2 module (driver) loaded. If you tried to install (recompile) your lirc install you have probably kafoo'd the built in install.

The only built in IR device supported through Lirc and LCDproc which is at ver. 5.0 I think is Imon/Soundgraph. Yes you need Lirc and LCDproc to get you IMON to work. Even if you just want to use the IR portion and not the VFD then you need to configure the LCDproc that way and then install lirc for it but it means recompiling Lirc with another driver which if you are Linux newbie can be tasking at best. There are several how to;s on the web and on the LIRC website at how to do this.

If you are using a Version 2 Mce transceiver the Grey one from happauge which I believe is an SMK device you will likely need some other changes. If you search google or Myth TV for mce remotes. You will find the info.

here is a link that will tell you which remote you have at least and some info to get you started. I would just trash your current live install and start fresh without touching Lirc. then you could try and issue a lsusb at a command prompt and make sure your install is at least seeing your M$ transceiver.

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/MCE_Remote

Dave

[cfsnatch]

Thanks - it's starting to make more sense now - I didn't realise until today that lirc was already installed with XBMC.

Further digging and testing has now led me to believe that either I require drivers for the internal IR receiver or I need to change the lirc configuration to reference my internal IR receiver, as opposed to an external USB IR receiver.

Does anyone have any pointers for me to:
a) discover whether my built-in IR is recognised / what it's called
b) how to then amend lirc configuration to listen to commands from that built-in receiver

Thanks for any help!

[rodercot]

Thanks - it's starting to make more sense now - I didn't realise until today that lirc was already installed with XBMC.

Further digging and testing has now led me to believe that either I require drivers for the internal IR receiver or I need to change the lirc configuration to reference my internal IR receiver, as opposed to an external USB IR receiver.

Does anyone have any pointers for me to:
a) discover whether my built-in IR is recognised / what it's called
b) how to then amend lirc configuration to listen to commands from that built-in receiver

Thanks for any help!

What PC Case are you using. Best place too start is there web-site to see what VFD/IR you have in yours.

Dave

[cfsnatch]

Dave, unfortunately, it's not really a standalone case where I could look up what hardware it uses - it's a pre-built media center PC:

http://support.vaio.sony.co.uk/specifica...3097&=3097

I was kind of hoping someone might know a command in Linux to check for IR devices, or what default IR devices are called in Linux? (eg like Eth0 is for the Ethernet - I think!).

It's a shame that I can't just use the built-in IR and built-in Wi-Fi with no configuration...hopefully in a future release! In the meantime, I'm not going to give up on looking for a manual configuration solution...