How do I launch XBMC with media center remote keyboard
#1
Question 
Hello,

I bought a wireless media center keyboard for my new HTPC which features some special media center keys. I tried remapping these with EventGhost but they aren't triggered as normal keystrokes. They seem to launch the default application associated with the function (media player, browser, media center). When I plug it into my brothers Vista Ultimate machine it launches Media Center when I press the MCE button. On my HTPC I run Vista Business and the MCE button does nothing.

If I understood the way Windows Media Center does it correctly, then they have an application ehtray.exe which runs in the background and launches the app when a key is pressed.

Does anybody know there is a plugin/application/whatever that will launch XBMC when I press the button and maybe even can switch to specific XBMC features like Music, Movies, Series, ... with the other media center keys?

I found one thread where someone stated that MediaPortal seems to do this with some special code but I didn't have a closer look. If there is no application that does this I might have a closer look at MediaPortals source and might try to create such an app myself. But maybe someone already did this work?

Thanks for the help,
Benjamin
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#2
Did your keyboard come with software? I don't have a HTPC keyboard but i did have a Logitech elite keyboard and you could remap the quick launch buttons to any .exe through the program supplied with the keyboard. If not, http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/misc/Remap.htm might be useful.
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#3
ccMatrix Wrote:Hello,

I bought a wireless media center keyboard for my new HTPC which features some special media center keys. I tried remapping these with EventGhost but they aren't triggered as normal keystrokes. They seem to launch the default application associated with the function (media player, browser, media center). When I plug it into my brothers Vista Ultimate machine it launches Media Center when I press the MCE button. On my HTPC I run Vista Business and the MCE button does nothing.

If I understood the way Windows Media Center does it correctly, then they have an application ehtray.exe which runs in the background and launches the app when a key is pressed.

Does anybody know there is a plugin/application/whatever that will launch XBMC when I press the button and maybe even can switch to specific XBMC features like Music, Movies, Series, ... with the other media center keys?

I found one thread where someone stated that MediaPortal seems to do this with some special code but I didn't have a closer look. If there is no application that does this I might have a closer look at MediaPortals source and might try to create such an app myself. But maybe someone already did this work?

Thanks for the help,
Benjamin
Pretty simple. I run Eventghost and associated the green button (or whatever button you like) with the System command to fire u XBMC. You might then want to do a context switch to the XBMC commands. It is the slickest solution. You will need the XBMC plugin for Eventghost. The link can be found in the forum here. Sorry not be able to point you to the exact post. MAKE SUE YO HAVE THE LATEST EVENTGHOST VERSION. I had problems with earlier versions.
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#4
I tried both ideas but unfortunately it didn't work.

AutoHotKeys didn't register the MCE buttons as keystrokes and therefore I couldn't use them to launch the application.

In EventGhost I tried the MCE Remote, X10 and HID plugins. The MCE Remote didn't see the keyboard as a valid remote, neitzer did X10. The HID plugin didn't list the keyboard as far as I can tell.

The keyboard doesn't come with a software but uses the default MCE remote keyboard driver of vista. When I plug it into my brothers Vista Ultimate the keys launch Windows Media Center. So I think there is either an application running in the background that handles this or a registry key that tells windows that media center is installed so that the driver will launch it.

Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Benjamin
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#5
Melloware Wrote:You may have to disable ehtray.exe if you don't want the Green Button to launch MCE and then the profile for XBMC in Intelliremote has the Green Button already mapped to start xbmc.exe from the Green button. If you don't disable ehtray.exe it will launch both MCE AND XBMC when you press it.

Thankfully he is on Vista Business so no need to worry about ehtray. That thing is really annoying to get rid of.
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