I tried to do a little searching, but since I'm not really sure what to search for I didn't find anything. Don't take any of my comments as complaints, I'm just looking for someone to point me in the right direction. Please go easy!
A short bit of background - long time MythTV user, both for the server and frontend. After looking at XBMC a few times in the past, now that the PVR is built in and supports my current version of MythTV backend I've decided to make the jump. I don't want to make this a Myth vs XBMC thread, I'm sticking with XBMC, I just need a bit of guidance to get over the WAF hump.
Current setup in a nutshell:
MythTV backend
XBMC on Linux frontend
Older Gyration RF remote, .Xmodmap to map certain buttons to other things (not all buttons on the remote are supported). I don't want to change to a different remote unless that's the only option. RF >>> IR, built in mouse support is sometimes needed, and when I suggested another remote I have the wife said "NO" because she is used to this one.
Currently using the Hybrid skin. This seems to give me better control over what is on the home menu, ie: TV Shows, Movies, Music Videos, Hulu, etc. without using sub menus. I'm pretty flexible on this, and don't really know if a different skin would change the behavior.
In short, I'm looking for ideas to make XBMC more simple. Trying to map all the keys I seem to need, m, c, i, tab, d, esc, etc. in addition to the arrow keys, media keys play/stop/ff/rewind/etc. I don't have enough keys on my remote, and the learning curve for my wife/kids is a bit steep.
Im a little confused what your actual problem is?
As far as I can tell, your remote is a MCE compatible remote, it should have all the buttons you need, and the default mapping for MCE remotes has (almost) everything mapped.
As for making it simpler; I dont use hulu or even PVR, so Im not sure how it will cope, but to make the interface more familiy friendly, and not needing submenu's, I switched to Quartz skin.
I don't know what the actual problem is, it just doesn't seem to work as expected. Maybe my remote is not really MCE compatible, it just looks MCERemote-ish... Or maybe it's somehow related to how linux sees it? It could even be I'm just doing something wrong. I found another post saying to install:
Settings->Add-ons->Get add-ons->XBMC.org Add-ons->Program Add-ons->MCERemote->Install but "MCERemote" isn't available there or found when searching. Maybe that's not needed for Frodo? I'm starting to think either my remote just isn't a real MCE remote, or I'm doing something wrong - both of which would probably be better answered in the Linux sub-forum..
Thanks for the Quartz skin suggestion. Doesn't appear to be in the Frodo repo yet, but I'll keep an eye out for it. I see it's available as a zip install, but I'll wait. From the description of it, I think it's a big step in the right direction.
I'm also going to play with the Gyration remote on my desktop so I don't really screw up our main TV and anger the wife.
For all I know, the problem may be related to the MythTV frontend setup - that box has been a MythTV frontend for a couple years, they key bindings setup for that may just be screwing up what XBMC wants to see?
(2013-01-08, 17:40)skeptic Wrote: [ -> ]I don't know what the actual problem is, it just doesn't seem to work as expected. Maybe my remote is not really MCE compatible, it just looks MCERemote-ish... Or maybe it's somehow related to how linux sees it? It could even be I'm just doing something wrong. I found another post saying to install:
Settings->Add-ons->Get add-ons->XBMC.org Add-ons->Program Add-ons->MCERemote->Install but "MCERemote" isn't available there or found when searching. Maybe that's not needed for Frodo? I'm starting to think either my remote just isn't a real MCE remote, or I'm doing something wrong - both of which would probably be better answered in the Linux sub-forum..
Might also help to say what distro you are using. Mythbuntu, XBMCbuntu, openelec, regular ubuntu? If its a desktop linux, could try (re)installing the lirc packages and (re)running the configuration for it to configure it as MCE remote. sudo dpkg-reconfigure lirc or something along those lines.
Quote:I'm also going to play with the Gyration remote on my desktop so I don't really screw up our main TV and anger the wife. For all I know, the problem may be related to the MythTV frontend setup - that box has been a MythTV frontend for a couple years, they key bindings setup for that may just be screwing up what XBMC wants to see?
Ah. SHould have read everything before beginning to reply
. Im guessing its mythbuntu? I vaguely remember having similar issues when running XBMC on mythbuntu.
(2013-01-08, 17:55)Vertigo Wrote: [ -> ]Quote:I'm also going to play with the Gyration remote on my desktop so I don't really screw up our main TV and anger the wife. For all I know, the problem may be related to the MythTV frontend setup - that box has been a MythTV frontend for a couple years, they key bindings setup for that may just be screwing up what XBMC wants to see?
Ah. SHould have read everything before beginning to reply . Im guessing its mythbuntu? I vaguely remember having similar issues when running XBMC on mythbuntu.
Ah, so there may be light at the end of the tunnel! Yes, this is on a mythbuntu install.
I dont remember exactly what caused it, but it I imagine it had (has for your) something to do with incompatible mappings. If you no longer need mythbuntu for the "myth" part, the easiest solution is probably changing to XBMCbuntu or even Openelec.
(2013-01-08, 18:41)Vertigo Wrote: [ -> ]I dont remember exactly what caused it, but it I imagine it had (has for your) something to do with incompatible mappings. If you no longer need mythbuntu for the "myth" part, the easiest solution is probably changing to XBMCbuntu or even Openelec.
I'm about 99% convinced to permanently switch to XBMC. Getting the remote to work in a way that makes sense and is easy for anyone to walk in, pick up, and start using is one item. Another is getting the PVR to behave - this may be directly related to the remote key mappings, I haven't played with it much, but right now I can't even get it to rewind or fast forward (after pausing/rewinding) live tv using the arrow/media buttons without getting back to the pop-out side menu (hitting tab, and no tab key on the remote), changing channels requires hitting menu then arrowing to the Up/Down arrows. Hitting arrow up/down I THINK would skip forward/back but it crashes XBMC. Arrow left/right brings up some kind of "all channels" button that doesn't appear to do anything. One issue I'm not sure how to get around with the PVR, my local comcast often does not match schedules direct for the Discovery Channel. Since we record more off that channel than any other, we regularly use "delete and allow re-record" in myth. This way whatever random show was recorded in error can be deleted, but when the "real" show comes on it doesn't get skipped because of being recorded previously. Getting a bit off topic, I don't intend for this to be a PVR troubleshooting thread.
Since I'm using a centralized database for media information, and all my media is on smb shares off my MythTV server, installing XBMCbuntu wouldn't be too bad to get back to a working setup. I just want to A) prove I can get past the existing issues to keep the wife happy, and B) wait for the official Frodo based XBMCbuntu. We have 2 other dedicated boxes connected to TVs, currently still on Myth. For now those will stay on Myth - I don't dare touch them yet.
Can anyone tell me if I should be installing the MCERemote program addon, or if this even applies to Frodo?
MCERemote addon is gone, and Ive not needed it. Well, ever really.
If you dont want to wipe mythbuntu, and if you have 2 USB sticks laying around, you can create an openelec boot stick and boot from there (one stick for the installer, the other on which you will install. If you know some linux you only need 1 stick). That way you can test your remote and PVR functionality, see if it makes a difference. Im not using PVR functionality, so I cant help you there.
That said, you could also just try a keyboard? If that solves the problems, then its just an MCE input mapping issue and a non myth* install is probably all it takes.
Just a quick note to say I'm on the right track. Moving my remote to my desktop and getting away from all the MythTV specific setup, no .Xmodmap, no lirc running (this remote comes in as a HID device), and touching absolutely nothing solved about 90% of my issues. Using xev to see what is being sent, XBMC works MUCH more intuitively with the remote's XF86* keys than trying to map to keyboard letters (as my Myth box is doing). I still have a number of "dead" buttons, but I ran across mention of an app called evrouter that may resolve that if I find I want/need them. Even with the dead buttons, I believe I only really need to re-map one or two to get everything I need. I was completely wrong in my first post, I do not need to "correctly" map letters to the remote, I need to get out of the way and let XBMC treat the remote as a remote, not a keyboard. Using a remote as a remote apparently changes the behavior in ways that just make sense.
After a short bit of playing around, the only necessary key I seem to be missing is the contextual menu ('c'). However, the green MS menu button ('Home') doesn't appear to have much use, and with the ok button ('return') bringing up the player controls when playing media as well as the real media control buttons on the remote now working properly I think I can map the menu button to 'c' and be good to go. The only other function I may have to map a key for is deleting files. I have enabled the "Allow file renaming and deletion" option, but only file renaming shows up as an option. Maybe just an outstanding bug/issue that will be resolved by the time Frodo is officially released?
Vertigo - thanks for all the help and suggestions. You were right on the money, Mythbuntu as well as my fiddling with .Xmodmap to get Myth working well (years ago) was the main cause of my grief. I will definitely be checking out OpenElec, my 3 main frontends are all ION GPU based nettops and this looks like the ticket for a slick, simple, everything I need and nothing I don't type setup.
(2013-01-08, 22:07)skeptic Wrote: [ -> ]After a short bit of playing around, the only necessary key I seem to be missing is the contextual menu ('c'). However, the green MS menu button ('Home') doesn't appear to have much use, and with the ok button ('return') bringing up the player controls when playing media as well as the real media control buttons on the remote now working properly I think I can map the menu button to 'c' and be good to go.
By memory, on my setup (openelec, using a harmony thats configured as a MCE remote), the "guide" key opens the context menu. But its possible I added that myself, as I dont need a tv guide anyway, I dont recall.
Anyway, glad to hear you are on your way to solving it. Openelec is pretty awesome, you ought to try it.
(2013-01-08, 22:25)Vertigo Wrote: [ -> ] (2013-01-08, 22:07)skeptic Wrote: [ -> ]After a short bit of playing around, the only necessary key I seem to be missing is the contextual menu ('c'). However, the green MS menu button ('Home') doesn't appear to have much use, and with the ok button ('return') bringing up the player controls when playing media as well as the real media control buttons on the remote now working properly I think I can map the menu button to 'c' and be good to go.
By memory, on my setup (openelec, using a harmony thats configured as a MCE remote), the "guide" key opens the context menu. But its possible I added that myself, as I dont need a tv guide anyway, I dont recall.
Anyway, glad to hear you are on your way to solving it. Openelec is pretty awesome, you ought to try it.
The guide key on my remote is one of the dead ones.
As soon as Openelec 3.0 final is available I will give it a try first.