Hey there!
I recently upgraded from an old Ubuntu (12.something) running XBMC Gotham (13.something) to Linux Mint 17.1 (Rebecca), and I've run into a couple of issues to which I not only have no solution, but also not much of a clue where to even start looking. Maybe somebody here can give me a hint or point me into the right direction? (Wouldn't even surprise me if a single checkbox could help me out… ;-) )
So Kodi was easy enough to install and get working, and works great as expected—with two exceptions. This post's about the first: my remote control isn't behaving as it did before my upgrade.
I have a cheap-o IR "MCE"-remote (it's
actually this one). On Gotham/Ubuntu, I plugged in the USB of the IR and the remote worked. I could control videos with play and pause, forward and rewind them; change the volume (of XBMC); navigate the menus; record TV and change channels at the touch of a button.
Of course, when XBMC wasn't running, the controls were much more limited: Controlling the OS via remote allowed for only such basic functions like controlling the volume (the system-wide one) or using the arrow-keys.
With Helix/Mint, it seems that the OS is
always receiving (and interpreting) the "keystrokes" sent by the remote–
even when Kodi is running. As you can imagine, that's quite a nuisance: while it is possible to control videos (by pressing enter and navigating to the appropriate buttons on the on-screen menu), it is somewhat cumbersome and not what I expected. One more tell-tale sign that Kodi doesn't seem to be receiving the keystrokes: volume changes affect the system-wide level, not the Kodi, "internal" level.
Did I forget to switch something on (or off)? Or does the issue lie with the OS?
I know it's not the hardware since, as I said, the exact same hardware used to work a couple of days ago before the upgrade.
I made sure tho activate, under "System -> Settings -> Services -> Remote control", the option "Allow programs on this system to control Kodi".
Any ideas?
Thanks for your help!
Nicola
I think it's a limitation in however input devices have changed in v14. Ubuntu has the same issue. I'm not a dev, so I don't know any of the technical reasons. I've simply been told that the new way we handle input devices Kodi doesn't receive those keys before the OS-set shortcuts do. A temp workaround on Ubuntu was to "un-map" the media shortcut keys. I'm not sure where to change this in Mint, but if I find out, I'll post here.
I'm not sure if there's a way to return control to Kodi when it is active, without removing the system wide-shortcuts.
Hey!
(2015-01-09, 19:08)Ned Scott Wrote: [ -> ]I think it's a limitation in however input devices have changed in v14. Ubuntu has the same issue.
Thanks: Knowing it appears to be changed behaviour helps me narrow it down!
Quote:I'm not a dev, so I don't know any of the technical reasons. I've simply been told that the new way we handle input devices Kodi doesn't receive those keys before the OS-set shortcuts do. A temp workaround on Ubuntu was to "un-map" the media shortcut keys. I'm not sure where to change this in Mint, but if I find out, I'll post here.
I'm not sure if there's a way to return control to Kodi when it is active, without removing the system wide-shortcuts.
To be honest, I don't care to control the OS via remote—that's not something I want to do anyway. ;-) I'll check how to "un-map" (as you put it) the media keys in Mint; where exactly is the option buried in Ubuntu?
I'll keep this thread updated for future reference for sure.
Thanks,
Nicola
Why not just install lirc / lirc-utils or whatever its called on Mint. Copy the included mce remote config to /etc/lirc/lircd.conf or just create a new file /etc/lirc/lircd.conf and add this:
include "usr/share/lirc/mceusb/lircd.conf.mceusb" <--double check this first maybe it's on different location on mint.
run ir-keytable -p LIRC
and you are all set. I've been using this for years on Archlinux with HP mce remote.
(2015-01-09, 20:15)decaturguy Wrote: [ -> ]Why not just install lirc / lirc-utils or whatever its called on Mint. Copy the included mce remote config to /etc/lirc/lircd.conf or just create a new file /etc/lirc/lircd.conf and add this:
include "usr/share/lirc/mceusb/lircd.conf.mceusb" <--double check this first maybe it's on different location on mint.
run ir-keytable -p LIRC
and you are all set. I've been using this for years on Archlinux with HP mce remote.
Thanks for the tip and instructions! In case I don't figure out any other way, I'll give it a try; I tried to avoid LIRC up until now.
Thing is, I'm kind of surprised that it used to work out of the box on a previous version, and now it simply doesn't. I'm sure there should be a way to get it back to working. (Or, at the very least, an explanation on why it has changed / been removed.)
Nicola
same issue here after frest install of kodi, using an aureal remote (from Deal....). Before wih Gotham the remote works out of the box.
Now, volume control is volume system and play/pause, stop, forward buttons do not work. I have downgraded to Gotham until there is a fix.
(2015-01-14, 08:35)joselbcn33 Wrote: [ -> ]same issue here after frest install of kodi, using an aureal remote (from Deal....). Before wih Gotham the remote works out of the box.
Now, volume control is volume system and play/pause, stop, forward buttons do not work. I have downgraded to Gotham until there is a fix.
Thanks for the update, nice to know I'm not alone out there. ;-)
I've been thinking about toying around with LIRC; will keep you updated as to how it turns out (give me a couple of days though).
Nicola
There won't be a fix ... A fix is to tell your window manager to not grap those keys. when kodi is started from a full blown desktop, we take care for desktop set buttons.
Hello!
(2015-01-14, 12:38)fritsch Wrote: [ -> ]There won't be a fix ... A fix is to tell your window manager to not grap those keys. when kodi is started from a full blown desktop, we take care for desktop set buttons.
Any pointers as to how to do that?
Even if there are reasons behind such a change (and I'm sure there are!), it can be quite disappointing for users when a feature that used to work out of the box now just doesn't anymore. Especially for new users, getting their beloved behaviour back can be quite daunting. :-(
Nicola
Basically it was not a feature, it was some outdated lib, that highly interefered with everything (refreshrate switching, multi monitor, input, etc.) ...
Unbind play / pause / stop with your window manager keyboard shortcut settings and all is fine.
If you don't need a window manager, start kodi from the login session.
This is not just a problem with IR remotes. I use a 2.4GHz wireless remote which worked fine on XBMC running in Linux Mint Mate 17. Now that I have upgraded to Kodi, half my buttons no longer work, including the essential Play/Pause and Volume controls. The reason they do not work, as far as I can see, is that there are two ID numbers for these devices (it's the same with wireless keyboards) and only the first ID number is being accepted.
Fritsch, why woulld you consider unbinding the keyboard shortcuts from my windows manager as a viable solution? I use Guayadeque to manage my music library and play the music and my remote works just fine in that. A solution of more use to me would be instructions on how to roll back to XBMC Gotham where everything was working!
Get a remote thats not a keyboard.
Install and configure Lirc.
I am so glad we have lirc. You are in complete control of your remote.
(2015-03-05, 08:45)FishOil Wrote: [ -> ]Get a remote thats not a keyboard.
I use a wireless remote instead of an IR remote because the TV box is in a cabinet out of site of the remote so I find your remark totally unhelpful! Lets not get into a discussion about why it is in the cabinet, suffice to say it can't go anywhere else.
Why is it that Kodi can capture button presses on the first ID of the remote but not on the second? Is there no way to create a client that will capture key presses from both ID's and map them to the first ID? Other people have this problem, is there no-one out there with the expertise to help us out?
Hi guys, I too have this problem running Xubuntu 18 on Mac Mini. When I open Kodi the apple remote still controls the OS volume but no keystrokes work within Kodi! Any advice would be most welcome. Thanks.