[buzzard2020]

Hi im just getting my setup put together and need some input on what remotes and wireless keyboards you guys are using. Would like a remote which will control most functions for the wife/kids to use and wireless keyboard for day to day use and setting up, would like a trackpad included.

Is anyone out there using a programable touchscreen remote.

Any suggestions, pics, links would be greatfully appreciated.

[jhsrennie]

1. What operating system - Windows, XBMC Live, Mac?
2. Do you want a universal remote or a remote just for XBMC

JR

[TapRackPull]

As far as keyboards are concerned, you might check this thread.

Many people use the Harmony line of remotes. Myself among them. The benefit is that it can replace 'nearly' every remote in your home and many have programmable touch screen buttons for ease of use. I use the Harmony One and FLIRC. This set up makes it so that XBMC sees the remote as a keyboard. I found it to be easier to fine tune this way to my needs. Many other users buy an infrared red dongle (RC6). There is no right way to do it.

I would be happy to share with you the specifics of how my remote is set-up if you choose to go down the same road.

There is a forum thread regarding FLIRC as well.

[crooksy]

Why not pick up a second hand iPod Touch and install one of the many XBMC apps that are out there. It's the best remote you could use for around the house and you can customize it just how you like.

[buzzard2020]

Cheers for the info, sorry for the lack of details I will using XBMC on a windows 7 based machine. I like the sound of the touch remotes so i'll be checking out that route. Any one else have any suggestions?

[Aelius]

With the ipod touch remote app, is there a way to play all in a playlist or for a TV series for example rather than having to select them individually?

[jhsrennie]

I like the sound of the touch remotes so i'll be checking out that route. Any one else have any suggestions?

If you want an IR remote see http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Remote_Control_Reviews. The favourite remotes are the original Microsoft remote and the HP, but all the remotes that use the Microsoft eHome driver are good. The cheaper remotes emulate a keyboard i.e. when you press a button Windows thinks you've pressed a key on the keyboard. Of these the VRC-1100 is pretty good and widely available.

If you later want to use a universal remote like a Harmony, the IR receivers from the MS, HP and ORtek remotes will all work fine. I'm currently using a Harmony 300 handset with the IR receiver from the ORtek remote.

JR

[Nacmacfeegle]

My favoured remote is currently via an apple touch screen, using XBMC Commander.
I use this with my phones (3g and an IP4) and an Ipad 1.
I also like XBMC constellation a lot, but it has issues on my 3g and its still being tweaked a bit by the original developers.

Swimbo and sons find these very easy to use, just scroll through your display of movie covers on the touch screen, prod the one you want to watch and away you go. Both apps are capable of presenting scraped data, fanart, covers etc on your hand held. Both apps happily wake up and send to sleep my Acer Revo 3610 which is currently my living room HTPC. Both apps support gestures so you can also navigate XBMC as if you were using mouse/keyboard.

Both these apps have support threads over on the 'supplemental tools' forum.

I have to say I seldom watch TV shows via XBMC, and use other devices for music playback (Squeezebox with Ipeng). My set up is primarily used for watching movies only, so I'm not sure about on the fly playlist building.

[crooksy]

With the ipod touch remote app, is there a way to play all in a playlist or for a TV series for example rather than having to select them individually?

Yes, there are a couple of really good apps, the one I use most is this http://www.collect3.com.au/xbmc-remote/. Xbmc-commander is good but it doesn't allow the same custom remote control configurations as the Collect3 app.

For example in the remote control screen you can customize the button layout and add in your own (you can even resize the buttons and move them around). For my config I added a "playlist" button and a "+" button that will allow me to add items to the playlist and then pull the playlist up, when you select a playlist item from the list it should automatically move onto the next.

You can even create your own buttons for other http commands.

With the app it can display all your TV, Movies and Music artwork and info within the iPod screen, you can even pull up the iPod keyboard and use it instead of the XBMC keyboard (I also added a button to this in the app remote control screen).

The good thing I find about the iPod Touch over tablets and other remotes is that it feels nice in the hand and is the right size for a remote with many other great benefits. I certainly don't use my iPod Touch as it was intended (I hate iTunes) and it didn't break the bank since I bought mine second hand from a friend