[Uoppi]

You can achieve some pretty neat things with software remotes. I've customized the Kodi remote of Unified Remote to suit my use and have automated some stuff by additionally using Tasker on the phone and also some simple batch files and scripts on the PC's end.

So for example, just ONE single tap on a widget straight from my smartphone's home screen automates all of the following (yes, you do have to unlock the phablet first via the fingerprint scanner, which adds maybe ~2 sec to the whole):

- Wake up HTPC from sleep
- Launch Kodi (I can't let Kodi run on the background non-stop due to certain issues with the other software I use)
- Set Kodi volume to a safe base level (so that I don't accidentally blow up my ears if I've got headphones plugged in)
- Power on TV, receiver, DAC and bias backlight from the LAN-controlled Energenie powerstrip
- Switch the smartphone view to my customized Kodi remote

When I'm done watching, a single tap on the off button from the remote quits Kodi, sleeps the PC and powers off all the other peripherals (again via the LAN powerstrip). Also, in case Kodi decides to freeze and hang for whatever reason, Unified Remote has a Quick Switch which you can configure to access Task Manager for example to force close the Kodi process..

Sure, software control lacks button feel which is a huge plus on the physical remotes BUT on the other hand I can label, resize, reshape and recolor my special buttons ("madVR stats, Stats reset, Language, Chapter list, Subs, Playlist, Add to Playlist, Screen mode, Context menu, Info, Exit Kodi, Wake-On-LAN"... phew! )

A hint for anyone wishing to integrate Kodi and MPC remotes in as hassle-free a way as possible: When I briefly tried using MPC-HC, I customized my Unified Remote remote so that I could easily switch between Kodi and MPC remotes by creating a tab onto the remote interface. So both remotes were accessible from within the same remote view at the touch of just one button.

And a warning too: as the automation/customization possibilities are basically limited by your imagination, going the software remote route can be a bottomless time-consuming pit and a loop of endless trial and error, haha (especially with Unified Remote as it's rather poorly documented)!