[pasqualz]

All,

I searched in vain (both on this forum and on Google,) for the existence of a device that would let me turn on a Windows computer with a remote control. I assumed that modern computer motherboards might have a wake on USB mode similar to wake on LAN, but I can't seem to find anything like this. I know, I know, call me lazy and tell me to walk over to my HTPC and press the power button, but it really would complete the home theater experience to be able to turn on & off my XBMC PC from the couch. This feature would put XBMC on a PC squarely above the new breed of media player appliances coming out from companies like Dlink and Linksys. Any input on this functionality would be appreciated!

[Harry Muscle]

The only way that I can think of (and it's also what I'm planning on doing) is to get a USB or PS2 wireless keyboard that uses IR (not RF). Then you need to configure your computer (motherboard BIOS) to allow turning on using the keyboard (some computers allow this some don't). Then you use your universal learning remote to learn the code that the keyboard sends that turns the computer on.

Hopefully that explanation made sense.

Harry

[DragonFly]

I have an Scaleo E Barebone which has a rather old mobo (intel 915). The case has an integrated MCE infrared receiver (on USB) and comes with a regular MCE IR remote control and keyboard.

The BIOS has an option for resume on USB. However, On a standard windows install it would NOT resume from standby invoke by a button press on the remote.

Installing the MCE standby tool (http://slicksolutions.eu/) overcomes this problem. It enchances the powerscheme on XP and makes OS aware of selected devices to resume on stanby. Now I can put my HTPC to sleep an wake up again by one button press on the remote!

Note: Installed it on my other HTPC which has an even older mobo with a seperate serial IR Device and it worked there too.....

Too make a long story short. Probably every motherboard which has some kind of resume from standby setting in the BIOS can be powered off by a remote device like a wireless keyboard or remote.

[roeroe]

I got MCE remote and it can put my computer to sleep/wake up
with the power button

[DragonFly]

Let me explain:

The power schemes in XP vary for each motherboard. It's depended on the BIOS settings, BIOS version, chipset drivers and other hardware ACPI compliant hardware drivers present in your computer.

Devices (mouse, keyboard, nics) that could wake up your computer should have an extra energy tab available, where the user can enable the option to wake up the computer from standby.

In my case and on a default XP install, this tab simply is not available or is available but just nit “ticked”. MST (amongst other things) edits the registry and enhances various power scheme settings. When running MST you can select devices to wakeup your computer. After installing MST and looking in the device properties the Energy tab now is present.

If your MCE device is working "Out of the box" your lucky enough that, for instance your chipset drivers, already have already installed the necessary registry entries to mark your USB devices to wake up your computer. It might also be a third party installed program like PowerCinema or PowerDVD that enables this option.

Anyway, for people unaware of these power options in XP, MST (free) is your friend.