[pko66]

I just recently got this remote+ir reciever.

I would not recommend it.
The reciever is detected as a HID keyboard and mouse. LIRC cannot decode any IR from this device.
It also does NOT support key repeat except for on the volume control. This is annoying when scrolling lists (you cannot hold the button)

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=805876

The one I received from dealextreme works differently. All keys (or most) autorepeat, and the codes are different. I've done what it says at that ubuntuforums.org link (not exactly like that but I get similar results, I could explain if someone needs it)

Mostly works although the problem is that some keys do not map as a "single key" but as a combination, for example pressing "close" gives TWO keys, KEY_LEFTALT and KEY_F4 (something like pressing Alt-F4 in a real keyboard, only that lirc receives both two distinct keys). Or "rewind", produces 4 keys: LEFTSHIFT, LEFTCONTROL, LEFT and B. If lirc receives a "KEY_LEFT" signal, there is no way to determine if the user has pressed "left" or "rewind" (if pressed "rewind" it will ALSO receive "KEY_LEFTCTRL", "KEY_LEFTSHIFT" and "KEY_B", but I believe XBMC/lirc architecture does not allow to differenciate)


All that makes impossible to uniquely identify 6 keys, and 2 other keys (power and numlock) plus the simulated "mouse" never reach LIRC. The result is still pretty good, since there are still 29 different functions, and since there is a really cheap device (less than 7€ including P&P to anywhere in Europe) and the receiver is not very intrusive, I think is not a bad option. Also, you can use other programmable remotes simply by cloning the signals from this one.

The usable keys as seen running irw in a console are:
first two rows:
[power unusable in lirc]
KEY_MAIL
KEY_HOMEPAGE
KEY_F4 [D]

KEY_F1
KEY_F2
KEY_F3
KEY_D KEY_4 KEY_F4 [D]

The two "mouse buttons":
BTN_LEFT
BTN_RIGHT

next two rows:
KEY_PREVIOUSSONG
KEY_PLAYPAUSE
KEY_NEXTSONG

KEY_B KEY_LEFT [D]
KEY_STOPCD
KEY_F KEY_RIGHT [D]

the two "up/down" and "full screen":
KEY_VOLUMEUP
KEY_VOLUMEDOWN

KEY_3

KEY_PAGEUP
KEY_PAGEDOWN

the next 4 rows (the fifth one later):
KEY_MUTE
KEY_E
KEY_BACKSPACE

KEY_TAB
KEY_UP
KEY_LEFTMETA [D]

KEY_LEFT [D]
KEY_ENTER
KEY_RIGHT [D]

KEY_O
KEY_DOWN
KEY_ESC

The last row. If you press "num lock", the signal never reaches lirc, but changes the function of other keys... so do not press it :-D
[num lock unusable in lirc]
KEY_TAB [D]
KEY_D [D]

[D] means the function appears also when pressing another button but it is usable (simply that button is a duplicate of another one)
[R] means the function appear also when pressing another button but cannot be easily used as a duplicate.

This is my current Lircmap.xml (to be copied to ~/.xbmc/userdata o to be appended to /usr/share/xbmc/system/Lircmap.xml), there are still 5 keys I haven't decided how to program (see picture):

<lircmap>
<remote device="devinput">
<Left>KEY_LEFT</Left>
<Right>KEY_RIGHT</Right>
<Up>KEY_UP</Up>
<Down>KEY_DOWN</Down>
<Select>KEY_ENTER</Select>
<VolumeUp>KEY_VOLUMEUP</VolumeUp>
<VolumeDown>KEY_VOLUMEDOWN</VolumeDown>
<Mute>KEY_MUTE</Mute>
<BackSpace>KEY_BACKSPACE</BackSpace>
<Pause>KEY_PLAYPAUSE</Pause>
<stop>KEY_STOPCD</stop>
<SkipPrevious>KEY_PREVIOUSSONG</SkipPrevious>
<SkipNext>KEY_NEXTSONG</SkipNext>
<Info>KEY_MAIL</Info>
<display>KEY_3</display>
<mymusic>KEY_F1</mymusic>
<myvideo>KEY_F2</myvideo>
<mypictures>KEY_F3</mypictures>
<power>KEY_F4</power>
<power>KEY_D</power>
<pageplus>KEY_PAGEUP</pageplus>
<pageminus>KEY_PAGEDOWN</pageminus>
<back>BTN_RIGHT</back>
<menu>BTN_LEFT</menu>
<title>KEY_HOMEPAGE</title>
</remote>
</lircmap>

The duplicates are 2 keys for "menu", 3 for "power" and 2 for "left/right". The two "unused" ones will be duplicates of two of the currently undefined (or be left with no function)