Easy learning remote configuration

[Globby]

Started on: 2007-11-03
last update: 2007-11-03

Summary: Simple Basic Remote control learning easy configuration

Area: Input devices

Description: Just tried to switch from Meedio to Media Portal (which is way better by the way !).. Unfortunately, I've spent something like 3 hours trying to make my remote control to work (unknown brand, it just emulates various keyboard key pressed... ).. still with no luck.. doesn't work.. It took maybe 5 minutes in Meedio, thanks to its very easy automated learning capability (press the button for 'Play'.. Press the button for Pause, etc... )

Couldn't find any easy learn function...If that feature already exists in Media portal, it really needs to be pushed forward !!...

[Spragleknas]

I believe you can do that with IR Server Suite - if you have the right receiver.
- First you learn the IR-codes and name it.
- Then you asaign the name of the IR code to the preferred action (map your keys)

Oh, and welcome over...

[Globby]

Originally Posted by Spragleknas

I believe you can do that with IR Server Suite - if you have the right receiver.
- First you learn the IR-codes and name it.
- Then you asaign the name of the IR code to the preferred action (map your keys)

Oh, and welcome over...

Thanks :-)

Well, I'll give that a try..

but the thing is : Don't get me wrong, I know I'll eventually manage to configure the whole thing, but I've been programming computers for 20 years (Just realized how old I am.. ouch !! ) , I'm quite experienced, and usually pretty good at configuring software (Started using Linux back in 97, and THAT required some serious configuration skills ) ... So, what I'm trying to tell is that, if a guy like me couldn't manage to configure a simple remote control, imagine how a computer newbie would have done ! I'm not saying 'if I couldn't, it's because the program is bad'.. I'm saying that to help improving MP. Looking for answers, I've seen in some french forums a lot of people complaining about configuring MP... I'm pretty sure a lot of casual-computer-user might have given up on using it because of configuration issues.. Don't you think ?

Maybe it would simply need a simple configuration wizard tool... So that, basic users, might configure the app in an easy way... Simply by answering simple questions...
A well know rule is that 80% of the users will only use 20% of the program's features... On MP, for instance, I would take a wild guess and say that 80% of users only want to watch their movies (vids or DVD) and listen to their music using their remote control... maybe add the picture-viewing, but that's it !! All the other features are (nice) bonuses... A lot of options could be groupped..
Take that scenario : if a guy wants to start MP automatically when Windows starts : Chances are he's building a Media-PC that is connected to his TV.. So, yes, he most likely also wants start it fullscreen, yes, he wants to disable XP's balloon tips (Who wouldn't in that case ?), yes, he wants MP to stay in focus (quite obvious no ?), and yes, he wants to have a built in screen saver to dim the display (not to burn his big LCD/Plasma TV) etc... All those options could be automatically set just based on one question/answer to the user ... (of course, still leaving an 'Advanced configuration tool' for advanced users)...
Same thing for remote controls... Displaying a list of known remote controls + an 'other..' category that includes a 'Automated learning' + a direct web-link to all the known remote plugins

Now, I'm not only criticizing.. As I said, I'm a programmer, and I'd be glad to help on the project !

... Actually, being a real-time programmer (I program commercial video games on various game-consoles), I think I could better help on optimizing the whole navigation issue (it's extremely slow on my machine, almost 1 to 3 second s delay between a key press and MP's reacting to it !!).. I'll download the source code pretty soon and study it