[HowTo] Use Gamepads to control MediaPortal

[waeberd]

Hi folks,

In MP 0.1.3.0, you can use your favourite gamepad to control MediaPortal.
Below is some information to get you started, feedback is welcome (especially in the button-combo part :-) ).

Regards,

Daniel


=======================================

HOW TO ENABLE (basics)


1) Make sure the gamepad you want to use is connected and detected by Windows.
2) Launch MediaPortal Configuration
3) Select "Remote" => "Direct Input" from the tree on the left side
=> the detailscreen for Direct Input appears
4) Check "Enable Direct Input"
5) In the "Direct Input Device" Dropdown, select your favourite gamepad
6) Move the pad / press some buttons and make sure you get displayed information
about that activity in the INFORMATION box below
7) Press OK to confirm your choice


HOW TO USE IN MP


Simply launch MP, the configured gamepad will be activated.
Default mapping:
* x-axis, y-axis: up/down/left/right
* digital buttons ("pov"): up/down/left/right
* button1: ENTER-key
* button2: ESC-key
* button3: STOP-action


HOW TO CONFIGURE:


*) Use the mapping button if you want to change the configuration of your pad
*) Use the "control panel" button if you need to calibrate / verify your pad settings
in Windows
*) Use the "DELAY" setting if you're getting too few / too many events


HOW TO ENABLE BUTTON COMBOS (advanced)

<only in CVS after the 21th of July>
Ok, that's the fun part: Of course you can use the gamepad to launch any myPrograms
item. And you can also use a userdefined button combo to end a launched program.

This is a nice way to quit a launched emulator without having to worry which keystrokes
are needed to quit it!

To activate button-combos, do the following:

1) Enter MediaPortal Configuration
2) Click the "Kill Process" edit field
3) Press the button-combo you wish to assign, keep the buttons pressed
4) While keeping the buttons pressed click the "LEARN"-button (ask your gf if you need
help on this :-) )
=> The edit field is filled with the button-combo signature
5) Optional: repeat 2-4 for the "Close Process" edit field, of course assign a different
button combo on this one


HOW TO USE BUTTON COMBOS

<only in CVS after the 21th of July>
Now if you have myProgram items that are launched with the "WAITFOREXIT"-option turned on,
you can kill the launched program by pressing the combo you've defined before.

The WaitForExit-Option must be activated, otherwise this does not work.

[Dazzyb2K3]

This should be made sticky, it's a great feature - clear instructions too

[tkortell]

Yes, nice feature

I was thinking of getting myself a gamepad but I don't know what would be a good one to get. So if anyone could suggest a great gamepad for snes games and stuff I would appreciate it


thanks / Tomas

[Dazzyb2K3]

My setup is running in the living room 24/7 and as the wife goes mad everytime I produce something else with a wire hanging from it, my only option was to go wireless - got myself a logitech firestorm wireless pad. Not quite as responsive as wired but pretty good. Dual analog/thumpad, plenty of buttons and it's not bad on batteries.

If you're not bothered about the wires then you can's beat the old playstation pad (you can get adaptors for the PC).

[kaburke]

Are buttons combos limited to being used to kill apps? Can I map a non-combo to kill an app?

[waeberd]

Originally Posted by kaburke

Are buttons combos limited to being used to kill apps?
Can I map a non-combo to kill an app?

I'm working on extended mapping of button combos...

You should be able to map a single button-click to kill an app, yes.

(my fave pads:
1) Original PS2 pad with an usb-adaptor. Yes it's wired, yes it's clumsy with the adaptor but it's cheap and very reliable!!
2) For retro: Competition Pro USB!!
Just my 2 cents ;-) )

Regards,

Daniel

[sickboy]

Hi Daniel,

Two things I noticed.
1. after launching a PC game it's not possible to exit it with "Kill Precess" or "Close Process".
2. after closing a PC game (the old way ) the gamepad don't work in MP. I have to restart MP to get it working again.

But for all the Emus this is a great thing. I had problems before to close mame and znesw with my remote. Now with this new feature - no problem. Thanks for that.

bye, sick

[waeberd]

Hi sickboy,

(great reports as usual.... thanks man!!)

I found an issue:
If you launch a game using a LNK (Windows Link) the things you describe happen. Gotta check why!
Can you please try and launch the game directly
(by adding the EXE directly, and probably by adding the "%FILEDIR%" option to the "Startup Directory" field)?

Do you have the problem when not using the LNK-trick? If yes, on what game?

Cheers,

Daniel

[sickboy]

Hi Daniel,

if I launch the games directly, I have no problems. Except one game Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project. I can't exit this game.
GTA3/Vice City/San Andreas, NHL/NBA/FIFA2004, Simpsons: Hit & Run work fine.

Another thing, I played a bit with the settings, the games and my pad, and MP lost the settings twice. I don't know why, but I will try to reproduce.

[moltas]

Question from a total game-pad-newbie. Is it possible to have the MCE remote and a remote game pad working simultaneously? I would (read "my wife would") like to use the MCE remote for TV, Videos etc but a real game pad for Mame type of games.

/Moltas