RemoteSupport
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As an example, the "play" function can be called: * "PLAY" (streamzap), * "PLAY_DOWN" and "PLAY_UP" (animax), * "Play" (mceusb), ... This has the major drawback to force each user to create a new lircrc file which matches his remote's signal names. The result for UMC would be: X remotes * 2 files = 2 X (ie for 10 remotes => 20 files) |
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This has the major drawback to force each user to create a new lircrc file which matches his remote's signals. * The smart solution is so to standardise a common naming.This allows: * to still have as many "lircd.conf.<remote-name>" files as remotes supported |
* The smart solution is to standardise a common naming, having the same signal names used in every "lircd.conf.*". This means that: * we have as many "lircd.conf.<remote-name>" files as remotes supported |
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The result for UMC would be: (X remotes * 1 file) + 1 file = X + 1 (ie for 10 remotes => 11 files) |
Summary
A good remote control support is a must for a Media Center.
As we all know, whatever the base software is, remote control support will come through [http://www.lirc.org/ LIRC].
Some facts
- LIRC is configured through 2 files:
the "lircd.conf.<remote-name>" file, which describes the hardware bindings: pressing this key generates this signal. There is one file per supported remote.
- the ".lircrc" configuration file, which describes the user's binding: receiving this signal generate sthis action.
the first problem is that LIRC doesn't have a common key naming scheme [http://www.arcknowledge.com/gmane.comp.hardware.lirc/2005-01/msg00168.html read this, point a)] As an example, the "play" function can be called:
- "PLAY" (streamzap),
- "PLAY_DOWN" and "PLAY_UP" (animax),
- "Play" (mceusb), ...
The result for UMC would be: X remotes * 2 files = 2 X (ie for 10 remotes => 20 files)
- The smart solution is to standardise a common naming, having the same signal names used in every "lircd.conf.*". This means that:
we have as many "lircd.conf.<remote-name>" files as remotes supported
- But only 1 .lircrc file for all users, using sub sections.
The result for UMC would be: (X remotes * 1 file) + 1 file = X + 1 (ie for 10 remotes => 11 files)
- UMC will try to support the maximum number of remote controls,
- but since only USB and TV-card bundled ones can be autodetected, only these will be supported out-of-the-box
- serial remote controls will be selectable through a list at installation time. This operation obviously implies the use of a keyboard!
Implementation
Remote support will be implemented using the above solution/simplification. For each UMC supported remote, the "<remote-name>.lirc" file must have been standardised.
A ".lircrc" must be created for the media center software (ie [https://core.fluendo.com/elisa/trac/browser/trunk/elisa/core/plugins/data/streamzap.lirc Elisa Streamzap support])
the minimum set (milestone 1) of supported remote is equal to LIRC's [http://www.lirc.org/ commercially supported remote]. That is to say:
Name |
Type (USB, serial, TV card bundled) |
Standardised |
Anir Multimedia Magic |
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ATI/NVidia/X10 I & II RF Remote |
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Bluetooth mobile phones |
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Creative iNFRA CDROM |
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Creative Infra Receiver/CIMR100 |
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Creative LiveDrive |
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Iguanaworks serial port transceiver |
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Iguanaworks USB transceiver |
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InnovationOne's COMMANDIR USB Transceiver |
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Ira (InfraRed Adapter) |
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IRdeo |
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Irman |
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IR Trans |
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Logitech/AST |
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X10 MP3 Anywhere RF receiver |
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Packard Bell receiver |
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PCMAK |
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Pinnacle Systems PCTV (pro) receiver |
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REALmagic by Sigma Designs |
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Remotec Multimedia PC Remote BW6130 |
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Sasem OnAir Remocon-V |
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Silitek SM-1000 |
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Sound Blaster Extigy/Audigy 2 NX |
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Soundgraph iMON |
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Streamzap PC Remote |
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Tira |
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Windows Media Center Remote (new and old version) |
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X10 MouseRemote |
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Remote controls bundled with TV cards |
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Miro PCTV receiver |
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Technisat MediaFocus I |
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IrDA compatible hardware |
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Built-in IrDA ports (SIR mode, available in notebooks) |
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Actisys Act200L |
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Actisys Act220L(+) |
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Tekram Irmate 210 |
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Note: this should match the set of file in the [http://lirc.cvs.sourceforge.net/lirc/lirc/remotes/ lirc source code].
- milestone 2: provide a basic irrecord like GUI for other remotes.
Note: I'm not sure about what to do with the [http://www.lirc.org/remotes.tar.bz2 remotes mega archive]
Hardware recommendation
The project should recommend some remote controls based upon the following criterion:
- the remote control can be easily found worldwide,
- the remote control can be autedetected by Ubuntu (preferably USB),
- the remote control is built / sold by an ubuntu friendly manufacturer / reseller (, ie
- which provides official support to LIRC,
which has [http://www.ubuntu.com/partners/certification/hardware certified its hardware with Ubuntu] (to be discussed with Malcom Yates)
- which provides an Ubuntu sticker (lobbying with the Marketing Team)
References
MediaCenter/RemoteSupport (last edited 2008-08-06 16:33:38 by localhost)