Windows Remote Control

[gmeleski]

Like many people, I use a Microsoft Media Center Remote Control.

What and where can we find the mappings for this device as only a few of the keys seem to perform any function.

For instance, the actual volume buttons do nothing and etc.

Regards,

Gary Meleski

[arvind]

See this other topic as well
http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=2738&page=2

The MCE remote seems to simulate the AppleTV remote. So you have 6 keys - directional, enter and escape.

When playing any media, hit the (c)enter button to bring up a media menu, where you can pause and control media playback. Use escape ("Clear" in my MCE remote) to go out of that menu. When not displaying the media menu in the "Now playing" screen, you can use up and down to control volume.

Try out these 6 keys, they work pretty well for me.

[gmeleski]

See this other topic as well
http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=2738&page=2

The MCE remote seems to simulate the AppleTV remote. So you have 6 keys - directional, enter and escape.

When playing any media, hit the (c)enter button to bring up a media menu, where you can pause and control media playback. Use escape ("Clear" in my MCE remote) to go out of that menu. When not displaying the media menu in the "Now playing" screen, you can use up and down to control volume.

Try out these 6 keys, they work pretty well for me.

Yes, thank you. But in a previous post in the "Apple" section, it clearly states that Boxee supports the MCE remote "out-of-the-box". I don't think (6) buttons constitutes full support.

I know there are .xml mappings out there or whatever that actually allow the FULL use of this Remote as it was intended, I.E. with volume, page up, page down, back, forward and on and on.

Why doesn't Boxee have these already fully supported ? Or where can I download the mappings as surely someone on the APPLE side has run accross the same thing. I mean really, these are "standard" remotes and should have been included with full control instead of some crazy (6) button mapping !

I think the general concept of Boxee is GREAT. But c'mon, don't make the average user do complex mappings for common remotes. Geeeez.

Regards,

Gary Meleski

[bripab007]

Dude...it's an ALPHA-STAGE piece of software you're using for FREE.

[gmeleski]

Dude...it's an ALPHA-STAGE piece of software you're using for FREE.

By the way, my name is "Gary", not "Dude".

I am posting all the problems I am finding as an ALPHA tester and if the team can't handle the way I do it, they should get thicker skin.

I'm trying to help, my friend.

Many regards,

"Gary" (not dude) Meleski

[arvind]

Gary, point understood. Clearly, there's a void in the user experience for a user such as yourself. Like bripab007 said, this software is in Alpha and your void may be filled by the time a final release is ready. However, if you've followed progress on the other Alphas (Mac/AppleTV) then you'd know not to wait around for this in the near future. There are simply too much other good things we users are still waiting on (Netflix!)

[bripab007]

...if the team can't handle the way I do it, they should get thicker skin.

This, coming from a guy who's become wound up after being called "dude?"

[dday]

There is nothing wrong with reporting problems/suggestions to a team who has released their product to a group of users. HOWEVER, there is a proper way to report such issues. You (gmeleski) obviously don't understand that.

Oh, and it DOES support the MCE remote "out of the box" - just not EVERY SINGLE LITTLE BUTTON ON THE REMOTE!

[gmeleski]

There is nothing wrong with reporting problems/suggestions to a team who has released their product to a group of users. HOWEVER, there is a proper way to report such issues. You (gmeleski) obviously don't understand that.

Oh, and it DOES support the MCE remote "out of the box" - just not EVERY SINGLE LITTLE BUTTON ON THE REMOTE!

Well, there you just reinforced what I said at the top of the thread.

The MCE remote is not fully supported.

I'm sorry if I ruffled your feathers.

Regards,

Gary

[tsella]

gentlemen, thanks for all the comments.

you make some very good points here:

1. MCE remote works (to an extent)
2. not all MCE keys are mapped
3. this is alpha (to be exact, this is a private alpha, which comes before our open alpha, as far as the our holistic view of what the public alpha should have, which includes fuller keymap support for remote, for instance)

we have an open ticket regarding missing functionality in the remote, which will be resolved probably as soon as the next private alpha comes out.

cheers,
tom

[giovanisp]

gentlemen, thanks for all the comments.

you make some very good points here:

1. MCE remote works (to an extent)
2. not all MCE keys are mapped
3. this is alpha (to be exact, this is a private alpha, which comes before our open alpha, as far as the our holistic view of what the public alpha should have, which includes fuller keymap support for remote, for instance)

we have an open ticket regarding missing functionality in the remote, which will be resolved probably as soon as the next private alpha comes out.

cheers,
tom

hi Tom, congratulations on the *amazing* work you are doing on Boxee (all platforms). It's very difficult to see a startup with limited resources to handle such development with the quality you are delivering (and fast).

Regarding the MCE remote, is there any way to workaround the key mapping while the next alpha doesn't comes out? I am giving some demos here on TFF using windows (but at the same time trying to convince my wife to leave Windows Media Center :-) and mapping some other remote keys would help a lot on usability...

cheers
giovani (rome)

[arvind]

Regarding the MCE remote, is there any way to workaround the key mapping while the next alpha doesn't comes out?

Giovanni, also check this thread http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=2738&page=2

Mr. D has posted some useful info about mapping your keys, it's in there.

[shockem17]

The MCE remote works fine, it's just about getting used to different controls.

up down left right and the center button work well. and the 'clear' button works as the 'back' button. the volume buttons will still control the system volume, but volume controls are available through the boxee interface when watching a video by pressing up and down.

it would be nice if there was a program that could change the key mappings of the buttons based on the program that was running.

but other than that, there really isn't much to complain about.. what other buttons really need to be used? sure the media keys would be nice, but it's not like it's inaccessible by using the boxee interface.

[gmeleski]

The MCE remote works fine, it's just about getting used to different controls.

up down left right and the center button work well. and the 'clear' button works as the 'back' button. the volume buttons will still control the system volume, but volume controls are available through the boxee interface when watching a video by pressing up and down.

it would be nice if there was a program that could change the key mappings of the buttons based on the program that was running.

but other than that, there really isn't much to complain about.. what other buttons really need to be used? sure the media keys would be nice, but it's not like it's inaccessible by using the boxee interface.


Ok you are right. You have won. I guess that is the way Boxee is supposed to operate. I mean, what the heck, 6 buttons on a full remote working. Good job.

It must be a massive effort to actually map the "Volume" buttons to adjust the volume, the "forward and reverse" buttons to actually jump forward and backward, the "Home" button to actually go to the home page, the "page up and down" to scan by page through your library, and on and on.

Must be well beyond the knowledge of the programmers so they got lazy and decided to take the easy way out. See that crap all the time.

Well, have fun with your (6) button remotes !

Regards,

Gary

[catholicbeer]

Is Gary volunteering to write the button mapping for Boxee? I am willing to help test if he is... otherwise I certainly wouldn't want to see more important features neglected for the sake of something so simple and straightforward that it could easily be added by a third party-community effort... ;)

[deaconvena]

gmelski: have you tried the instructions in this thread to get the functionality you're looking for in the timebeing?

http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=3816

this might also help: http://www.lmgestion.net/@en-us/4/22/60/article.asp