Apple iPhone Remote app to control Boxee?

[Gamester17]

Apple has released an "Remote" app for the iPhone and iPod touch.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/remote/
It can be used to control Front Row, iTunes, and the Apple TV.

Would be cool if that could be used to control Boxee.

Could maybe an EventClient be written for XBMC's EventServer?
http://www.xbmc.org/wiki/?title=EventServer
and/or the HTTP API (if two-way communication is needed)?
http://www.xbmc.org/wiki/?title=WebServerHTTP-API

[cjb325]

iPhone remote app would be phenomenally good.

I'm setting up a mac mini media pc, and would love to just use Boxee and my iPhone, rather than switch back and forth between iTunes/iPhone and Boxee/apple remote.

Even if the Boxee iPhone app just emulated the apple remote buttons, it would really simplify my setup. I could have it just boot into Boxee, and never have to see the Finder.

Bonus points if this app could receive "Now Playing" and playlist data on the phone display, so it could be used around the house to control music w/o looking at the screen.

That being said, can't wait for more Boxee updates.

-Chris

[cjb325]

Another thought on using a wifi based remote vs keyboard or IR - I think it would be pretty powerful to be able to sync multiple devices. It just dawned on me that between my girlfriend I there are two macbooks, a mac mini, and an desktop pc running Ubuntu scattered around our house. It'd be really slick if these devices could all play the same content simultaneously, controlled by one remote.

[rex]

If it's easier, boxee could run a little web server and provide a web-based remote. Obviously couldn't be as slick as it might be if it were a full fledged app, but IMO could be really useful while being relatively easy to hack together.

VLC does something like this already... In VLC, you can turn on the Web Interface, which by default launches a web server on port 8080. You can then go on another computer on your network and remotely control VLC... Play/Pause, FF/Rewind, even pick another item from the playlist. This already works in Mobile Safari on the iPhone! But I'm working on modifying the theme to work better on the iPhone, or iPod touch for that matter.

Boxee should consider this approach! A full-fledged iPhone native app could come later.

[Gamester17]

@rex, XBMC (the framework base that Boxee uses) already comes with a WebServer, an Web API, and Web site/page for it that works as a remote interface, and there also several third-party people who have developed version of this designed to run on PDA, Sony PSP, and yes even the iPhone and iPod touch, ...but that is not what my feature request was about, my request was for Boxee to be control nativly by the Apple iPhone Remote app.

[Siberia]

This would definitely be a great implementation to achieve as I have been using iTunes in overtime since the remote app came out and it has made the whole experience a great deal more integrated. Although I wouldn't use it as a keyboard, a really solid UI could be made for it that combines iPod Touch/iPhone UI with boxee.

[Siberia]

Sorry to post again but I decided to just mock up something I thought would bring the boxee usability and feel to the iPhone/iPod Touch. Nothing special but just wondering what people would think would be the most important features.

Rought First Idea
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2...idesignme4.jpg

Rough Reccomendations
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/3...design2sk7.jpg

The idea was that the green links when pressed take you to the desired directory, file or profile page in the case of last.fm profiles.

[idan]

hey guys,

this is a good idea.

having said that, i don't think (and i have to say that i also dont really know) the apple iphone remote can pair and control an application which is not itunes based.

but an implementation as mentioned above can surely increase the usablity of boxee. @siberia, very good job! really has the boxee look and feel.

can't wait to use it

idan

[Gamester17]

Checkout:
http://code.google.com/p/iphone-xbmc-controller/
and
http://code.google.com/p/xbmciphone/

isn't open source great ...two separate project for this

[Siberia]

Excellent I'm going to have to check this out ASAP although it'd be nice to see it be an official app too. Thanks Gamster