IR Remotes

[StHapns247]

Windows 8, with the tiles interface, looks perfect for a large TV and remote control. I have been trying to get my Mediagate IR Media Center remote working with Windows 8. In the past, on Windows 7, I've used EventGhost to map all the buttons to keyboard presses, but it seems like Windows 8 it capturing different commands every time the same button is pressed, making it impossible to map a button to a key.

The model number is HA-IR01SV.

I know Windows 8 as only been out for 2 full days, but I thought maybe we could get a discussion going about remotes that work with Windows 8 and work arounds that people have come up with.

Thanks.

[crawfish]

Windows 8, with the tiles interface, looks perfect for a large TV and remote control.

Metro is not a 10' interface. It is a touch interface, and its apps are designed for touch. The tiles can be big because they are designed for fat fingers and to avoid large expanses of empty space on the display. Any remote control operation of them is a side-effect of enabling navigation with the arrow keys and selection by pressing Enter on a keyboard; these remote control signals are translated into keypresses, so this part works. However, having a collection of tiles for various media apps is not immediately useful, because there's no coordination. For example, you would typically want to stop one when starting another, and that doesn't just happen automatically. Plus, when you launch a tile, you will typically end up in an app designed for the 1' touch interface, not 10' remote control operation, and you will likely find it's not optimized for the latter. Windows 8 is not the answer to anything in this area. The answer to the 10' interface remains in programs like Media Center and XBMC that contain and coordinate everything and are designed for 10' operation, and since Media Center is on death watch, well...

Another thing: there are no folders in Metro, which means your media apps appear alongside other programs you'd never want to launch with the remote control, and you might not be able to get out of them with the remote control when you launch them by accident.

I have been trying to get my Mediagate IR Media Center remote working with Windows 8. In the past, on Windows 7, I've used EventGhost to map all the buttons to keyboard presses, but it seems like Windows 8 it capturing different commands every time the same button is pressed, making it impossible to map a button to a key.

The model number is HA-IR01SV.

I know Windows 8 as only been out for 2 full days, but I thought maybe we could get a discussion going about remotes that work with Windows 8 and work arounds that people have come up with.

Thanks.

I hope you found some huge advantages in Windows 8 to make up for the headaches. I don't see any advantages in operating tiles with the remote.

[StHapns247]

Metro is not a 10' interface.

But it looks amazing and very coherent on my TV screen.

Another thing: there are no folders in Metro, which means your media apps appear alongside other programs you'd never want to launch with the remote control, and you might not be able to get out of them with the remote control when you launch them by accident.

You can remove any apps from the screen that you do not want.

I hope you found some huge advantages in Windows 8 to make up for the headaches.

The only disadvantage I have found is that my media remote does not work, some sort of driver issue I imagine. Keyboard works great though, so once the remote can be progrmed it will work just as well.

I don't see any advantages in operating tiles with the remote.

Clearly, so why post at all?

I posted in here hoping for constructive advice and accurate comments, not Windows 8 rants.

[crawfish]

Clearly, so why post at all?

I posted in here hoping for constructive advice and accurate comments, not Windows 8 rants.

I did not post a rant. I calmly explained why you're chasing something that may be superficially appealing but has no real value. Feel free to proceed.

[milli260876]

Microsoft clearly thinks MC isn't worthwhile, they probably assume someone will create an "app" and remove the hassle for them. I'd say they see kinect as a future interface as do Samsung et all with their new tvs..
I've got a touchpad which works fine with metro, guess W8 kinda like marmite(you either love it or hate it!).
Think some people need to just realise times are changing and Microsoft want to make money not just please us "enthusiasts".

[kc10boom]

A Kinect based remote would be awesome if you could set it up where you could kick back in the Lazy Boy and use it

[grandad]

Windows 8, with the tiles interface, looks perfect for a large TV and remote control. I have been trying to get my Mediagate IR Media Center remote working with Windows 8. In the past, on Windows 7, I've used EventGhost to map all the buttons to keyboard presses, but it seems like Windows 8 it capturing different commands every time the same button is pressed, making it impossible to map a button to a key.

The model number is HA-IR01SV.

I know Windows 8 as only been out for 2 full days, but I thought maybe we could get a discussion going about remotes that work with Windows 8 and work arounds that people have come up with.

Thanks.

I share your pain on this one! I posted about the same issue in this thread http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... =49&t=3245 I would be really interested to hear if anyone finds a way around it. Currently (and bizarrely) the only remote i can get to work is my Logitech Harmony 555, the remote that shipped with the PC (and therefore the remote that's designed to work with the inbuilt receiver) doesn't work at all and I couldn't get anything mapped with EventGhost either!