Media center remote

[silverbullet07]

I have some question on recommended media center remote controls. I purchased the Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250 which came with a media center remote and found it does not seem to be able to be programmed to turn on or off my TV. It also will not wake up the PC.

I would like a remote to be able to do all the media center functions and turn on and off the TV, control TV volume and wake my pc up. Any suggestions on a non complicated remote that is easy to use?

Thanks

[mdavej]

Inteset INT422, OARUSB04G, Xsight Color are all simple cheap remotes that can do it all.

Wake could be simply an incorrect setting. Solve that before you get a new remote.

[silverbullet07]

I took a look at the One for All site and reviewed the Simple 4 and Xsite. I saw OARUSB04G listed at Amazon but not on One for All site. Do you have to teach the media center controls to the remote or are they already there? I did not quite understand the specifications but it sems like I would need to teach the commands or it the a code I just put in for Microsoft Media center?

[mdavej]

No teaching required. Use built in codes or load any new device from the JP1 database. All are PC programmable so you can customize in any way you can imagine.

It's on the OFA site but possibly as a different model number. It's their flagship model at the moment, so it will be there somewhere. It's so much more flexible and extensible than other remotes in that price range.

[TV_MCE]

Inteset INT-413 (I have one of these) and INT-422 both can learn TV IR codes and perform MCE functions.

[mdavej]

If you like Inteset models, given the prices are the same, the 422 is a far better remote in every way than the 413. All posted in this thread so far have learning capability. I don't recommend learning unless you absolutely have to. Learned vol often doesn't repeat properly when held.

There's some more info about the 422 in this thread:
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 655#p79655

And a nice review of the Xsight:
http://www.remotecentral.com/reviews/ac ... index.html

The OFA has a lot more capabilities than you see on paper if you use Remote Master software instead of OFA's terrible web base programming site. Here's some Remote Master info:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/wiki/index.p ... IR_Version

The OARUSB04G comes with a cable, so disregard the JP1 cable references on the page above.

[mdavej]

I found the OFA on their site. It's the Simple 4 (URC 6440) shown in silver instead of black:
http://www.oneforall.com/remotes.html

The pictures don't really do it justice. It has fantastic build quality for the price, very solid and precision made. The prox sensor backlight is very cool. It's not a motion switch, but kicks on when you get close.

And here's a lot more info and extra stuff you won't find in the manual:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15142

This post from another Hauppauge MCE user has the codes you need to use and info on waking and macros:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewt ... 779#115779

[silverbullet07]

I tried to get the wife using the Hauppauge remote last night. It did not go well at all. Something must be wrong with the IR receiver or remote. It just works intermediately. Sometimes not at all and then it works fine. She tossed it back to me and told me to connect back the dish receiver.

I would like to find one that will work correctly.

[mdavej]

Then get the INT-422 that comes with a new IR dongle. But intermittent problems sounds like you may have some IR interference from other sources (lights, TV screen itself) or driver issues. Some dongles simply don't work reliably when you sleep/wake a lot. You may want to consider leaving your HTPC on all the time if that's the case.

You can use a smartphone app to control WMC via wifi as well and leave the dongle out of it entirely. Hippo Remote, for example, will even wake your PC via wake-on-lan and has commands and macros for sleep, shutdown, whatever, and is completely customizable.

[silverbullet07]

Thanks. The Hauppauge remote has a tiny IR receiver that plugs into the tuner card. Yesterday I rebooted the machine and the remote quite working for several minutes. When it stated to work, it was more like fading in. You press a button and the media center page would fade in and then back out. After messing with it for a few minutes it all of a sudden started to work again.

To bad the INT-422 devices are out of stock right now. I came across an new original Microsoft MCE remote but they are wanting $65. Wish I had not thrown mine away several years back when I was messing around with MCE 2005

[mdavej]

There's nothing special about the Microsoft remote, unless you just like the styling. Any universal remote will send exactly the same codes. The important thing is getting an IR dongle that works reliably with your PC and a remote with the features you want.

If Inteset is out of stock, just try a different dongle. I went through about 10 before I found one that would wake my PC reliably. Every system is different, so what works for me may not work for you. My current dongle isn't even MCE but works better than every other MCE or Ortek dongle I've ever tried. But I never let my HTPC sleep anymore.

[silverbullet07]

I purchased a new Microsoft ir receiver and the hauppauge remote works like a charm. Now I just need to get a remote that can turn off the tv now.

My dish network remote is programable by learning the commands with the hauppauge remote and it worked with the hauppauge IR receiver but it does not work with the Microsoft IRA receiver. For instance, if I click the up channel it only moves one channel only. If I hold it down it blows they the channels reallly fast. If I stop and try one channel again it won't work.

Little hard to explain. I am still waiting for maybe the int - 422 to get restocked.

[mdavej]

If you have a fairly recent Dish remote like for the Hopper/Joey or 900 (40.0), it may have a code that works - DVD 1972. Learns are never very good, especially when it comes to repeats. Older Dish remotes use 3 digit codes and have no MCE codes. The new ones are made by UEI, the same company that makes the other remotes I recommended (Inteset, OAR, and Xsight), and all share most of the same code database.

If you don't want to wait on the Inteset, you can pick up the similarly functional OARUSB04G just about anywhere. If you don't like it, you can take it back. But I think you will.

[silverbullet07]

The Inteset 4-in-1 Universal INT-422-1 is back in stock. I just ordered one to try out. Will it use the Microsoft IR Reciever or do I have to have the Inteset IR receiver?

Thanks

[3rob3]

Works with Microsft IR receiver just fine. I noticed they were on Amazon last night too.

[deihmos]

Nothing beats a harmony remote. The harmony 650 is pretty cheap.

[mdavej]

Harmony is nice and very simple to program, but I respectfully disagree. I have $3 JP1 remotes that run circles around Harmony (unlimited devices, variables, subroutines, 5 functions per button, fast macros). The $18 Xsight Color, for example, has 15 devices compared to the 650's 8, fully editable activity macros, unlimited length sequences, better screen and far better software.

[DavidinCT]

Harmony is nice and very simple to program, but I respectfully disagree. I have $3 JP1 remotes that run circles around Harmony (unlimited devices, variables, subroutines, 5 functions per button, fast macros). The , for example, has 15 devices compared to the 650's 8, fully editable activity macros, unlimited length sequences, better screen and far better software.

Even better, Philips Pronto remotes, Sure very tricky to program if you don't know your way around a computer but, OMG there are no limits what can be done with this remote.

Full touch screen where you can create your own graphics, any image can be a button and with that button, UNLIMITED macros. They also have hard buttons for some features (depending on model). If you can think of a layout how to control your WHOLE system, it can be done, then redone in different ways.

I've had a TS100, TSU7500 and just got a TSU9600 (starting to come up with ideas for it, full VGA touch screen display on it).

A used TSU9600 still goes for $400, and even the older 7500, still commands $150+ so it's not cheap but, what you can do, OMG..

[STC]

I still have my TS1000 with charging dock

Here's my CCF from 1999 this was when remotecentral.com, a crappy terrestrial digital box (ondigital) and SCART connections ruled