Starting XBMC with Apple Remote [Archive]

fall-line

2008-02-20, 19:51

You could accomplish this with a custom action with Remote Buddy, or a similar tool on OSX. I have setup remote buddy on my system to map all of the apple remote button options to items for use within XBMC, but I think it's also pretty easy to tell remote buddy to perform different actions based on which application is open at the time. You should be able to have the menu (hold) button open XBMC, and then use that same button for a different option (such as the esc keypress) once XBMC opens.

I hope this helps.

bmfrosty

2008-02-21, 00:57

It should also be possible to replace frontrow.app (or whatever it's called) with xbmc.app. There are a couple of other media center plugins with instructions on how to do this.

fall-line

2008-02-21, 01:27

It should also be possible to replace frontrow.app (or whatever it's called) with xbmc.app. There are a couple of other media center plugins with instructions on how to do this.

Oh - good call! That would be a lot easier than the method I described.

hordur

2008-02-22, 12:26

I actually tried that, renaming Front Row.app and then renaming XBMC.app to Front Row.app, but Front Row was still started. Maybe I have to reboot after I do this?
Do have a link to any instructions on how to do this?

_tv_

2008-02-23, 15:44

I replaced frontrow app with renamed xbmc app, also needed to change binarys name to Front Row inside bundle.(also kill front row if it's running) I got it launch with apple+esc and so on, but... launchd doesnt really get right exit signal from xbmc so it will lauch it again just after it exits. We need some kind of wrapper to this but I really don't know how lauchd works. For those who didnt really get couple of last lines, dont try this. It's annoying to try to rename binary file to something else than front row to get it not to launch. Also my main bar clock was frozen until I replaced xbmc-front row with original so we indeed need somekind of wrapper to this.

Starg4ze

2008-02-25, 23:39

Anyone knows which remotes will be supported out of the box? Apple remote, wiimote, ps3, original xbox(would love that one...), MCE remote, Iphone/Touch/BrandX Bluetooth cellphone... ?

Timeframe?

fall-line

2008-02-26, 00:01

Sorry to answer your question with another question, but I am curious if anyone has gotten the origianal xbox remote (with the little USB cable adapter) to work with OSX & XBMC?

Anyone knows which remotes will be supported out of the box? Apple remote, wiimote, ps3, original xbox(would love that one...), MCE remote, Iphone/Touch/BrandX Bluetooth cellphone... ?

Timeframe?

Gamester17

2008-02-26, 13:01

@Starg4ze and fall-line, please respect that those question are off-topic in this specific topic-thread so please move that part of the discussion to this other topic thread => http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=31006

Thanks for staying on-topic from now on.

seven5

2008-03-10, 18:37

Has there been any work done here? Does anyone have a good solution for starting up and closing out of Xbmc with the apple remote? I just tried the newest build and its working great. I have my UserData pointed at my living room's Xbmc so all my data and library is shared, its a great set up.

I'd like to have something that opens xbmc and then makes it full screen, so that i can still open the app manually and have it NON full screen.

If anyone has solved this let us know!

Thanks!

fpoil

2008-03-10, 19:32

with remote buddy, it's possible in two click : "menu" and "play" but it costs you the price of remote buddy :grin: (20 euros)

benderbends

2008-03-11, 09:39

anyone who knows better should look into MediaCentral, as they have an option to use menu button for launching and killing the app instead of front row.

iordonez

2008-03-11, 10:16

Not true, I found I liked Perian + Frontrow more than media central. I've been using XBMC since around 2005 and even the version that was out then was/is the best media player available. While one click opening of the program is nice it's the other features like DTS/AC3 support that really make it. If all you are worried about is how easy the program is to open you just don't get it.

benderbends

2008-03-11, 13:40

:no: i think you miss understood me. :no:
i meant for anyone who knows better (in terms of coding and making sense of how apps work) should look at media central for reference to the starting using menu button.

mediacentral has been able to start using menu button since its debut i believe...so they must know something we dont know.

i personally hate mediacentral and i hate front row.
:nod: i love osxbmc :nod:

iordonez

2008-03-11, 20:44

That makes much more sense! Sorry I though you were trying to get the person to use media central because it supports opening via apple remote. I've tried it in the past and it's not that great IMHO. I do think the interface is can be slick at times but if it was interface I wanted I would stick with Frontrow.

jonny_eh

2008-03-11, 23:36

Mediacentral is a proprietary app, I doubt that they'd help out an open-source app that is the competition.

riise_hansen

2008-03-12, 00:15

I have setup remote buddy on my system to map all of the apple remote button options to items for use within XBMC

Hi -- I have Remote Buddy, and have tried this - can you give me details on how you did this?

Cheers,
riise_hansen

fall-line

2008-03-12, 00:37

Hi -- I have Remote Buddy, and have tried this - can you give me details on how you did this?

This was done using remote buddy's virtual keyboard feature to map button presses on the apple remote to keyboard key presses, which coresponded to keys defined in the XBMC keymap. To be clear though, this was something I did before XBMC 0.1.4 was released which included native apple remote support. I haven't used remote buddy for my XBMC since then, but I have considered using it again in a method similar to that which is described here:
http://funwithcomputers.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/using-the-harmony-880-remote-with-your-macs-built-in-ir-port/

I hope this helps.

riise_hansen

2008-03-12, 01:10

Yes - the support came in 0.1.4 - but Remote Buddy seems to "occupy" the IR port, since the Apple Remote works when Remote Buddy isn't running... but of course I could map the keyboard events on the Apple Remote - I simply didn't think of that.

In reality: Once the setup of XBMC is complete you really don't need all the keystrokes and the 6x2 clicks the Apple Remote provides should be sufficient (I would think).

Thanks!

Weavus

2008-03-12, 11:55

In reality: Once the setup of XBMC is complete you really don't need all the keystrokes and the 6x2 clicks the Apple Remote provides should be sufficient (I would think).
I don't think it will unless you don't mind having to repeatedly press up and down to go through lists, its much easier to hold the button up/down to scroll through a list in XBMC so mapping the hold state will not work in this case. That means you are down a couple of buttons before you even start...

iordonez

2008-03-12, 19:38

Actually for me the apple remote in its current state is enough to function for me. XBMC is used to take 2 minutes to choose my movie and 2 hours to watch it. While having 50 buttons to accomplish this would be fun, 12 is just fine. Also note that the apple remote is a 6x2 remote, holding a button is different then just pressing it. So future releases will probably include support for holding the buttons down for FF/fast scrolling.

martkrui

2008-04-13, 11:27

I replaced frontrow app with renamed xbmc app, also needed to change binarys name to Front Row inside bundle.(also kill front row if it's running) I got it launch with apple+esc and so on, but... launchd doesnt really get right exit signal from xbmc so it will lauch it again just after it exits. We need some kind of wrapper to this but I really don't know how lauchd works.

I've made a simple wrapper to try this.. I replace Frontrow (in /System/Library/CoreServices , the one in apps seems to be dummy ) and can now set my own returnvalue... but I've got no idea what it should be 'cause right now it just keeps re-starting XBMC.

I'm kind of new to OSX, so I need to figure out how to start and exit the real frontrow once and read the return/exitcode. Any ideas ?

elan

2008-04-13, 23:13

This feature is coming, just testing it locally now.

-elan

ChoccyHobNob

2008-04-14, 14:30

/me ticks off the last missing 'essential' feature and prepares to donate some beer money :-)

albrox

2009-01-29, 02:28

actually it´s so easy! at least on a mac.. I don´t know about the AppleTV.

Just an applescript is needed... i give you on real quick... can´t test it right now.. but tell me what you think:

repeat
tell application "System Events"
if exists process "Front Row" then
tell application "Front Row" to quit
tell application "XBMC"
launch
end tell
end repeat

This script checks if Frontrow is running.. what happens when you press the menu button of the remote. And if so, it quits and launches XBMC :-D

SeatRider

2009-01-31, 10:07

I am not an expert on Applescript. How can I make this script run, or do I need to install it somewhere?

mattohara

2009-02-15, 05:58

I have figured out everything else I've needed to but still can't figure out this one stupid thing. I'll be in XBMC (apple remote mode normal and always on) and the apple remote's Menu option launches Front Row. Every time!

I don't want to just delete the Core Service. What am I missing!? :)

mattohara

2009-02-15, 06:33

nevermind, figured it out. apparently "always on" has to be off. :P

could somebody explain what the purpose of that pref is?

SeatRider

2009-02-15, 10:53

So you got it working? Could you post a walkthrough? :)

mattohara

2009-02-15, 14:59

In XBMC System Prefs turn Apple Remote feature "Always On" off.

Ta-da! I actually found this answer in another thread in these forums.

SeatRider

2009-02-21, 15:32

I tried this. The only thing it changes is that with the setting on, it will not start Front Row and vice versa. XBMC does not start. Or do I need to combine this setting with the script Albrox provided?

mattohara

2009-02-21, 18:19

i was just concerned with not launching Front Row. i just have xbmc running all the time, so i didn't think/worry about launching it with the remote.

SeatRider

2009-02-21, 18:21

Ah. I thought that's what this thread was about ;)

pmcd

2009-03-17, 09:29

Ah. I thought that's what this thread was about ;)

Hmm...Plex has a helper which is similar to XBMCHelper. It allows you to launch Plex from the Menu button of the Apple remote. I thought XBMC worked in a similar way? I recall starting it from the remote but perhaps I'm getting confused with xbmc on my ATV. Nevertheless, does the remote launch xbmc on a Mac?

philip

davilla

2009-03-17, 09:35

it's suppose to work but there have been reports of problems with launching xbmc. this is an active item on the dev list.

pmcd

2009-03-17, 09:40