INTERACT FORUM
Devices => PC's and Other Hardware => Topic started by: maxxsid on November 20, 2024, 03:36:52 am
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For many years, I had a Windows XP based HTPC with MC 23, Girder and such.
It worked quite well but started to show its age.
Bought a MeLe mini-PC with Windows 11 - it's like 10 times faster than my clunky XP rig. and 100 times smaller.
Installed everything to duplicate my old setup.
Surprisingly, everything worked!
But I do use the outdated Girder and USB-UIRT.
Harmony One remote.
Are there newer/better things to control MC/HTPC?
Thanks!
Max
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It depends what you are trying to do. For movie watching I still use a Harmony. For music I use JRemote and never turn on the TV.
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For many years, I had a Windows XP based HTPC with MC 23, Girder and such.
It worked quite well but started to show its age.
Bought a MeLe mini-PC with Windows 11 - it's like 10 times faster than my clunky XP rig. and 100 times smaller.
Installed everything to duplicate my old setup.
Surprisingly, everything worked!
But I do use the outdated Girder and USB-UIRT.
Harmony One remote.
Are there newer/better things to control MC/HTPC?
Thanks!
Max
JRemote theater view controller is pretty good. You may want to buy a cheap tablet to run it.
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I want to automate pretty much everything inside MC, plus my other equipment.
This all worked pretty well with a Harmony remote, Girder and USB-UIRT.
15 years ago.
Surprisingly, this all still work under Windows 11.
Harmony remote, Girder and USB-UIRT are pretty much obsolete now.
I thought there were some alternatives.
Apparently not.
I do use Gizmo or JRemote for music.
But it's not the same as controlling the whole HTPC.
Thanks!
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I still use the Harmony (with Hub) and they work fine controlling MC under Win11 as well as the rest of the equipment. Never needed Girder.
The Harmony's are all slowing dying ... I've changed the bat packs but still. I'll be in the market for something like a SofaBaton I guess at some point.
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I use a Flirc USB device that converts IR signals from a remote control to keyboard commands that you define. I use a universal remote set to output signals to a VCR I don’t own, so that no other devices respond to the signal. Everything I need to do in Theater Mode has a keyboard equivalent, so it works well. If you change computers, you only have to insert the Flirc into the new computer - no reprogramming needed (unless you move to a Mac, which has different key combinations for some commands). If you decide to have a JRiver MC client in another room, no problem; you can clone the Flirc’s settings.
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I'll be in the market for something like a SofaBaton I guess at some point.
As an owner of both the SofaBaton U2 and X1S, both leave a lot to be desired for. U2 has a lot of buttons (which is good) and has an IR blaster within it and the shape and feel are great, but lacks backlit buttons, I'm not fond of the layout/placement of the back/home/menu buttons, requires two AA batteries and is limited to only 4 Bluetooth devices. The X1S has backlit buttons, built-in rechargeable battery and supports way more Bluetooth devices (up to 64, I think?). Unfortunately it lacks the extra (useful) buttons, requires the (cursed) Hub to function as the IR blaster (as it doesn't have one of its own), is complicated to setup with its "Activities" feature which can be a headache, the shape of the remote is generic/the same on both ends, meaning you can put the remote down and pick it up upside down and don't realize it's upside down until you try to use it (UGH) and it's more prone to falling out of your hand.
I want a remote that's a hybrid of both; the shape of the U2, the many buttons of the U2, the layout of the back/home/menu button of the X1S, many Bluetooth devices support of the X1S, the built-in IR blaster of the U2, the built-in rechargeable battery of the X1S and the backlit buttons of the X1S all rolled into one remote. I wish it could pair to two Bluetooth devices at the same time and allow you to switch between them (I assume this would require having two Bluetooth modules within which is fine with me).
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Thanks for that. I'm trying to keep my Harmony's going but I know at some point....
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My original Harmony One died in 2020 after 13 years of service.
Bought a slightly used one on ebay - still works.
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The demise of the Pronto remote lines (curses to you Philips!) is felt by a lot of people/enthusiasts.
The new-ish SofaBaton remotes look interesting......
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I still use the Harmony (with Hub) and they work fine controlling MC under Win11 as well as the rest of the equipment. Never needed Girder.
The Harmony's are all slowing dying ... I've changed the bat packs but still. I'll be in the market for something like a SofaBaton I guess at some point.
Yeah same here. I'm surprised they are still supporting it. No reason to stop making money on hardware unless the goal is shut the whole thing down eventually. Somewhat good that they haven't publicly posted an end of life to the whole thing, .i.e. the remote literally stops working because hub no longer connects to their servers. But also bad not knowing how much longer these things will work.
The Harmony companion remote is literally the perfect remote. Feels good in hand, button layout is near perfect, batteries last forever and easy to replace, sturdy as a tank and has lasted forever.
I bought a brand new one as a backup for whenever my current one conks out, if it ever does.
The SofaBaton looks interesting, but not quite as good as the harmony. Don't need the screen and want to have to replace batteries frequently. I honestly have no idea what I'll do when they fully cut it off. :-(