Up until now, I have been happy to use the mouse-based interface for my HTPC - mainly because I haven't actually been using any specific Media Center software until recently. (I was mostly using Explorer Library views and MPC-HC)
But after spending a few months with Media Center, I'm now happy enough with it that I can't see myself switching to anything else, and the Theater View seems pretty good from what I've seen - but you really need a remote to get the most out of it.
I hate programmable remotes, I don't want to have multiple remotes, and I don't want to have an additional IR reciever placed in the room.
The way I have things set up, there's a TV on the wall, a single remote, and all the other electronics are located in another room.
HDMI-CEC is great for this, as it allows my TV remote to control all connected devices - except the PC.
I had been hoping that graphics card vendors would be implementing CEC support, but so far no-one seems to have considered it. (or they have, and decided they didn't want to deal with it)
Pulse-Eight seem to have a great solution with their
HDMI-CEC adapter which sits in-line between the PC and the TV, and adds CEC support.
The problem is that it seems to need
libCEC support in the player for it to work.
Are there any plans to add libCEC support to Media Center?