Looking for suggestions for media software which can use IF remote

PennyroyalFrog · 06-15-2008, 10:10 PM

This may sound kind of silly, but I would like some software that sort of acts like windoze media center, in the sense that I can open the application at fullscreen with menus directing me to local music and video files on my machine. Also, I would like to be able to control the software with a third party infrared remote that the receiver connects to my machine via USB. I guess to act sort of like a DVR, except with not needing any recording or TV video capturing/input.

The reason for this, is I recently hooked a new PC up to my 32" LCD TV and watching videos right in front of it can be kind of awkward and uncomfortable and I'd like to my music library while relaxing on the couch (choosing songs via the remote control).

I'm aware of MythTV and LinuxMCE, but I'm not quite sure if these will do what I need them to do. I'm basically looking for suggestions to any software that can accomplish this and also which remote control would be best to use.

Edit: I would also like to mention that I plan on using Kubuntu on the machine

emi_ramo · 06-16-2008, 05:23 AM

As a music player, the best is Amarok, for sure!!
And for a good video player you can try with mplayer, kaffeine, kplayer or wine. All of them supports IR and, if not, you can take IR input with KDE and then send the info to each program using DCOP. So, the problem is to try the programs and choose the best for you. Once done, you'll need to configure it to do what you want.

See you!!
emi

steve02115 · 06-16-2008, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PennyroyalFrog

This may sound kind of silly, but I would like some software that sort of acts like windoze media center, in the sense that I can open the application at fullscreen with menus directing me to local music and video files on my machine. Also, I would like to be able to control the software with a third party infrared remote that the receiver connects to my machine via USB. I guess to act sort of like a DVR, except with not needing any recording or TV video capturing/input...

IR remotes:

Kubuntu and most other distros should have little trouble with LIRC (http://lirc.org/). Try to use something that supports that like mythtv or elisa mentioned below (am not sure about glotv)

Software:

1. It sounds like you know about mythtv and don't want to install all the software for recording, database. etc. myth-frontend doesn't include all that, it's for interfacing with another machine running the backend. You could consider that. As far as they've come the entirety of mythtv is still kind of a rough install, but just the frontend is farely simple.

2. Also I've bookmarked GLOTV but haven't checked it out.

http://glotv.dax.nu/examples.html

3. I really like the look of Elisa personally, I've used it and it's nice,

http://elisa.fluendo.com/

but I use mythtv (yes sometimes just the frontend) because I find all the extras so valuable. Ie: mythweather, mythgames, and others.

Good luck.