PC Remote - Review.

BLASTO

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Hi Guys,

I recently acquired a PC Remote from E-Bay for basic purpose of controlling my PC (Rewind/FF etc) when I connect it to my plasma to run HD movies.

I am plesantly surprised with its capability and thought of writing a review of it so that it might help others who are looking for a PC interface remote.

I did not find any fitting thread to write this so am starting a new thread.

The remote in question is eBay India: USB PC Remote Controller for Media Center XP Control (item 260500968189 end time 03-Dec-2009 16:14:38 IST)

Some interesting bits which impressed me are as follows.

1) It has a single big "mouse" button which can be pressed 360" to move the mouse around (see photo). I tried moving the mouse cursor in circular motion in the screen and am able to do it (not as easily as with a trackpad). It is working very well. Further there is a left click and right click button under the mouse button on the left and right sides which are great too. You can do whatever you can do with a mouse with these three keys alone.

2) There is a "hold/drag" button between the left and right click buttons (see photo). This is used to hold a window for dragging with the mouse. Quite an innovative touch. Pressing this button when pointing the cursor to the top of a window/icon "holds" it. After than you can drag it using the mouse key. Press the drag key again to "drop" it.

3) There are 4 shortcut keys which can be configured to open any four applications. Quite handy. I have configured MPC, VLC, My videos folder etc. They send CTRL+ALT+A, CTRL+ALT+B, CTRL+ALT+C, CTRL+ALT+D respectively for which windows shortcuts for applications should be configured on the computer.

4) This is interesting. The USB IR receiver used to connect to the computer is not just a dongle but has a 2-3 foot chord attached to it. At first I was perplexed and actually annoyed on seeing this until I actually made the setup. This chord is of great help! You can place the laptop 2-3 foot anywhere close to the TV and place the IR receiver close to the TV's own receiver. After that you need not point your remote to the laptop anymore but directly at the TV and laptop picks it up. It is a great idea. Often times I feel like interacting with the Tv itself leaving the laptop at the background.

5) There are a host of useful standard windows buttons listed below.
-Full Screen
-Close active window
-Show Desktop
-Volume up/Down
-Mute
-All media buttons (PREV/NEXT/PLAY/PAUSE/STOP/FF/REWIND)
-My PC
-4 favorite applications buttons
-Numbers 0-9
-Arrows (Left,Right,Up,Down with enter key in the middle)
-Esc
-Backspace
-Shutdown/Sleep/Hybernate (Configurable power key)

Of which, Fav App, Full Screen, Show Desktop, Media Keys, Volume and arrows are great to use with media players. Once done, press the close application key and shutdown key.

Just open media folder (stored as FAV application), use arrow/enter keys to navigate and select movie, press full screen and you are good to go. 2-3 days of experience says it is going to be good.

(Note: Power key can NOT be used to power-on the PC as the USB port itself is shut down when the PC is off. This is trivial but just FYI.)

6) Remote is ergonomic to hold. Range is also good. Tested from 12 feet and it was just fine.

7) Worked out of the box with Windows 7 X64!

-Ves:

To nitpick,

1) No Backlight in the remote. (Not an issue with ppl who have universal remotes)
2) I think the mouse key cannot be mapped to a universal remote. This is not a fault with the remote itself.


How to Configure:

There is absolutely no configuration on the remote side. All keys are standard Windows keys and very few keys (only REW/FF/Shortcut Keys) sends sortcuts.

All of the configuration is done on the computer/laptop side. Eg: If you want to change any default key actions, You need to configure the key mapping in the target application (Or the OS).

I have made some changes to key mappings in Media player classic and it works absolutely fine. The Windows applicationshortcut keys also work fine.

I recommend this remote for anyone looking for a solution.
 
Last edited:
i intend to buy this remote, does all the media buttons work with media centre edition and mpc-hc in win 7?
 
Hi Guys,

I recently acquired a PC Remote from E-Bay for basic purpose of controlling my PC (Rewind/FF etc) when I connect it to my plasma to run HD movies.

I am plesantly surprised with its capability and thought of writing a review of it so that it might help others who are looking for a PC interface remote.

I did not find any fitting thread to write this so am starting a new thread.

The remote in question is eBay India: USB PC Remote Controller for Media Center XP Control (item 260500968189 end time 03-Dec-2009 16:14:38 IST)

Some interesting bits which impressed me are as follows.

1) It has a single big "mouse" button which can be pressed 360" to move the mouse around (see photo). I tried moving the mouse cursor in circular motion in the screen and am able to do it (not as easily as with a trackpad). It is working very well. Further there is a left click and right click button under the mouse button on the left and right sides which are great too. You can do whatever you can do with a mouse with these three keys alone.

2) There is a "hold/drag" button between the left and right click buttons (see photo). This is used to hold a window for dragging with the mouse. Quite an innovative touch. Pressing this button when pointing the cursor to the top of a window/icon "holds" it. After than you can drag it using the mouse key. Press the drag key again to "drop" it.

3) There are 4 shortcut keys which can be configured to open any four applications. Quite handy. I have configured MPC, VLC, My videos folder etc. They send CTRL+ALT+A, CTRL+ALT+B, CTRL+ALT+C, CTRL+ALT+D respectively for which windows shortcuts for applications should be configured on the computer.

4) This is interesting. The USB IR receiver used to connect to the computer is not just a dongle but has a 2-3 foot chord attached to it. At first I was perplexed and actually annoyed on seeing this until I actually made the setup. This chord is of great help! You can place the laptop 2-3 foot anywhere close to the TV and place the IR receiver close to the TV's own receiver. After that you need not point your remote to the laptop anymore but directly at the TV and laptop picks it up. It is a great idea. Often times I feel like interacting with the Tv itself leaving the laptop at the background.

5) There are a host of useful standard windows buttons listed below.
-Full Screen
-Close active window
-Show Desktop
-Volume up/Down
-Mute
-All media buttons (PREV/NEXT/PLAY/PAUSE/STOP/FF/REWIND)
-My PC
-4 favorite applications buttons
-Numbers 0-9
-Arrows (Left,Right,Up,Down with enter key in the middle)
-Esc
-Backspace
-Shutdown/Sleep/Hybernate (Configurable power key)

Of which, Fav App, Full Screen, Show Desktop, Media Keys, Volume and arrows are great to use with media players. Once done, press the close application key and shutdown key.

Just open media folder (stored as FAV application), use arrow/enter keys to navigate and select movie, press full screen and you are good to go. 2-3 days of experience says it is going to be good.

(Note: Power key can NOT be used to power-on the PC as the USB port itself is shut down when the PC is off. This is trivial but just FYI.)

6) Remote is ergonomic to hold. Range is also good. Tested from 12 feet and it was just fine.

7) Worked out of the box with Windows 7 X64!

-Ves:

To nitpick,

1) No Backlight in the remote. (Not an issue with ppl who have universal remotes)
2) I think the mouse key cannot be mapped to a universal remote. This is not a fault with the remote itself.


How to Configure:

There is absolutely no configuration on the remote side. All keys are standard Windows keys and very few keys (only REW/FF/Shortcut Keys) sends sortcuts.

All of the configuration is done on the computer/laptop side. Eg: If you want to change any default key actions, You need to configure the key mapping in the target application (Or the OS).

I have made some changes to key mappings in Media player classic and it works absolutely fine. The Windows applicationshortcut keys also work fine.

I recommend this remote for anyone looking for a solution.

Blasto, this seems to be a very nice solution, be it for music or HT needs from PC. And the price is affordable too.
Thanks for the detailed review.
 
i intend to buy this remote, does all the media buttons work with media centre edition and mpc-hc in win 7?

All media buttons work with MPC-HC in Win7 and I assume it will work with media center also.

The only problem I faced was with Rewind and FF keys which were sending shortcut keys instead of media keys. They send 3 button strokes simultaneously to cater to a wide range of media players. So if the three buttons sent are mapped to different functions, the media player is going to confuse or take only the first.

Rewind sends Left and ctrl+left and ctrl+B
FF sends right arrow and ctrl+right arrow and ctrl+F keys.

So in the key mapping of MPC-HC, I need to configure only one of the keys of each with "meduim skip" and disable the other two key combos.

Another minor annoyance but not really an issue was, the volume keys were picked up by the MPC-HC itself when it was running and not the OS master volume. When I disabled this key in MPC-HC, the OS began to pickup. I prefer the OS master volume control as it has more granularity (steps of 1 instead of steps of 5 in MPC-HC).

The configuration is pretty easy, lemme know if you have problem

Other than that it is working perfectly well.
 
Last edited:
i intend to buy this remote, does all the media buttons work with media centre edition and mpc-hc in win 7?

A bit of more info since you are in chennai.

My E-bay parcel is shipped from Anna-Nagar chennai. If you want, I can PM the address/mobile no of the guy so you can "see" the remote and buy.
 
Thanks for gr8 review,
1.Does it work easily with XP?
2.Does it work from 15ft?
3.How fast is response?lag?
4.Does it need software to be installed?

kindly answer this.

Update-

I got ans of 1 & 4 from link,only 2 & 3reqd.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for gr8 review,
1.Does it work easily with XP?
2.Does it work from 15ft?
3.How fast is response?lag?
4.Does it need software to be installed?

kindly answer this.

Update-

I got ans of 1 & 4 from link,only 2 & 3reqd.

1. According to specs yes. It says it does not work with 64 bit vista and Win7 but it does work.

2. Will check today and update here. Works from 12 feet.

3. No perceptable lag. Also, I was afraid I had to press keys multiple times for multi key press but not so. Eg: You keep pressing the volume down key, It registers continuous key presses and volume reduces like normal remote.. Not like you have to press two times to get the volume down two times.

4. No software.. Plug and play.. Key mapping got to be configured on the OS/application as I mentioned earlier..
 
One more thing I found useful today..

The "grab" button can be used to grab the slider in the media player's trackbar.. After that you can move the mouse keys sideways and place it in desired place.. Looks like it needs some getting used to.. The slider overshoots on either sides atleast in first attempt..

Makes me remember the school days when the mouse was a new device and I was struggling to use it to point where I intended.. :eek:hyeah:
 
Is this compatible with foobar?

Anything which has configurable key inputs.. (Check the configuration options).
If you are able to control your player with media keys in keyboard and can configure CTRL+LEFT and CTRL+RIGHT keys for rewind and FF, this is pretty much compatible with that application.
 
new HTPC romote 3 in one-
69179395.jpg
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Wireless Keyboard | HTPC Remote RF Wireless Keyboard | HTPC Remote Control [MINIKTP] - $40.00 : efo.buy-lowest.com
 
Got my PC remote & its working fine out of the cover.
I tried it foobar ,vlc & it operates them fast.
It has wireless mouse function which is fast enough.My avertv remote was working slow & this rocks.

I tried it from 6 mtrs & it worked well.It is said to work from 18mtr.

Config is very simple.Just like learning remote, open SW Hotkeys, select action & just press the button on remote which you want to work it for.(play etc) It can shutdown PC, open IE,you can type to.
Its small & slick.

I got discount on ebay.in & hence got 2.Second one is packed as in photo.

 
Last edited:
Got my PC remote & its working fine out of the cover.
I tried it foobar ,vlc & it operates them fast.
It has wireless mouse function which is fast enough.My avertv remote was working slow & this rocks.

I tried it from 6 mtrs & it worked well.It is said to work from 18mtr.

Config is very simple.Just like learning remote, open SW Hotkeys, select action & just press the button on remote which you want to work it for.(play etc) It can shutdown PC, open IE,you can type to.
Its small & slick.

I got discount on ebay.in & hence got 2.Second one is packed as in photo(PM me if anyone from Mumbai need it).

eBay India: PC Wireless Remote Control For Windows Media XP Vista (item 160418363491 end time 05-Apr-2010 08:28:48 IST)


do you still have it?
 
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