[mythtv-users] Working source for compiling lirc with multipledevices...

[Bruce Markey]

Joseph H. Fry wrote:
> I remember a post that got me kinda excited... go buy a cheap wireless
> keyboard and a true learning remote (the kind that you can program all
> the keys on) and then just press a key on the keyboard and (with the
> remote in learning mode) the button you want to assign that key to...
> and viola... a working remote, without lirc... then slide the kb under
> the couch for when it's needed and enjoy.

I've done this. I'm a believer. I have two Marantz learning
remotes and Lite-on Airboard keyboards. I was also able to
learn from a Chicony keyboard but I prefer the Lite-on. The
advantages are that you don't need to use a serial port for
an IR reciever, don't need to run lirc for input, avoid the
lirc limitations if you need both input and output IR devices,
can use the remote for other common tasks beyond MythTV.

Pressing a button on the remote acts just like pressing the
key on the keyboard so I added being able to switch focus,
use commandline recall to restart processes, etc. all from
the remote.

> Of course you still need lirc to control an external tuner... but if you
> don't have one then you won't need lirc at all.  Most good programmable
> remotes have multiple modes, so you can reuse different buttons for
> different modes.. IE one button set for Myth Music control and one for
> mythtv.

I use the same mode for mythtv and mythmusic. However, you're
right, I might want to use a different mode for, say, mplayer
so that the same remote buttons would map to the keyboard
key bindings used by mplayer.

> Sounds great... haven't tried it myself but I cant imagine why it
> wouldn't work.

A particular model of learning remote might not be able
to learn the IR signals of a particular model of a wireless
keyboard. It's not a given that this will work in all cases.
Pointer signals (mouse movements) don't work so well. Double
buckys (CTL-ALT-something or Fn-Shift-somethng) are hard to
learn successfully and can be problematic even when they do
sort of work. However, myth doesn't need a mouse and the only
double-bucky would be for shutdown.

--  bjm