Archive:List of MCE remote controls: Difference between revisions

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This is a (probably futile) attempt to keep up with the vast range of MCE remotes out there, and give some indication of how well they work with XBMC.
This is a (probably futile) attempt to keep up with the vast range of MCE remotes out there, and give some indication of how well they work with Kodi.


This article assumes you are using build 26407 or later of XBMC. Earlier builds don't have the support for MCE remotes built in.
If you are adding a review please try to be as detailed as possible about the remote. For example:


== Microsoft Media Center Remote Control ==
* What operating systems and versions of Kodi have you tested on
* Does the remote send keystrokes or is it MS compatible?
* If it's MS compatible have you tested reconfiguring it using the registry and did this work?


Original and best! I don't know if Microsoft still sell them, but there are usually lots available on eBay. They tend to be a bit expensive but they are well made and highly configurable.
The article groups the Microsoft compatible (also known as eHome or RC6) remotes together first, as these are most configurable when you're using them with Kodi. Other than this there's no significance to the order of the reviews.


[[Image:remote-microsoft.jpg]]
<div class="toclimit-3">__TOC__</div>


This remote will work out of the box with XBMC Live, though with a standard Linux install you'll need to install and configure Lirc. To get it to work on Windows you need to configure it to simulate keypresses. See [[Using a Microsoft remote control in Windows]] for details.
= eHome/RC remotes =


== Hauppauge Media Center Remote Control Kit ==
The remotes in this section all use the Microsoft eHome driver on Windows. See Using a Microsoft remote control in Windows for details.


[[Image:remote-hauppauge.jpg]]
eHome remotes are generally more expensive than the non-eHome remotes, but they are highly configurable and work very well with Kodi. Many universal handsets, for example the Harmony remotes, have emulation for eHome/RC6 handsets built in so they will work with an eHome IR receiver.


Compatible with the Microsoft remote, and the .reg files used to reconfigure the MS remote will also work with the Hauppauge.
Note that Microsoft has modified the programming and device specification for remote controls several times. For example, in Vista, the Port Driver/Class Driver Model was added. This means that there may be some transceivers which may not function fully, if at all, on systems prior to Vista. For the curious (or bored) there is a specification for the [http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/7/E/07EF37BB-33EA-4454-856A-7D663BC109DF/Windows-Media-Center-RC-IR-Collection-Green-Button-Specification-03-08-2011-V2.pdf Windows Media Center remote].  


== Speedlink SL-6399 ==


[[Image:remote-SL6399.jpg]]


Cheap and cheerful remote. It simulates the MS Media Center keypresses and will work out of the box on Windows, Linux and probably OSX.
= Non eHome/RC remotes =


== Unbranded MCE remote ==
These remotes usually work by emulating a keyboard, that is when you press a button on the remote Kodi receives a key press just as if a key had been pressed on the keyboard. Most of the remotes emulate multimedia keyboards or send Windows Media Center keyboard shortcuts like ctrl-shift-P for Play.


[[Image:remote-unbranded.jpg]]
Kodi has all the required keyboard mappings for these remotes so they should work out of the box. However they usually cannot be configured so they have some limitations. For example, on Windows the green button will start Windows Media Center and this can't be changed without considerable messing around.
 
I don't know who makes this remote. There is no manufacturers name on it. It's cheap and feels a bit flimsy, but it works well enough. It simulates the MS Media Center keypresses and will work out of the box on Windows, Linux and probably OSX. It also simulates a mouse, and this works pretty well though it's no match fopr a proper mouse or trackpad.

Latest revision as of 02:22, 10 September 2020

This is a (probably futile) attempt to keep up with the vast range of MCE remotes out there, and give some indication of how well they work with Kodi.

If you are adding a review please try to be as detailed as possible about the remote. For example:

  • What operating systems and versions of Kodi have you tested on
  • Does the remote send keystrokes or is it MS compatible?
  • If it's MS compatible have you tested reconfiguring it using the registry and did this work?

The article groups the Microsoft compatible (also known as eHome or RC6) remotes together first, as these are most configurable when you're using them with Kodi. Other than this there's no significance to the order of the reviews.

eHome/RC remotes

The remotes in this section all use the Microsoft eHome driver on Windows. See Using a Microsoft remote control in Windows for details.

eHome remotes are generally more expensive than the non-eHome remotes, but they are highly configurable and work very well with Kodi. Many universal handsets, for example the Harmony remotes, have emulation for eHome/RC6 handsets built in so they will work with an eHome IR receiver.

Note that Microsoft has modified the programming and device specification for remote controls several times. For example, in Vista, the Port Driver/Class Driver Model was added. This means that there may be some transceivers which may not function fully, if at all, on systems prior to Vista. For the curious (or bored) there is a specification for the Windows Media Center remote.


Non eHome/RC remotes

These remotes usually work by emulating a keyboard, that is when you press a button on the remote Kodi receives a key press just as if a key had been pressed on the keyboard. Most of the remotes emulate multimedia keyboards or send Windows Media Center keyboard shortcuts like ctrl-shift-P for Play.

Kodi has all the required keyboard mappings for these remotes so they should work out of the box. However they usually cannot be configured so they have some limitations. For example, on Windows the green button will start Windows Media Center and this can't be changed without considerable messing around.