What do you use to control your HTPC?

Hemps

Hemps

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I have been looking at getting a remote for my HTPC for a while now.
recently found out you can use your Nokia 5800 to control Windows via Bluetooth.

Gave it a bash and it works wonders, R89 for a Bluetooth dongle and voila , you are up and running itunes and xbmc in no time at all and it's easy.
So chuffed I solved my remote issue.

What do most of you guys use?
 
You can set up access to XBMC using http - check the settings and then you can use any web enabled device e.g. cellphone to log in via http if you got wifi at home. works like a charm.
 
I do have wifi - will give that a bash as well.

Does bluetooth chow the battery?
 
My wife uses the remote, I have use a bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
 
not with a BB. Seems they are limited to http port 80 and cant browse port 8080 :(
 
I don't know why anyone would want to use a mouse or keyboard? Just buy a remote. Cafe Viva sells them for R99, works perfectly.
 
Hemps said:
I have been looking at getting a remote for my HTPC for a while now.
recently found out you can use your Nokia 5800 to control Windows via Bluetooth.

Gave it a bash and it works wonders, R89 for a Bluetooth dongle and voila , you are up and running itunes and xbmc in no time at all and it's easy.
So chuffed I solved my remote issue.

What do most of you guys use?
Click to expand...

what app you using?
 
Program called smarttouch.

Now i have problems - Bluetooth was working fine, switched computer off, powered up again in the evening and now it's listed as periphial device and cant find the driver?

I have re-installed and uninstalled but nothing.
Windows 7 64bit
It picks up my 5800 and lists it, I can copy to it but the smarttouch program crashes.
 
Sorted:
I had some troubles getting this to work on my Windows 7 64bit.

-After a few minutes you should see a bluetooth icon in the "up-arrow" thing in the bottom right corner. Right click it and choose "Open Settings" and make sure that ALL the boxes are marked/checked. Then click "Apply," then "OK"
-On the bluetooth icon, click "Add Device," make sure that your phone has bluetooth turned on and that it is discoverable of other bluetooth devices. Then do what the "Add device" dialog says.
-Then your pc should trying to install some drivers and it should fail, atleast mine did. It said something like "cannot find bluetooth peripheral device driver"
-I found out that you do not need these drivers for making Smart Touch work. Goto "Bluetooth devices" under "Devices and printers" and choose your phone (for example Nokia 5800), right click it and click on properties. Click the "Services" tab and wait for it to load. The only thing that should be marked is "Remote Controll". Unmark all the others.
-Then install Smart Touch on phone. Run the Smart Touch thing on the computer, then run the app on the phone and choose "Search for devices" or something. Double click your computer Bluetooth name and now it should work!

App works well, can control all media apps and even move the mouse but that's a tad tricky.
 
Hemps said:
Sorted:
I had some troubles getting this to work on my Windows 7 64bit.

-After a few minutes you should see a bluetooth icon in the "up-arrow" thing in the bottom right corner. Right click it and choose "Open Settings" and make sure that ALL the boxes are marked/checked. Then click "Apply," then "OK"
-On the bluetooth icon, click "Add Device," make sure that your phone has bluetooth turned on and that it is discoverable of other bluetooth devices. Then do what the "Add device" dialog says.
-Then your pc should trying to install some drivers and it should fail, atleast mine did. It said something like "cannot find bluetooth peripheral device driver"
-I found out that you do not need these drivers for making Smart Touch work. Goto "Bluetooth devices" under "Devices and printers" and choose your phone (for example Nokia 5800), right click it and click on properties. Click the "Services" tab and wait for it to load. The only thing that should be marked is "Remote Controll". Unmark all the others.
-Then install Smart Touch on phone. Run the Smart Touch thing on the computer, then run the app on the phone and choose "Search for devices" or something. Double click your computer Bluetooth name and now it should work!

App works well, can control all media apps and even move the mouse but that's a tad tricky.
Click to expand...

thanks dude, will give it a go :)
 
What I am aiming for next to get my 5800 to allow me to view and change tracks from say the kitchen, away from the TV screen, so it shows a list of tracks on my 5800 via wifi and then I can play and pause, skip etc.

There is a way apparently - going to search the xbmc forums
 
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