Controller/Remote for a HTPC?

[Fun Guy]

What do you guys recommend?

 

[chubbyfatazn]

For the receivers, I use Flircs (on sale for as low as $14/ea, check Slickdeals). As for remotes, I use a Harmony 700 on one HTPC and the stock TV remote on the other.

The Harmony's overkill for just an HTPC imo, but since it controls multiple other devices that's alright with me.

 

[Kneedragger]

I use FLIRC as well. You can basically use any IR remote you want..

 

[whoiswes]

Harmony Smart Hub here, with a FLIRC on the Chrombox running OpenELEC (acting as my HTPC). Harmony also controls my receiver, TV, Roku, and BluRay player.

Love the setup and wish I could justify a second one for upstairs.

 

[smitbret]

FLIRC + DirecTV RC6xBK

The "BK" means it is backlit and I can't imagine not having that feature on my HTPC remote.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I am going to say FLIRC plus Harmony too. That is the best option if you have a wife/kids/in-laws.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

https://www.unifiedremote.com/ and a cheap dedicated phone.

 

[Binky]

Eventually, over a long enough timeline, you will end up having all of the controllers. You might as well buy them now!

Harmony remote - so you can have only one remote. It has dedicated WMC IR codes already, if you use WMC. (disclaimer...wife and kids don't seem to follow directions, a lot, then they claim the "remote didn't work again.")

Logitech K400 keyboard - small-ish and functional, stashes under couch easily
Lenovo N5902 or N5901 - alternate keyboard/mouse. Small and annoying, but small.

Flirc - IR receiver that allows you to "program" any remote button to do any keyboard function. With this, you may not *need* a harmony.

 

[Charlie98]

I use FLIRC as well. You can basically use any IR remote you want..

What does FLIRC do that just a straight up remote doesn't? For example, I have a simple Rosewill W7 WMC remote that I use to navigate Media Browser and Netflix with. It's weak point is web browsing, of course...

 

[jimnicoloff]

What does FLIRC do that just a straight up remote doesn't? For example, I have a simple Rosewill W7 WMC remote that I use to navigate Media Browser and Netflix with. It's weak point is web browsing, of course...

Flirc is reprogrammable with an easy gui. You can associate any IR command with any keystroke. If you already have a wmc remote you can keep the receiver from that and use a harmony remote to consolidate all your other remotes.

 

[poofyhairguy]

What does FLIRC do that just a straight up remote doesn't? For example, I have a simple Rosewill W7 WMC remote that I use to navigate Media Browser and Netflix with. It's weak point is web browsing, of course...

With a FLIRC that same remote could be sending keyboard presses instead of media center specific IR codes. It can also send key combos, I have some buttons on my remotes mapped to close emulators.