PC remote control w/software, $13.92 shipped

[sfrost]

Stop pimping your own site.

AnandTech Moderator

 

[JImmyK]

Im sorry I dont mean to be $hitting on ur post or anything. but is it me or does that look like a serial connection?

 

[cbrsurfr]

Yes its a serial connection. I had one and ended up throwing it out, too much of a PITA to get it to work.

 

[bfunny27]

Serial... hmmm my mobo doesn't even have a serial port. Know of any usb ones sfrost?

 

[ttown]

This looks like the one I bought about 10 years ago for $2.
Never got around to hooking it up.... but I still have it in my junk bin.

Anyone use the pcremote4b software that is linked on the site?

It says "shareware"... I'd like to find some "freeware" that is windows 2k compatible... if anyone knows something, please post

 

[drquest]

Looks like the Packard Bell remote control....

http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/pack/

mrpeabody

 

[venk]

i bought one of these off fs/ft back in "ought one".

 

[monodax]

You can get them off E-Bay from X-10 that are Radio Frequency so you don't have to worry about line of sight for 10.00 I picked one up about 6 months ago and the same people are selling them now lol.

 

[zeroidea]

Originally posted by: bfunny27
Serial... hmmm my mobo doesn't even have a serial port. Know of any usb ones sfrost?

Keyspan Media Remote and ATI's Remote Wonder would be two options, I think.

 

[toant103]

Originally posted by: ttown
This looks like the one I bought about 10 years ago for $2.
Never got around to hooking it up.... but I still have it in my junk bin.

Anyone use the pcremote4b software that is linked on the site?

It says "shareware"... I'd like to find some "freeware" that is windows 2k compatible... if anyone knows something, please post

i think packard bell computer came with one of those remote

 

[Yobbo]

Whats serial? Sorry...I was only born 20 years ago or so, this stuff is from the 30's...

I havent had a serial connection on any of my comps for like 3-4 years now, which is decades in computer terms

 

[halik]

umm

the software is free and you can get those off ebay for under 5 bucks. They are pita to get to work btw

 

[Boomer2]

Two words: WIRELESS MOUSE

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: cbrsurfr
Yes its a serial connection. I had one and ended up throwing it out, too much of a PITA to get it to work.

I agree. I had both the Packard Bell one, and the AST/Logitech OEM one. The Logitech one is *much* superior, and some of it's features are even natively supported by ATI's MMC DVD-Player (or were, in the DVD 3.1/4.x/5.x days, haven't used any of their recent versions).

What's really a crying shame, is how Windows XP is dropping support for a lot of these older serial-port devices. Good luck getting any of these serial IR remotes to work in a modern machine.

I did find my AST remote very useful though, I could pop in a DVD movie, and adjust the volume from across the room, without having to get up out of my chair.

As I understand it, the problem with the Packard Bell remote is, that it requires some sort of CPU-heavy polling to properly read the IR reciever inputs (CPU driven "bit-banger" serial port), whereas the Logitech IR reciever is more full-featured, and simply buffers and presents serial data to the port like a mouse, etc.

A remote is good, but IMHO, hold out for the AST/Logitech model, for a few bucks more, you will be much happier. The alternative, is to pick up an ATI AIW card, or one of those high-end TV-in/MPEG-capture PCI cards, that come with an RF remote control.

 

[robisc]

I too bought one of these way back when on the FS/FT forums here, never got it to work.

 

[wuduhel]

i got one from ebay a year ago and it works great. well, the actual remote is a POS but the IR receiver works great. get Girder to control it and use any IR remote you want. kicks a$$

 

[huesmann]

I got one from X10 a few years ago, and it rocks.

 

[Bob/NYC]

Does this work with Remoteselector and as what remote is it regonized as? Just in case my Silitek SM-100 dies. Needed for my HTPC.
TIA

 

[50]

Argh, I have one of these creative remotes and it's crap. The technology is so out of date, and for some reason my serial ports don't work. Anyway, someone really ought to come up with a WinXP USB remote with the features people want and in a trendy design!

 

[Coca-cola Bear]

Oh if you guys are looking at getting a more up to date USB remote you can try these.

Text

It's the only place I've found that carry the Windows MCE Remote. I'm thinking of getting one for my htpc project.
I've heard good things about it.

 

[AMCRambler]

I've got one of the Creative PC-DVD ir remotes and it's alright, but it didn't do what I really wanted it for. It works fine with the Power DVD software for my dvd drive, but I've also got an ATI TV Wonder VE tv card and it was supposed to work with the tv tuner software. Suffice it to say it doesn't. Also you're supposed to be able to control the mouse cursor with it, which you can, but when you hit a cursor direction key, instead of sliding smoothly across the screen it moves in 3/4inch jumps. Makes it impossible to hit a button if it's in the middle of one of those 3/4 inch jumps.
I've been poking around some and I see ATI now has a remote out there. I got mine about a year ago and ATI's only remote came with their All In Wonder cards. This looks like the same remote except with a USB receiver. I think I may try this one since it should work with my tv tuner since they're made by the same company. The other nice thing about this remote is it transmits via RF instead of IR so you don't need line of sight to use it. So if you're in the next room with Winamp going, conceivably you should be able to control it. I pricewatched it and the cheapest I could find is $28 bucks right here. Anybody ever use this remote?