using X3 as a remote control

mrklaw · 02-15-04, 01:55 PM

Hi there.

Considering replacing my pronto with either a new pronto 950 or an axim.

I was considering the 950 as it has lots of hard buttons, which would be handy for Tivo control, which uses lots of cursor stuff.

Does anyone here use an axim for anything similar? Does it have enough configurable hard buttons for normal use without using the screen all the time?

Also, I've heard that there are general usability issues that make the axim (and other PDAs) a bit clumsy for use primarily as a remote (which will be 90% of this ones usage). eg, the hard buttons don't 'hold down', so volume control is difficult etc.

Any comments?

I'm obviously tempted to the axim by it being a similar price, but offering colour and other functionality (possible wireless one for email/web/photos/mp3 streaming etc - but remote is main reason for buying, so it has to be good)

02-16-04, 09:21 AM

actually, i use my ax x3i as my primary remote and my pda at the same time. what i really like is a program aptly named tv remote controller. it lets you program voice commands such as power, channel up, 1,2,3, etc. its really cool, and with a freeware program from microsoft called cerdisplay, you can control your tv remotely if you have the ax connected to the web and in the range of a tv. this requires a wifi enabled device, but its really cool. you can control your tv from a computer in a completely different room, and if using vnc, you can control the tv from anywhere you have the internet!!!

bcooper · 02-16-04, 03:35 PM

Where can we get this program? Can you provide a link? Which such a generic name, it will be harder to find via Google.

deftech · 02-16-04, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bcooper
Where can we get this program? Can you provide a link? Which such a generic name, it will be harder to find via Google.

http://www.pdawin.com

PDAwin TV Remote Controller

mrklaw · 02-17-04, 03:29 AM

does that one support 'held down' codes on the hard buttons?

I'm likely to put volume up/down on two of the four program buttons (I want to leave the cursor free for tivo cursor controls or transports).

No repeating on hard keys would be a killer for me - I think I'd run back to mommy philips and pay over the odds for a mono pronto. Again.

MrKlaatu · 02-17-04, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrklaw
does that one support 'held down' codes on the hard buttons?

Yep, it sure do!

You can just Download your current Pronto CCF, make a few Button assignments, and you're ready to use it.

Of course, you will then spend many hours happily converting your B&W CCF to Color. But pdaWIN FULLY supports CCFs!

Hang on to your horses, there. A little more research on This Thread on RemCen PDA Forum, yields this info:

Quote:

Actually, after looking into it more, I think that even a ROM update (on Dell's part) wouldn't be able to do it. The problem is the order of the virtual keycodes that are assigned to the hardware buttons on the Axim X3/X3i.

Most PPCs are assigned in this order:
Calendar(1) - Contacts(2) - Email(3) - Home(4) - Record(5)

However, Dell has assigned the keycodes in this order:
Record(1) - Calendar(2) - Contacts(3) - Email(4) - Home(5) - WiFi/WMP(6)

So as you can see, the software is calling the virtual keycode for Button 1, which on the X3/X3i is the record button. And the farthest right button that the software is calling is Button 4, which in this case is the E-mail button. The Home button on the X3 and the Wifi/WMP button are not able to be used, because they are Button 5 and Button 6. Dell definately messed up good on this one.

I'm almost positive that virtual keycodes are in the hardware circuit itself, so a ROM update would likely not be able to help anything.

The only way I see that it could be fixed, is for PDAwin to release an Axim X3/X3i specific version of their software. The only change that would be needed is to change the virtual keycodes used in the software. It would only take them a few minutes to make these changes. The problem would be that they would need a separate X3/X3i version every time they release a new version of PDAwin.

Jordan M. Wigley
Aximsite.com Co-Administrator

mrklaw · 02-18-04, 11:55 AM

so how many hard buttons (apart from the 5-way) would I have access to - 3?

I'd need at least vol+, vol- and mute. I'd also like another for the Tivo button or toggling between transport/cursors.

I don't mind having the mute on the side.

deftech · 02-18-04, 04:13 PM

On the X3/X3i, you'd be able to assign to the Schedule, Contacts, and E-mail buttons.

mrklaw · 02-18-04, 04:24 PM

thanks.

mmm, pretty tight. that'd use all of them for sound, leaving the navigation keys for cursor + select, or transport (FF,REW,Play, Pause, skip to end) -

I wonder if anyone here has good suggestions for hard key distribution?