[ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

I wanted to somehow make use of the N900's IR port. The irreco UI is still cruelsome and unusable. Now, RæMote is out, trying to be better:

http://thpinfo.com/2010/raemote/screenshot.png

Package currently waiting to enter Extras-Testing: http://maemo.org/packages/view/raemote/

Website: http://thpinfo.com/2010/raemote/

Demo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-ig6YJ8nh4

Currently, only the Apple Remote is supported, but the code is ready for additional remotes. All that's needed is an image file, a list of rectangles for "hotspots" and highlight images for each button. The files required for the Apple Remote are in /opt/raemote/apple/. If anyone is interested in creating additional remotes, I can give some details on how to do this.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Awesome, now I can have fun with my dad's iPod while it's in the dock in our living room :D

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

thp, you got a .deb that I can download or you can email me? The app manager still can't find the package.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

I guess you could download the .deb file from here?
http://maemo.org/packages/package_in...l/raemote/1.0/

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Hi!

While using that ae combination letter looks cool, I dont't think it's very practical, since most people can't easilly search for example these forums for the name of this app.

But maybe it is cool enough to outweigh the downside...

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

how do you use this?

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Ok, here I am. I volunteer to do a Windows MCE remote - because that's the project I wanted to start anyway! (But that was at the back of my project queue, first multi-DSLR shutter, then auto-recaller...) :)
However, I'm not sure if these things still fit the widget class or if it wouldn't be better to have an app.
And yes, the name is creative, but unpractical. Also, in terms of midterm attractivity, it might be better to rename it as "meemote" or so

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

MCE remotes run Philips RC6 standard (non standard 36kHz carrier frequency); I wonder if the N900 can cover that?

ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_IR#Standards

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Install it, point your N900's infrared port towards an Apple product with infrared port and touch the buttons on the widget to send IR signals.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Ok, some basic instructions to get going:

• Download the IR code file from www.lirc.org/remotes/ and save it as "codes"
• Create a background image to be used as UI (save as bg.png)
• For each button, create a rectangle line in the "rects" file (see below)
• For each button, create an overlay as <buttonname>.png that highlights the button
• Save the remote name (has to be the same as in the "codes" file) in the "name" file

Now, for the rectangles, the format is simple: {buttonname} {x1} {y1} {x2} {y2}

The {buttonname} should be a valid button (IR code) in the "codes" file.

The upper left corner of the button is (x1,y1) and the lower right corner of the button is (x2,y2). You can have multiple rects for each button to create better regions for the remote.

We can rename the thread to Raemote (Moderators: Please rename this thread to "[ANNOUNCE] RaeMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)") No "MeeMote" or "ReeMote" (or MeeRote..). We are still living in Maemo times, and we can still rename the widget when MeeGo comes out.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Very odd...when I install it...it doesn't show up as an available widget in the list. When I remove the app, suddenly it shows up in the widget list. If I select it (which I don't expect to work), it doesn't do anything and doesn't give any errors, but removes it from the list then.

Rebooted many times, uninstalled/reinstalled many times. Not sure why I can't see the widget in the list and select it when I install it...but so far I've been unable to use it. I'd file a bug, but looks like the bugtracker link at the http://maemo.org/packages/view/raemote/ site just points to a simple webpage about the app.

FOLLOWUP: I was able to launch it manually with "python raemote.py" once I found where the file was located. Works good once I got it running, although sometimes I noticed that buttons would "stick" in a pressed state even after I lifted my finger off the screen. Funny thing is that I didn't even know I had Front Row on my Macbook (it's a work provided laptop which is imaged from a stripped down build) until I used this app.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Same issue I can't find it in the widget selection pulldown menu? Where is the file located?

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Nice!

But we are running out of desktop space with all these widgets ;) I think this one should be an app instead. It is not something I want on the desktop taking up so much space...

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

I think if it's the first Python-based Desktop widget that you install, you might have to restart your N900 or at least hildon-home (by using "killall hildon-home" in the X Terminal).

If in doubt, you can use "python /usr/lib/hildon-desktop/raemote.py &" in the X Terminal to start the widget manually. The widget should then appear on your Desktop.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Mine doesn't show up in the widget menu too. But opening it manually through terminal works. Very nice app and very responsive too! Just what I need since I couldn't find my original Apple remote..

Hopefully the bug for it not showing in the widget menu will be fixed.

Thanks for this!

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

I vote for a full fledged app instead of a widget. Most ideas for apps seems to be implemented as a widget leading to desktop clutter.

Since the remote is only for when the user is in front of a mac - maybe it makes sense to launch an app instead of an always on widget ? Just a thought.

But neverthless Kudos for this great idea - will surely try it, now that I have a Mac Mini.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Great App and thank you, but one question how exactly do you pair it with your macbook since it requires you to hold the menu button and next/forward button simultaneously and we know this isn't possible without multitouch. Please help. Thank You

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Oh man, that's not nearly as cool. :) You had a good trend going with Maepad and all that. Anyway, I was going to help you out with it but you posted it in the wrong forum, oops. (I thought this thread was in Apps).

I was wondering why Irreco was so cumbersome, and thought that IR control had to be less difficult than that made it seem. It's good to see it's true.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Hi, I installed fine & it shows up in my widget menu.

I just cant get it to work with my macbook, I don't think it is sending IR signals. My apple remote works fine so I'm sure its not a problem on the mac receiver. Have tried a reboot and a re-install but no joy yet. Anyone share this problem?

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

I guess your Mac has a webcam, so just open Photo Booth and point the IR port towards the webcam and press a button on the Raemote - you should see a small light flicker inside the IR port when sending a signal (at least it does when using my Shutter widget :-)

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Thanks, There is no flicker from the IR port of the N900. My mac remote does produce a flicker. The N900 is not sending IR signals. I will try the shutter widget and see if that activates the IR port. I hope its the software and not the hardware.

edit: Shutter widget reports IRsend failed: 1 Boo!:confused:

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Some details for the "pairing" and "longpress" issues:

According to some web source (citation needed..) every "hardware" Apple Remote has a one-byte key (0-255) burnt-in that will be sent. MacBooks (I use them as example here, as I have one, I guess it's the same for Apple TV, iPod dock, etc...) by default listen to "any" Apple Remote. You can, however, "lock" or "pair" your Apple Remote with your MacBook, which means that your MacBook will only listen to the Apple Remote's key (again, one out of 256) and not to other keys.

What this means for you:

• RæMote only works in non-paired mode (if you paired your MacBook with your hardware Apple Remote, it won't work)
• If we somehow get more advanced IR codes, we can "simulate" every one of the 256 different Apple Remotes out there
• Holding a button does not work right now (because the Apple Remote does send different "repeat" signals for holding)

Some cool stuff that we can achieve, though (if we have all the necessary codes, which is just missing information ATM and not something that is limited by hardware):

• Mac-b-Gone (let any Mac in sight go to sleep, whether or not it's paired - but only if it's running OS X, and only if it hasn't disabled the IR port)
• Pairing (with configurable Apple Remote ID)
• Seeking in FrontRow/iTunes (press-and-hold ffwd, rewind)

I guess it's not that difficult for people that know a bit about IR and have the necessary hardware (e.g. a IR receiver that can capture the signals from an Apple Remote). If you have an Apple Remoet and an IR receiver hooked up to lirc, please do the following:

• Record the IR signal(s) for a long press on every button
• Record the IR signal(s) for the "pairing combination"

Information about pairing: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1619

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Please reboot your phone (Shutdown, the turn on again). It helped me with both Shutter and Raemote.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Looking forward to this. :D *evil grin*

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

I tried rebooting, no joy yet.

I uninstalled everything using the IR port and rebooted. Then i did a fresh install of raemote. This time it did not show up in the widget menu so i ran the script

python /usr/lib/hildon-desktop/raemote.py &

and i got

~ $ Stopping lirc daemon: irexec lircmd lircd.
Starting lirc daemon: lircd

The widget appears on the desktop but IR is non-functional
When I try to use it, terminal gives me,

irsend: could not connect to socket
irsend: connection refused

so its a socket connection problem. Off to google it now.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

I'm going back to eating my coloring crayons... Hah!

Thanks. Will install it and report back.


And, it seems to work great! Thank you, Dev.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

That's normal. The widget simply restarts the lirc daemon just in case it has not been started yet. This should make the widget functionality more reliable.

Seems like permission problems. Also, is "lircd" running? If not, maybe something messed up the lircd.conf? Please try removing lirc with the "--purge" option to remove the config files, i.e.:

apt-get remove --purge lirc

(This will also remove the packages that depend on lirc - you have to re-install them which in turn will re-install lirc and a new config for it...)

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Brilliant. It seems that lircd.conf had been corrupted on line one by a previous install of qtirreco.

The --purge and a reinstall of raemote kicked its arse back into shape.

Thank you very much for the widget and the help, its great to be able to use front row without having to search for the apple thingy which is never where you left it.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Had the same problem as digibum13. Had installed irreco and qtirreco, which both didn't work. "apt-get remove --purge lirc" and reinstall of raemote solved the problem.

A suggestion: Rename the app. It's hard to find it with the search-function. Ræmote looks cool, but you can't find it searching raemote.

Update: Played around some more. Seems like the combination of irreco and qtirreco made problems. At the moment I have only Raemote there, I can see the signal in Photo Booth, but the Macbook doesn't react. Will update, when it works.

Update 2: It works again. After some deleting, purging, reinstalling it now works again like a charm. Still a bit confused. Will try again to install qtirreco.

Update 3: Got raemote and qtirreco to work. Seems like the remotes, I used to test with my TV (lifetec) were the problem. Other work. At least with in the webcam. Now I need to find a TV to test it. (But that will be more interesting for the qtriecco people. raemotes works nice. thanks.)

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

RæMote 1.1 with a fixed bug tracker URL in the description has just been uploaded to Maemo Extras-Devel. It will be promoted to Extras-Testing as soon as the maemo.org Packages Web Interface allows me to do so.

Some more details to the package description that should help in case of problems with QtIrreco (when it messes up the lircd.conf file) were also added. Htwo's suggestion of modifying the app name (in the application manager) to be more searchable was implemented in the debian/control file.

..and finally the source is online now at: http://repo.or.cz/w/raemote.git (where you can also find the diff to 1.0 in case you are interested). Patches welcome!

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Great application! However , I have similar problem like Digbum13. RaeMote was not shown in the widget list. I can only run through terminal.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

RæMote 1.2 has just been released and will land in Extras-Testing soon. It includes a fix for the graphical glitch where the button highlight would not go away and appear "stuck".

If RæMote is not shown in the widget list, simply re-start your device.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Sounds very cool...since i lost my iMac remote for 2nd time...but can't get it to appear in the widget list...

python /usr/lib/hildon-desktop/raemote.py & seems to do the job and make it appear....but i have to run the command every time?...

Should I have something else also installed or just the Raemote? thx and kudos for the development!

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

cafeine:; try a reboot

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

twaelti, i did but the same results....only if run the command

python /usr/lib/hildon-desktop/raemote.py &

i can see it in my views.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Thanks a million! This widget will be used like a mother.. well a lot! Just brainstorming here but is there any chance of getting the remote app from iphone/ipod touch to N900 (the one that uses wifi connection)? Are there copyright issues or something? Maybe with some plugins that might work? (I don't really know much of these things..) That would be the greatest thing ever though this will also do just fine..

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

I think what you mean is the DACP protocol? There is an implementation (and detailed information about the protocol) on this page (for an Android app):

http://dacp.jsharkey.org/

Also, I've found a client implementation on Ruby, which should theoretically work on the N900 as command-line app already:

http://gitorious.com/ruby-dacp

(There might even be a Qt-based UI for this already in the "qtstereo" directory inside the Git repo, but I haven't checked it out. Just a pointer in case anyone wants to try implementing something like this - I personally don't use iTunes for music playback :))

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Yep that's the one. Is someone able to turn that into a working N900 app? Or is there one already? I have no skill in these things but I imagine this would be a simple thing to do..(?)

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

So it seems previous attempts of mine to get Irreco or qtirreco to work (never did) have really done in my IR transmitter, assuming it worked in the first place. I can not get Ræmote to work either.

I've tried:

1.) Rebooting

2.) Deleting Ræmote and running apt-get remove --purg lirc (I get this message: Package lirc is not installed, so not removed).

3.) apt-get clean, apt-get autoclean, apt-get remove, apt-get autoremove

I ran python /usr/lib/hildon-desktop/raemote.py in terminal and got this message:

Any help appreciated.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] RæMote for the N900 (Apple Infrared Remote)
 

Edit /etc/lircd.conf with a text editor (e.g. vim) as root and remove all lines in it except for the file that includes the RaeMote remote definition (you'll spot it easily). Save the file and then restart RaeMote and it should work again :)

The culprit here is QtIrreco an Irreco, as they simply append lines to the /etc/lircd.conf file, but fail to remove these lines when they get uninstalled, resulting in a broken lircd configuration.