Good controller for HTPC?

[striker477]

I'm looking for a good controller I can use for my htpc running kodi I currently am bouncing back and forth between a wireless xbox controller and my cell phone but hate that both devices turn off after a period of inactivity. Is there a normal tv like controller that would work well to control my pc? 
Also, does anyone know if there is a way to use hdmi-cec on windows? my tv supports it but after a quick google search I was unable to figure out a way to get it to work with windows. 

 

I have been considering something like this but just dont know if there is any options that would be even better. 

[Drak3]

To use HDMI-CEC on a HTPC, you need an adapter, like this one:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Pulse-Eight-P8-USBCECv1-USB-CEC-Adapter/dp/B005JU6LWM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490758688&sr=8-2&keywords=hdmi+cec+adapter

 

As for controllers, I believe that wireless Xbox 360 controllers don't turn off if you have the charge kit, and power it through that.

[striker477]

2 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

To use HDMI-CEC on a HTPC, you need an adapter, like this one:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Pulse-Eight-P8-USBCECv1-USB-CEC-Adapter/dp/B005JU6LWM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490758688&sr=8-2&keywords=hdmi+cec+adapter

 

As for controllers, I believe that wireless Xbox 360 controllers don't turn off if you have the charge kit, and power it through that.

1

 

Thanks for the information, I have the official charge and play kit but mine seems to turn off after around 15-20 minutes of inactivity. Also I don't really like how easy it is fo bump a button and end up fast forwarding or changing the volume so I'm thinking about going with more of a conventional style controller. 

[ARikozuM]

Valve's controller is very good for the HTPC user. Takes some getting used to but works very well for most games.

[dalekphalm]

14 hours ago, striker477 said:

I'm looking for a good controller I can use for my htpc running kodi I currently am bouncing back and forth between a wireless xbox controller and my cell phone but hate that both devices turn off after a period of inactivity. Is there a normal tv like controller that would work well to control my pc? 
Also, does anyone know if there is a way to use hdmi-cec on windows? my tv supports it but after a quick google search I was unable to figure out a way to get it to work with windows. 

 

I have been considering something like this but just dont know if there is any options that would be even better. 

I think you need to clarify this a bit, since people may not be understanding the question.

 

What is your goal? To control Kodi? Or to play video games?

 

For gaming on an HTPC, the XBOX 360/XBO/XBO Elite controllers are well regarded as some of the best available.

 

However, for general controlling of the computer, using a USB IR Receiver + Remote is probably the best.

 

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Ortek-Windows-Infrared-Receiver-Ultimate/dp/B00224ZDFY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490810814&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+ir+media+remote

 

You can occasionally find them made by well known PC Brands.

 

Alternatively, getting one of the Logitech Harmony series remotes are probably the best (and more easily programmable), but they can get really expensive, depending on what model you look at.

[AshleyAshes]

If you can find them, MCE remotes are pretty great.  I'm fond enough of the MediaGate ones that I hoard them off eBay to ensure I have replacements since they are discontinued.   They come with USB IR dongles and work native in Windows naturally.

 

[Jdnoss1234]

I just got a FLIRC and it works great on Kodi. You can program it to any remote you want.

[ucrbuffalo]

On 3/29/2017 at 9:34 PM, AshleyAshes said:

If you can find them, MCE remotes are pretty great.  I'm fond enough of the MediaGate ones that I hoard them off eBay to ensure I have replacements since they are discontinued.   They come with USB IR dongles and work native in Windows naturally.

 

Do those still work in Windows 10?  I had considered looking for one myself.

[AshleyAshes]

5 hours ago, ucrbuffalo said:

Do those still work in Windows 10?  I had considered looking for one myself.

They do, my HTPCs are Windows 10 and they work fine.

[striker477]

9 hours ago, AshleyAshes said:

They do, my HTPCs are Windows 10 and they work fine.

The only thing i hate about most remotes on the market is it seems like a lot of the buttons would serve no purpose. 

[dalekphalm]

30 minutes ago, striker477 said:

The only thing i hate about most remotes on the market is it seems like a lot of the buttons would serve no purpose. 

The great thing about Windows is that you can use third party software to literally remap any button you want, to do something else.

 

But can you be more specific about what buttons you feel serve no purpose?

[striker477]

On 4/23/2017 at 4:10 PM, dalekphalm said:

The great thing about Windows is that you can use third party software to literally remap any button you want, to do something else.

 

But can you be more specific about what buttons you feel serve no purpose?

 

like all the remotes have all the numbers and stuff like that to me seem to serve no purpose as I haven't found a way to program those buttons to actually control the tv or anyhing. 

[dalekphalm]

11 hours ago, striker477 said:

like all the remotes have all the numbers and stuff like that to me seem to serve no purpose as I haven't found a way to program those buttons to actually control the tv or anyhing. 

Well, you have to remember that these are HTPC remotes. You can purchase a Capture Card that has what's called "CableCard", which is a card that is programmed with the decryption keys for Digital Cable TV. Basically, you pop this card into a special slot that is connected to the computer, and your computer then acts as your Digital Cable TV Receiver. You can then change TV channels via the computer the same as you would on a cable box. Such as hitting the "3" to change to channel 3.

 

With that in mind, CableCard was never very widespread, as Cable providers didn't like the idea of you using your own equipment, let alone easily being able to record live TV.

 

So in short, they're not for interacting with the TV itself, but rather, specific functions a computer might take advantage of. Also, you can use third party software to remap those numpad keys to something else (Eg: #1 launches Plex, #2 launches Steam, etc).

[striker477]

5 hours ago, dalekphalm said:

Well, you have to remember that these are HTPC remotes. You can purchase a Capture Card that has what's called "CableCard", which is a card that is programmed with the decryption keys for Digital Cable TV. Basically, you pop this card into a special slot that is connected to the computer, and your computer then acts as your Digital Cable TV Receiver. You can then change TV channels via the computer the same as you would on a cable box. Such as hitting the "3" to change to channel 3.

 

With that in mind, CableCard was never very widespread, as Cable providers didn't like the idea of you using your own equipment, let alone easily being able to record live TV.

 

So in short, they're not for interacting with the TV itself, but rather, specific functions a computer might take advantage of. Also, you can use third party software to remap those numpad keys to something else (Eg: #1 launches Plex, #2 launches Steam, etc).

 

Thats a good point dalekphalm, do you know of any good software that will remap those undeeded keys? 

[dalekphalm]

17 minutes ago, striker477 said:

Thats a good point dalekphalm, do you know of any good software that will remap those undeeded keys? 

Not off the top of my head - I don't remember. The best software was a paid program you had to buy, from what I recall from when I was more into this stuff.

 

I'll try and dig up a suggestion or two, but you could likely find the information online easily enough.

[AshleyAshes]

On 4/25/2017 at 2:42 PM, striker477 said:

Thats a good point dalekphalm, do you know of any good software that will remap those undeeded keys? 

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=164252

 

This program is free and will actually let you modify in the registry what each MCE button does, even basic shortcuts can be done with it.  It's what I use with mine to map specific functions or hot keys to the many buttons on my MCE remotes.

[striker477]

On 4/29/2017 at 0:22 PM, AshleyAshes said:

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=164252

 

This program is free and will actually let you modify in the registry what each MCE button does, even basic shortcuts can be done with it.  It's what I use with mine to map specific functions or hot keys to the many buttons on my MCE remotes.

 

Thanks for the information, I will have to check that out.