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Showing content with the highest reputation on 01/30/2015 in all areas

  1. What's interesting, I, as a programmer myself, frequently hear from non-programmers that something should be easy to implement :). OK, lets quickly compare Flirc with MCE receiver: Flirc: presents itself to a computer as two devices: a keyboard and a special device which allows programming using Flirc software MCE: presents itself to a computer as two devices: a keyboard and a mouse Flirc: allows programming almost any key combination for almost any remote control button (there are some exceptions and hard to support remote protocols - that's why "almost") MCE: works only with a predefined remote and sends only a predefined commands to the computer They both are using some kind of microcontroller for their operation. Flirc: uses a small Atmel ATmega microcontroller which does everything in software: bootloader (ability to safely upgrade firmware), IR recognizing, IR recording logic, HID keyboard protocol and USB protocol - unfortunately this microprocessor doesn't have unlimited amount of space and processing power MCE: I don't know what it uses but it's probably some dedicated chip Flirc: created by a single person who is trying as best as he can to bring new features and fix issues as fast as he can besides his daily job and family (you can read here why Flirc was created in the first place https://www.flirc.tv/fundraising/) MCE: created by big companies with a lot of money (originally by Microsoft) As you can see by comparing both devices it may no longer be that easy to implement mouse support (not impossible, but certainly not easy). Flirc is and always was advertised as a device that works like a keyboard and it does that very well. It can be a whole solution for some users and just a part of a solution for others. If you only need a simple control of some applications using keyboard then you are good to go. If you want something more advanced, then you must use some support software. I don't think that using EG is defeating whole Flirc concept. You still get standard functionality, but you just supplement it with things it can't do by itself. For a mouse control you just need 6 extra buttons recorded to some key combinations that are later caught by the software and translated into mouse movement and clicks. Everything else can be still left to the Flirc. BTW if you look at the first google link I've posted you can find info on how to control mouse with a keyboard in Windows without any additional software. It may work with Flirc.
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