I recently got an FLIRC and I love it so far. The problem I have though is that in any mode my TV remote takes too many buttons for TV functions, so I'm left with very few I can program. (Well I can program them, but they will simultaneously do something on the TV if I press them). I'd like to be able to use quite a few buttons so I can get great XBMC functionality.
I saw some inexpensive (< $15) Philips universal remotes at Walmart and I might pick up one of those in hopes of getting more usable buttons. Does anyone have experience with these (e.g. SRP4004/27)? Are they recommended for FLIRC? Alternately what are some popular remotes that people are using with FLIRC? Preferably relatively inexpensive, keyboard on it wouldn't hurt. What are the developers of FLIRC using?
In a perfect scenario (not sure if this is possible), I'd like:
- single remote to control TV (in VERY basic way) and HTPC
- i leave it in the same mode all the time
- power/input/mute/vol/channel buttons ONLY control TV
- every other button on remote available to be programmed for FLIRC
If I had to switch between TV and another mode it wouldn't be the end of the world, but I'd like a good number of buttons to be available for the HTPC. I definitely want the volume button on the remote to control TV volume even when I'm in whatever mode I use for my HTPC. I don't want to have to switch remote modes to go from pausing a show to changing the volume.
Any advice would be great.