Controlling a htpc, anything better than a keyboard with mouse?

JonJ678

JonJ678

JonJ678

Soldato
Joined
22 Dec 2008
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Location
England
I'm currently using an old laptop to try to work out whether I want to go to the trouble of assembling a htpc. Watching films or TV through a large screen is pretty good, but walking over to the laptop to change what it's doing isn't so good. So I currently have a fairly long video cable connecting the laptop to a TV, and the laptop is sat next to a sofa.

How do I refine this? A remote control seems an obvious choice, but unless I change to a htpc - orientated OS I imagine navigating folders will be frustrating. I'm happy enough controlling it over ssh from another device, but the girlfriend isn't so user-friendly is fairly important.

So, an entirely intuitive GUI with remote control is probably my best choice. What are my options here? I'm confident other people on these boards will have solved this problem somehow.


(The htpc is likely to be derived from a file server, which will probably continue acting as a file server. Does this mean a WD-TV style thing makes the most sense?)

Thank you :)
 
The OS is flexible, at present the file server is running Debian. It'll move to slackware when I find myself with a spare few days. Windows in virtualbox is an option.

XBMC looks excellent, I think I shall have a play with this. Their wiki looks pretty good too.

Cheers
 
I use XBMC with a Microsoft Media Centre remote and a Keysonic wireless keyboard with integrated track-pad. You could also look into the XBMC remote application if you have an android phone.
 
I use media portal and a MS Media centre remote. Everythings controlled from the remote, you never have to get up.
Plus it looks good, is free, is in windows, its easy to install and use and a has a crap load of addons.

And I have that combined with a keysonic wireless keyboard for when i do need to do a bit of configuration.
 
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