# The pursuit of the perfect tablet remote



## jdhatfield (Jan 2, 2014)

Hi everyone. I'm a HTS noob with only a member introduction post to my credit so I thought I would create a post with my experiences so far with a tablet remote. 

As many or all on this forum can appreciate, the pursuit of the perfect remote to control the media room is both never-ending and elusive journey. For me, I've long desired the universal remote that knows no boundaries and can adapt the ever changing parameters of my home theater. I wish I could report my journey has ended and the holy grail of remotes has been found but I can not. What I can report is that I have found something that is a really good start and at the very least, a pathway to that perfect remote.

For the past year I have been playing with iRule after looking at several different tablet based app remote control options. I have a Kindle Fire I picked up new for $99 and I just added a refurbished first generation Nexus 7 for $99 so that I can have two controllers in the media room that were pretty cheap for what they offer. I use the global cache GC-100 for the IR and the Mi Casa Vera to control lighting. Overall it was a a little bit of a learning curve to get all of the devices and gateways added, configured, and talking together. It has taken a little bit of tinkering to get some of the delays configured right to make sure the multi-step macros work. I think that is the case with a lot of the configurable type remotes so I wouldn’t knock the iRule just for that.

After playing with it for a year and giving it a recent tune up to reduce the number of key presses to do my most used actions, I really love this set up. I like being able to change the layout and graphics as my tastes evolve. I like being able to make my own buttons or select from submissions from the community. There is a decent following so the few times I have had some snags, I’ve been able to work through it either by youtube or forums. 

Not sure how many folks here on HTS use iRule but I am curious how others have incorporated it into their media room. Are there certain automation actions you have done that are useful and unique?


----------



## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

I have no idea how to do what you are asking but I think one of the other mods has been working with irule for a bit of time so I will try to find him and point him to your post.

Thanks for asking.


----------



## jdhatfield (Jan 2, 2014)

Thanks Jack. I may not have been completely clear in the question now that I have re-read the post.

I've been looking for other ideas for automation of things in the theater room with a single press of a button. For instance, I have a 'System On' and 'System Off' button that will turn on/off the projector, DVD player, and receiver. Further, I have a 'Begin Intermission' button on my DVD screen that when pressed will pause the DVD and raise the house lights to 30%. 'End Intermission' resumes the playback and turns off the lights. I know there are a lot of creative folks out there and was curious if there were other folks that have implemented or dreamed of implementing automated things for their room.


----------



## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

IMO perfect control integration has less to do with the device and more to do with the implementation. Every control solution from basic harmony 650 though to advanced automation like crestron or savant needs to be programmed with the user in mind. As you transition from basic single room systems though more advanced scenarios like lighting control climate the goal remains the same; make it easy to use. 

I'll go to client's homes who spend a small fortune on their AV gear and only one member of the family uses the stack. Often the cable remote is still in use because the universal was programmed in a way that isn't intuitive. 

I'll sell a harmony remote for smaller single rooms because it's all that's needed an gill sell URC or C4 when the system/lifestyle requires it. Good integration is often overlooked but can be more important than any other single part of a system.

iRule is a great platform for the DIY community but it still requires attention to how the family likes to use the system. Custom buttons or unique macros make or break a solution. Sometimes it's as little as changing the function names to something more intuitive. DVR button changed to "Recorded Programs", replace "epg" with "guide" or "program listings". These are the little things that make a well programed remote become in essential part of any system.


----------



## Orange55 (Jul 20, 2009)

rab-byte said:


> IMO perfect control integration has less to do with the device and more to do with the implementation.
> 
> Sometimes it's as little as changing the function names to something more intuitive. DVR button changed to "Recorded Programs", replace "epg" with "guide" or "program listings". These are the little things that make a well programed remote become in essential part of any system.


Spot on and one of the key things I see missed when viewing sample files people post online from there remotes. Often you see people have just recreated the standard remotes on a universal one. 

People should be able to use the system with no intro needed. 

Like you say simple buttons like, watch the tv to watch a movie. One click and it all happens then selection of channels or a play button and off we go.


----------



## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

jdhatfield said:


> Thanks Jack. I may not have been completely clear in the question now that I have re-read the post. I've been looking for other ideas for automation of things in the theater room with a single press of a button. For instance, I have a 'System On' and 'System Off' button that will turn on/off the projector, DVD player, and receiver. Further, I have a 'Begin Intermission' button on my DVD screen that when pressed will pause the DVD and raise the house lights to 30%. 'End Intermission' resumes the playback and turns off the lights. I know there are a lot of creative folks out there and was curious if there were other folks that have implemented or dreamed of implementing automated things for their room.


URC "total control suit" or Control4 sound like what you're looking for.

For DIY you may want it check our smarthome or HAI but they interface isn't as polished.


----------



## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

Orange55 said:


> Spot on and one of the key things I see missed when viewing sample files people post online from there remotes. Often you see people have just recreated the standard remotes on a universal one. People should be able to use the system with no intro needed. Like you say simple buttons like, watch the tv to watch a movie. One click and it all happens then selection of channels or a play button and off we go.


I'm taking this off topic. I'm sorry. 

You can go down a very deep rabbit hole with home automation and anytime automation comes into play the whole system and client lifestyle needs to be addressed. 

It's like you said so often the remote is just a carbon copy of several manufactures remotes. It kills me when I go to a client's home and they have a $700+ remote collecting dust because it was "too complicated". That's the whole reason you get a universal remote; to make it simple!

One of my biggest pet peeves.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I think that's one of the best features of the Harmony remotes is the web based software does almost all of the work for you. I've been using various remotes from harmony from the 880 to the current 900 and 1100 I'm using now and never really been disappointed.


----------

