Difference between revisions of "How To - Use your Packard Bell Fast Media Remote on a modern PC"

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These instructions will help you get your Packard Bell Fast Media Remote working on a modern PC. These instructions will work with Windows 2000 up to and including Windows 8.1.
 
These instructions will help you get your Packard Bell Fast Media Remote working on a modern PC. These instructions will work with Windows 2000 up to and including Windows 8.1.
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==What you need==
  
 
You will need:
 
You will need:
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*Eventghost [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2684772/Packard%20Bell%20Fast%20Media%20Remote.xml config file] for Packard Bell Fast Media Remote.
 
*Eventghost [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2684772/Packard%20Bell%20Fast%20Media%20Remote.xml config file] for Packard Bell Fast Media Remote.
  
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==Instructions==
  
 
1. If using a USB to serial adapter, plug it in and install the proper drivers. Then plug the Fast Media Remote receiver into the adapter. If using a computer with a serial port, simply plug in the Fast Media Remote receiver. It doesn't matter if the computer is on or not.
 
1. If using a USB to serial adapter, plug it in and install the proper drivers. Then plug the Fast Media Remote receiver into the adapter. If using a computer with a serial port, simply plug in the Fast Media Remote receiver. It doesn't matter if the computer is on or not.
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12. The buttons on your Fast Media Remote should now be working. To use your Fast Media remote in the future, just open BOTH WinLIRC and Eventghost.
 
12. The buttons on your Fast Media Remote should now be working. To use your Fast Media remote in the future, just open BOTH WinLIRC and Eventghost.
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==Default button mappings==
  
 
The button mappings are as follows:
 
The button mappings are as follows:
Direction pad: Mouse Emulation
 
 
Volume Up: Volume Up (Increases volume by 2% with each press.)
 
 
Volume Down: Volume Down (Decreases volume by 2% with each press.)
 
 
Mute: Mute
 
 
CD: Opens iTunes (if installed)
 
 
Menu: Brings up Windows 8 charms menu (Windows 8/8.1 only)
 
 
Enter: Play/Pause iTunes playback
 
  
CH/Select Up: Skips to next song in iTunes
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{| class="wikitable"
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! Button
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! Action
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|-
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| Directional pad
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| Mouse Emulation
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|-
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| Volume Up
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| Volume Up (Increases volume by 2% with each press.)
 +
|-
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| Volume Down
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| Volume Down (Decreases volume by 2% with each press.)
 +
|-
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| Mute
 +
| Mute
 +
|-
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| CD
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| Opens iTunes (if installed)
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|-
 +
| Menu
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| Brings up Windows 8 charms menu (Windows 8/8.1 only)
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|-
 +
| Enter
 +
| Play/Pause iTunes playback
 +
|-
 +
| CH/Select Up
 +
| Skips to next song in iTunes
 +
|-
 +
| CH/Select Down
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| Skips to previous song in iTunes
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|}
  
CH/Select Down: Skips to previous song in iTunes
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==Making the buttons do something==
  
 
You can make any button on the remote do whatever you want using Eventghost. Here's how:
 
You can make any button on the remote do whatever you want using Eventghost. Here's how:

Revision as of 13:23, 27 July 2015

These instructions will help you get your Packard Bell Fast Media Remote working on a modern PC. These instructions will work with Windows 2000 up to and including Windows 8.1.

What you need

You will need:

Instructions

1. If using a USB to serial adapter, plug it in and install the proper drivers. Then plug the Fast Media Remote receiver into the adapter. If using a computer with a serial port, simply plug in the Fast Media Remote receiver. It doesn't matter if the computer is on or not.

2. Download WinLIRC 0.6.5 from the link above. Extract the zip file.

3. Click the link for the config file above. Select all the text and paste it into Notepad. Change the save as type to "All Files(*.*)" and save the file as "packard_bell.cf", making sure there is no .txt extension.

4. Open up WinLIRC 0.6.5. It will give an error telling you that it failed to initialize. Click ok.

5. Select the correct COM port from the Port drop down menu. If it is not listed, simply type the correct COM port. (e.g. COM1)

6. Click browse on the bottom of the window and browse to where you saved your "packard_bell.cf" file. Select the file.

7. Click ok. At this point the WinLIRC window should disappear.

8. Look in your system tray. You should see a grey circle. Point the remote at the receiver and press any button. The circle should turn green when you press the button. This lets you know the remote is working properly.

9. Download and install Eventghost. This is the program that will allow you to make the buttons do something.

10. Download the config file for Eventghost from the link above.

11. Open up Eventghost. Click File, Open and navigate to where you downloaded the Eventghost config file. Select this file.

12. The buttons on your Fast Media Remote should now be working. To use your Fast Media remote in the future, just open BOTH WinLIRC and Eventghost.

Default button mappings

The button mappings are as follows:

Button Action
Directional pad Mouse Emulation
Volume Up Volume Up (Increases volume by 2% with each press.)
Volume Down Volume Down (Decreases volume by 2% with each press.)
Mute Mute
CD Opens iTunes (if installed)
Menu Brings up Windows 8 charms menu (Windows 8/8.1 only)
Enter Play/Pause iTunes playback
CH/Select Up Skips to next song in iTunes
CH/Select Down Skips to previous song in iTunes

Making the buttons do something

You can make any button on the remote do whatever you want using Eventghost. Here's how:

1. Click the orange gear with a green plus at the top of the window.

2. From the tree list, select the action you want to do. Configure the action and click ok.

3. While on the main Eventghost screen, press the button you want to do the action you just performed. The button will appear on the list on the left side of the Window under "Log".

4. Click and drag the button to the Marco you just created. From now on the button should do the action you dragged it to.