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Posted (edited)

Media Browser 3 Control for Unified Remote



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Firstly please be aware that I consider this very much a beta script and will do so until such time as MBT comes out of beta.
I will however keep the scripts updated as MBT does so and provide more functionality as the MBT team gets around to mapping everything.
 
 
So to start, what is Unified Remote?
 
Unified Remote is an app that lets you control your entire Windows computer from your Android device. In short, it turns your device into a WiFi or Bluetooth remote control for all the programs on your computer. It is easily the most feature-filled PC remote available. With our app you can control a wide range of applications, including simple mouse and keyboard, media players, and other external hardware that can be connected to your computer.

They also provide extensive capabilities to create custom remotes, which is what I have done for MB3.

Now before we go any further you will need to purchase the full version of Unified Remote for your android or windows device to use custom remotes, they price is extremely reasonable at AUD$3.67 on the PlayStore and AUD$3.99 on the Windows Store, you won’t find a better remote for the price ;) try the free version first and see what you think, although you will be unable to use this script with it, there are a few built in to try. (iOS version is in beta and not currently available for iCrap iStuff)
 
You can find a full overview on their website here
 

…..all good, how do I get started?
 
Well firstly you need to download the Unified Remote Server here this needs to be installed on any PC or HTPC you wish to control. Once you have it installed run through the options, not much to do here, if on your HTPC I suggest you set it to ‘start on system start-up’ you can also click on the remotes tab and disable/enable any remotes you care to (feel free to disable that ugly cousin XBMC :lol:) password encryption is also available. WARNING: Do NOT disable any of the Core.**** remotes or the Relmtech basic input remotes, they are action libraries required to work some functions.



 

QuickStartServer.png

 
 
Once everything is configured, you can close the server window, since the application will continue to run in your system tray.
 
 

QuickStartTray.png

 
 
IMPORTANT: make sure that Windows Firewall and/or other security software is not blocking the Unified Remote Server application nor ports (default 9512 TCP and UDP). It is recommend that you use Unified Remote on your local area network (LAN), otherwise you will need to open the ports on your router as well.
 
 
Once you’re done there you need to install the actual remote to your device here for Android devices or here for Windows devices.
 
Once the application is running, follow the in-app instructions. The dashboard offers quick access to all the main parts of the app.
 


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And you’re done.
If you are just trying it out go ahead and play, if you grabbed the full version and are ready to install the Media Broswer 3 Remote, read on…..
 
 
So you’ve made it this far, moving on….
By the way if you did fork out the four bucks for the app?
Don’t forget about the guys who make MB3 for us and throw them a few as well, their beer fridge is empty after all these holidays.
(in all seriousness though show them some love and keep MB going, donate, buy a plug-in or all of-the-above if you’re feeling giving)
 
…now where was i? ahh the remote.
 
 
 
 
As pointed out earlier this is still in early stages and will progress with MBT, not all buttons are currently working and some are but with some questionable methods lol
I will list non-functioning and some minor issues shortly.This first release is also designed to give some function to WMC as well, this was necessary for me until LiveTV makes it to MBS then MBT.
 

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As you can see above I have tried to get as much in as possible without feeling crowded, the navigation area has been deliberately left clear to make it easier to avoid accidental touches.
Layout was designed on a Samsung Galaxy SII which is a relatively small screen nowadays for android devices and it felt comfortable to use, I can only imagine it would be much better on a tablet or larger screen phones, unfortunately at the time of writing I do not have a tablet to test layout on, although I have a Galaxy Tab on it’s way, I also do not own a windows tablet or phone so feedback there would be nice, I will however try to get one from a friend for testing.
NOTE: The full function remote scrolls if needed, the basic remote will fill to fit your device(s) screen.
It has been thoroughly tested on my Galaxy SII and works like a charm, I do recommend setting Unified on your device to 'portrait lock' and 'full-screen' in options if similar in size to the SII.
 
Remote using MBT/WMC was tested on a Desktop PC (Windows 8.1 Pro with WMC), Notebook (Windows 8.1 Pro with WMC) and a HTPC (Windows 7 Ultimate).
 
 
Playback and Record Panel: Seriously, you want me to explain that? Lol
Everything works as expected here, if you don’t know what to expect this is not the forum you are looking for, move along. (he says in his best Obi-wan voice)
 
Navigation Panel: Really, again? Ok, left, no your other left, that’s it, right, no I meant right arrow doh! up and down, the round thing in the middle, press that when you get where you’re going, we’ll call it the butler, he’ll open the door for you.
 
The Panel without a Name: I was going to call it porn, cos when you rub that little button on the right MBT gets bigger or you can use the one on the left and go back… (not finishing that!)
 
The Panel of Many Colours: If it sang and had 2 big round buttons I would call it Dolly!
 
The colours function as follows;


 

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Function Panel:
Power Button will do a complete shutdown your pc
 
Media Browser will launch Media Browser Theatre (if WMC is running it will end that process first) MBT can also be launched by pressing the menu button on your phone/tablet when the MB3 remote is open. A pop-up will show with ‘Launch’ above the usual ‘Share’ that is seen there in apps. (this method does not force WMC to close.)
 
WMC will launch WMC directly to Live TV (if MBT is running, it will end that process first)
 
Sort By opens the slide out panel for viewing by sort options (if applicable) pressing back hides it again.
 
Screenshot will take a picture of the current screen and put it in > USERNAME/Pictures/Screenshots/screenshot(xx).jpg this is handy if needing to send an image to the MB3 team for trouble shooting or just grabbing that right pic from your favourite movie so you can use it as a backdrop.
 
 
Access Panel:
Keyboard opens the keyboard on your device
 
Mouse changes your screen to touchpad mode, allowing you to control MBT via mouse in a similar manner to a notebook touchpad.
 
Mic inputs basic commands via voice (basic functions have all been tested and working, it uses google voice so shows about the same accuracy)
 
Quick Switch switches between MB3 and other Unified Remotes quickly (add these as you desire)
 
Server selects the UR Server(PC or HTPC) you wish to connect your device to
 
 
 
Get Media Browser 3 Control for Unified Remote here for x64or here for x86.
The file is self-extracting and will need admin privileges as it extracts the scripts and custom icons to the unified install directory.
 
Make sure the Unified Remote Server (URS) is installed prior to extracting these scripts. After the extraction process is complete, stop and start the URS or go to the remotes tab and click refresh.
Your MB3 Remotes should then be listed on both your system and device. Rinse and repeat for each system running the URS.
 
 
Current Release: beta r0.4 posted on 02/01/2014
 
Currently confirmed working with: MBT 3.0.5097.22952 Edited by Brendon
  • Like 9
Posted (edited)

Known Issues:

 

Unmapped Buttons

  • Red (is mapped to Movies, see note below)
  • Green (is mapped to TV, see note below)
  • Blue (will map to Music)
  • Yellow (temporary map for WMC TV, will change to MBT TV Guide when available)
  • Purple (will map to Games)
  • Gold (will map to Media Folders, formerly Collections)
  • Silver (mapped but not 100% confirmed working, due to the many different 3rd party ways of showing subs)
  • Black (temporary map for WMC TV Guide, will change to MBT TV Guide when available)
  • Sort By (is mapped, see note below)
  • Settings (is mapped, see note below)

NOTE: the Red, Green, Sort By and Settings buttons are temporarily mapped (the questionable methods I mentioned earlier) they are not mapped using any inbuilt keystrokes or shortcuts, they are mapped by moving your mouse cursor to a designated point and left clicking for you. BECAUSE OF THIS THEY ARE 100% RESOLUTION DEPENDANT FOR NOW AND WILL NOT WORK UNLESS YOU ARE RUNNING @ 1920x1080. They work fairly well if your resolution is correct, if not you’ll just get random mouse movement and a left click somewhere. For this reason I can only map what I have as the other are not constant (eg. collections will move further right depending on if you have apps or games installed and hopefully later music and live tv). Once the MBT devs have them designated and shortcuts mapped I will remap accordingly.

 

*Not an issue as such, it’s WAI… ‘Sort By’ won’t work if not in a view that supports it, when the icon is on the screen (top right) the remote will activate it.

 

*When launching MBT or WMC from the remote on an everyday work/leisure PC, their windows will occasionally not take focus when others are open, this was not a problem for my dedicated HTPC though as there is never anything else open.

 

*Eject is not working due to there being no real way of mapping it without knowing a dedicated drive letter, (it will most likely be removed and was only put there due my youngest daughter insisting it had to have one as the remote we use now does, that doesn’t work either, I tried to tell her lmao) If MBT makes use of eject it will stay, if not it will go.

Edited by Brendon
Posted

RESERVED

Posted

Please let me know of any problems so i can get onto them asap and keep checking back for updates. Enjoy ;)

Posted (edited)

Some of your Dropbox images aren't showing.

Could you add direct links to the app(s) in the Play Store please? The full version is £3 in the UK.

Other than that, looking good.

I tried it a while back, but kept using the physical remote, so uninstalled it :)

Edited by CBers
Posted (edited)

@@CBers links are already there mate, and pics should be good now

Edited by Brendon
Posted

I was getting 403 errors earlier, but they seem OK now.

 

Just reread and found the GOOGLE PLAY STORE links, so ignore me ;)

Posted

This is awesome. I've been using Unified Remote for a while now. Nice to see this addition. Thank you very much!

Posted (edited)

Do I understand correctly this only works with MBT, not MBC? Too bad, if so. Most people who have to stick with WMC for Live TV also stick with MBC, I think. I stick with MBC because it has better sorting and view variations at present.

 

Just got my first smart phone (Android) for Xmas, so this is intriguing.

 

Oh... one note. Keep in mind that when you post dates like 02/01/2014, your USA readers are going to think that means Feb 1 instead of the Jan 2 you obviously meant. :D  Safer to just say Jan 2.

Edited by pagali
Posted

Just got my first smart phone (Android) for Xmas, so this is intriguing.

What phone did you get?

 

Have you purchased the Android MB3 app yet ;-)

Posted

What phone did you get?

 

Have you purchased the Android MB3 app yet ;-)

It's a Nexus 4... only a year old, but a hand-me-down from my daughter. :D

 

Yes, I've used the MB3 Android app already, on a Nexus 7 and this Nexus 4! Nice!

  • Like 1
Posted

It's a Nexus 4... only a year old, but a hand-me-down from my daughter. :D

 

Yes, I've used the MB3 Android app already, on a Nexus 7 and this Nexus 4! Nice!

 

Very nice - I've just just upgraded from a Nexus 4 to a Nexus 5.

 

I always thought hand-me-downs went the other way ;)

Posted

Yes,

 

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I was going to spend some time doing this myself, but just havent had the time at all! I use Unified Remote all the time! I will be trying these out ASAP

Posted

Great work on the remote. I wish I would have seen this before I sat down this weekend and created a MBT remote.

Posted

Brendon, I installed the remote last night and tried it out - nice and easy to get it up and running and in general all seems to be working OK, although I didn't have a detailed play with the remote yet - will do at the weekend. However, one thing I did notice is that some of the icons, primarily those in the function panel, panel of may colours and panel with no name are very small on my phone (Samsung Galaxy S4). Say 25% of the size of the other icons...

Posted

Very nice - I've just just upgraded from a Nexus 4 to a Nexus 5.

 

I always thought hand-me-downs went the other way ;)

 

Usually, yeah. But not when your daughter is an IT Manager and needs to be on the bleeding edge in order to support her users. :D Lucky me, eh?

trusselo
Posted (edited)

suggest naming the remote "Media Browser Theater Remote" to avoid confusion, and from what i hear, MB kinda dropping the '3' thing.

 

some of the buttons show up super small on my Samsung Galaxy S4 with 1080x1920 screen

 

52ce432319470_20140109063107.png

 

glad to see others using this too now, and to get an official remote on the way.  Have you contacted the dev of unified remote to see about having it included when its finished?  since you are on the promo team, perhapse could setup some affiliate type program. we throw up a link to him and vice-versca.

 

read the blog at unified remote.com and there is big changes in the pipes!

Edited by trusselo
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Thanks for the remote but one issue, the Full Feature Remote does not fill the full screen on my Nexus 7 (2012).The Basic fills quite nicely.

 

Any quick fixes for this??

 

Rew

Posted

Sorry all i have been away, i will get to everyones question/queries asap :)

Posted

Do I understand correctly this only works with MBT, not MBC? Too bad, if so. Most people who have to stick with WMC for Live TV also stick with MBC, I think. I stick with MBC because it has better sorting and view variations at present.

 

Just got my first smart phone (Android) for Xmas, so this is intriguing.

 

Oh... one note. Keep in mind that when you post dates like 02/01/2014, your USA readers are going to think that means Feb 1 instead of the Jan 2 you obviously meant. :D  Safer to just say Jan 2.

 

It should work with MBC as well @@pagali, have been away so never got a chance to test it. will install MBC tonight and make sure, everyones liking MBT too much here :D

 

and lmao at the dates, USA should get with the rest of the planet it's us they confuse :P but noted mate and will try to watch for it.

Posted

Brendon, I installed the remote last night and tried it out - nice and easy to get it up and running and in general all seems to be working OK, although I didn't have a detailed play with the remote yet - will do at the weekend. However, one thing I did notice is that some of the icons, primarily those in the function panel, panel of may colours and panel with no name are very small on my phone (Samsung Galaxy S4). Say 25% of the size of the other icons...

 

will look into that @@aspdend i have picked up one of those cheap and nasty tablets to test the larger interface but unified is telling me i dont have licence (which i do) so waiting to hear back from the guys there so i can fix.

Posted

suggest naming the remote "Media Browser Theater Remote" to avoid confusion, and from what i hear, MB kinda dropping the '3' thing.

 

some of the buttons show up super small on my Samsung Galaxy S4 with 1080x1920 screen

 

52ce432319470_20140109063107.png

 

glad to see others using this too now, and to get an official remote on the way.  Have you contacted the dev of unified remote to see about having it included when its finished?  since you are on the promo team, perhapse could setup some affiliate type program. we throw up a link to him and vice-versca.

 

read the blog at unified remote.com and there is big changes in the pipes!

 

I have spoken to unified about a licencing issue i am having and did mention to them i wanted to submit it for inclusion, however as you said big changes are happening both there and here, i will redo the remote for unified 3 and put it here, however i would prefer to hold off on an official inclusion at install until MBT is closer to finished.

 

and yep onto the buttons issue mate.

Posted (edited)

Thanks for the remote but one issue, the Full Feature Remote does not fill the full screen on my Nexus 7 (2012).The Basic fills quite nicely.

 

Any quick fixes for this??

 

Rew

 

Will double check the script now mate i would imagine it's a scrolling issue, i forced a scroll for smaller screens and only just grabbed a cheap 7" tab while i was away. Will test some large screen issues including buttons and they will be sorted in the next day or so.

Edited by Brendon
Posted (edited)

@@trusselo @@aspdend this is looking like an S4 issue guys, have installed it onto a 7" tab and buttons resize out fine, all the buttons that are small are custom ones i made, so will hit the samsung forums and find out why, guessing it's format though i have had issues with my S2 not resizing things as it should.

Edited by Brendon
  • Like 1

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