Is Windows 8 + Wiimote the perfect HTPC setup?

[dzirkelb]

I'm not at home, but I don't think my build has Bluetooth on the mobo. will any Bluetooth adapter work? I think I have one at home

 

[simphax]

Yes most bluetooth adapters which are using Microsoft's bluetooth drivers should work. I have noticed some cheaper ones are not able to permanently pair a Wiimote (which enables you to connect it automatically by pressing any button on the Wiimote, after it's been turned off), but that's about it.

EDIT: If you have troubles try to get hold of a device in this list: List of Working Bluetooth Devices - WiiBrew

 

[FuturDreamz]

Thanks! One thing I should note is to try more to stabilize the code before adding features. As I know to well it's very easy to add too many featres too quickly and end up with a mess you don't want to work on.

Also: how well would it work with third-party Wiimotes? I'd like to get one that better matches my sytem.

 

[simphax]

Yes of course, I try to not rush anything. I try to think about the code structure and how to make it extendable. Also I make sure that it is stable before I upload anything for download and I test it on two clean virtual machines for both architectures. But thanks for the reminder

I can not say anything about third-party Wiimotes since I have not got hold of any myself. I would be glad if someone tried it out and got it to work. The only thing I've heard about them is that the IR camera might be of worse quality than the original, and that would be a bummer since that's the most important function when controlling a pointer.

 

[fourthofjuly]

I may have missed something from the instruction, but where are you suppose to connect the sensor bar???

 

[FuturDreamz]

There's no real port. You could jerry-rig a connection, but it's much easier to buy a third-party wireless sensor bar. Or two candles.

 

[simphax]

Here's one using USB power
Amazon.com: Nextronics Sensor Bar USB: Video Games

 

[FuturDreamz]

Here's one using USB power
Amazon.com: Nextronics Sensor Bar USB: Video Games

That one is actually pretty good.

 

[laserbeam]

Here's one using USB power
Amazon.com: Nextronics Sensor Bar USB: Video Games

Can any USB sensor bar be used? And if I have a USB bar do I still need bluetooth? My mobo doesn't have bluetooth and seeing as I don't like the technology that much would like to avoid it if I have the chance.

I've just built a Win8 HTPC. Seems technically good for the job but remote control seems ill-conceived. So this project seems like a great option

BTW, how does Win8.1 play into all of this? Irrelevant? Or is it a factor?


Regards,
Dave

 

[simphax]

laserbeam:
You will need a Bluetooth adaptor. To be sure that it works well with a Wiimote before you purchase you can try to get one from the following list: List of Working Bluetooth Devices - WiiBrew

Touchmote works on Windows 8.1, but the scaling setting in the control panel differentiates from Windows 8 and will make the touchmote cursor pixelated, and MetroScaler which overrides the display size (and consequently DPI scaling) does not work with Windows 8.1. The best way of scaling up all UI on Windows 8.1 is manually overriding the display EDID values. I have successfully done this and been able to get a scaling up to 200%. If anyone is interested I can post a description on how to do this.

 

[laserbeam]

If anyone is interested I can post a description on how to do this.

I may be but I'm very new to HTPC (xbmc) and windows 8 and don't have the gear yet to try out the wiimote for control purposes.

This may not be an appropriate forum to ask this but what choices are there out there for contollong windows 8 without attaching a keyboard & mouse?

Regards,
Dave

 

[adamf]

what choices are there out there for contollong windows 8 without attaching a keyboard & mouse

A touchscreen apparently (Sorry - just a joke)

 

[laserbeam]

A touchscreen apparently (Sorry - just a joke)

Given the fuzziness of the question I probably asked for that

 

[laserbeam]

Hi Simplehax,
I'm getting close to equipping myself with wireless sensor and bluetooth adaptors for this but would like to ask you a a couple of questions if you don't mind just to clarify a few things:

- Can the x-box kinnect be used in lieu of a usb sensor bar?
- In your opinion is this something that could be used by some of the technophobes in my family?
- Does this work seamlessly with Windows 8.1?
- Which bluetooth adaptor have you been using? Or, do you have a recommendation? Smaller the better as far as I'm concerned.


Regards,
David

 

[simphax]

- Can the x-box kinnect be used in lieu of a usb sensor bar?

You will need two bright IR light sources. The sensor bar is basically 4+4 LEDs on each side of the sensor bar that is filtered for IR light. I do not think kinect is able to achieve this.

- In your opinion is this something that could be used by some of the technophobes in my family?

Yes. Especially if you pair a wiimote with the sync button. That way you can have touchmote start at login and you would just have to press any button to start maneuvering windows. The wiimotes will automatically enter a sleep mode after a while. The problem with syncing is that you will have to resync with the wii console if you would like to use the wiimotes there. If you do not sync you can set up so that touchmote waits for a pairing signal on startup so you just instead of pressing any button press 1+2 simultaneously and just wait a few seconds at it will be connected without losing the sync to the wii console.

If you have a newer wiimote you might have to install the toshiba Bluetooth stack and that will not work with the last feature. And the sync auto connect will only work if you have at least one other connected Bluetooth device such as a keyboard or a mouse. Otherwise you might have to manually connect the wiimote at each boot. You can see if your wiimote is of this model by reading the model number in the battery compartment, it will end with -TR

- Does this work seamlessly with Windows 8.1?

Yes. The only thing is that they disabled the ability to easily override the screen size to enable good upscaling of the interface. If you want to do that you will have to override the display EDID. I will write a guide on how to do that at a later time.

- Which bluetooth adaptor have you been using? Or, do you have a recommendation? Smaller the better as far as I'm concerned.

I am using the built in Bluetooth in Apple computers which uses a Broadcom chip and works seamlessly. Then I have tried three different noname cheap USB adapters and I think all of them works by pairing but some does not properly work with 1+2 pairing. I do not have these here so I can't tell you the specific models but I would guess the more expensive the better.

 

[laserbeam]

Hi,
I have a nextronics usb sensor bar plugged into my pc and Bluetooth dongle using the Qualcomm Atheros Blueooth AR3011 Driver. When I hit sync on the wii remote the touchmote display says "paired" and then some time later responds "Error Could not activate".

What am I doing wrong?

Regards,
David

 

[simphax]

Hi,
I have a nextronics usb sensor bar plugged into my pc and Bluetooth dongle using the Qualcomm Atheros Blueooth AR3011 Driver. When I hit sync on the wii remote the touchmote display says "paired" and then some time later responds "Error Could not activate".

What am I doing wrong?

Regards,
David

Some bluetooth adaptors will have trouble pairing a Wiimote using 1+2 . Try pairing by pressing the Sync button in the battery compartment. If that does not work, try another bluetooth adaptor or try with Toshiba drivers

 

[FuturDreamz]

Hi I never did build the HTPC. After two years how does this setup work for everyone?