(Edit: Description adapted to newer, faster version)
(Edit2: Installation hints added, 'roadmap' extended)
NOTE: The information below is outdated, the pastebin-links have expired, and a fellow Reader has posted an alternate, better, and prettier version here:
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There are several reasons why you could want this:
- Your table already hosts a zoo of remotes.
- Your PDA doesn't feel flimsy like the default remote.
- Your PDA uses a rechargeable battery. (priceless in the right moment)
- Your device has more functions than buttons on the remote.
- You get RSI from the awkward button placing or the funny shape of your hand.
- Works through cabinet doors and even with poor aiming.
- You can call your PDA-Phone if you lose it in the house.
- You already use your PDA to control other AV-devices.
Screenshot of it in action (http://n200/cgi-bin/pda.cgi):
| Mute | Power | Media Info | |
| Subs | Back | ^ | Vol + |
| Audio | < | Enter /Go | > |
| Prev | Next | v | Vol - |
| FR | FF | Stop | Play / Pause |
| Chap < | Chap > | 10sec < | 30sec > |
| Zoom - | Zoom + | Rep | Slow |
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
As you can see, I believe simplicity is one expression of elegance.
(Plus, it loads fast too and has nearly no dead space)
So, what do you need?
- Emtec N200 or compatible device (feedback please!)
- An IPhone or other web-enabled PDA (feedback please!)
- telnet access to the device.
- 2 scripts, 1 and 2, which are downloaded/used during the below installation steps.
Device preparation:
Some startscripts and the system area of the device will need to be modified, this is a one-time action, and has proven useful in other ways too. The device needs Internet Access during the installation to download the above scripts, or the 2 'wget'-commands will need to be adapted/replaced.
Now you need the telnet access to execute the following commands:
1. Make Root-Filesystem writeable:
/ # mount -o remount,rw /
2. Installing busybox1.9.1 with mkfifo support:
/ # mkdir -p /opt/bin
/ # cd /opt/bin
/ # wget http://moviecube.free.fr/Binaries/busybox1.9.1/busybox1.9.1
/ # chmod +x busybox1.9.1
/ # for i in top netcat strings mkfifo ether-wake nc; do ln -s busybox1.9.1 $i; done
3. Installing the WebUI
/ # cd /tmp_orig/www/cgi-bin
/ # wget -O - http://ralexs.pastebin.com/pastebin.php?dl=m2ccfab9b |sed "s/.$//" >pda.cgi
/ # chmod +x pda.cgi
4. Installing input redirection for DvdPlayer binary
/ # vi /usr/local/etc/rcS
Then go to this page, select all the text from the bottom textbox, and copy-paste it into the second line of the file currently open in the editor, /usr/local/etc/rcS
5. Setting launch trigger, committing changes and reboot
/ # touch /tmp_orig/loadExtScript
/ # sync
/ # mount -o remount,ro /
/ # reboot -f
Done!
Now just navigate -on whatever device- to:
http://IP.OF.UR.N200/cgi-bin/pda.cgi
On the Iphone you have to scale the page to the right size at first use. Can somebody test with a WinMobile device?
Note for developers concerning the major changes from V1:
The old version of this script used an input redirection based on "tail -f". That proved to be ineffective and slower. The new script uses "dd bs=1" and "mkfifo", which is why the installation requires the download/install of the enhanced busybox.
My current 'development version' of the script has more buttons. I've added "GoTo/Search" and "Root". "Eject", "TV Sys", and "Option" are still missing, because I did not (yet)find/integrate their codes. "Option" is not really needed though, because all its functions are available with direct keys.
The keycode behind the "Root"-Button is '/'. This *may* provide a way to build an http-file-browser, but i still need to do some testing.
StandBy-Mode, something missing from the default N200 may also be added to the next version (Also pending further testing/cleaning).
Step Nr.4 from the above steps will be replaced by a simpler wget command (I dont have the original rcS anymore, and have not yet looked for the 'unyaffs' incantation to extract a virgin copy).
I will post a new version soon, check back in 2,3 days.
The work described here was inspired by these two forum posts.
thanks to commenter l.lenzen for pointing out 2 problems with the above description, and thanks to 'triw' on the Emtect Moviecube forum for pointing towards 2 fixes, which I integrated in the above description.
have fun, ralexs
