FLIRC USB Dongle for Media Centre, Raspberry Pi and XBMC

I don't normally bother with product feedback but this is so specialist I thought I should.To set this product up I used a windows 8 machine. I downloaded the software from the Flirc website and then sat baffled for 5 mins as to why it kept saying in the setup software that its disconnected even when I could clearly see in the windows hardware summary screen that it was detected. Basically you need to run the software as administrator. Right click the .exe file and 'Run as administrator'.The setup is easy, select a keyboard button that you want to map and then point your remote (any remote at all) and press the corresponding button and it will learn the IR code and map it to that keyboard press. This is the really clever part, once its set up you can plug it into anything and it will be seen as a keyboard and act in the same way. All of the config is stored in the dongle itself with nothing running on the device/pc its plugged into after its set up.I use it with an Intel NUC running Openelec for XBMC. Its works absolutely flawlessly, the sensor is very sensitive picking up IR commands even with the sensor obscured behind a soundbar. Its also neat looking, most of the windows remotes and IR sensors have large ugly receivers trailing USB cables.Part of the reason I had been putting off shifting from my WDTV to XBMC was the hassle configuring decent controls. This does away with all of that, I can even carry on using my WDTV remote that I am familiar with and really like.In short, it works really well, solves an annoying problem with XBMC and remote controls and looks nice.

I had my eye on this product for a long time but could not justify buying it when I had perfectly fine Logitech IR remote working. So when the battery leaked and destroyed my remote I was in market for new remote. Love the idea that you could use any remote control with FLIRC .Device arrived in plastic packaging and this sure is "frustration free" packaging taken to the extreme. It was not sealed and dongle fell out of it when I picked it up. So since was not sealed I have no way of knowing if this really was new product or refurbished/second hand. There is no instructions or manualsFLIRC dongle itself is solid build. See-through plastic on the FLIRC is not my cup of tea but it doesn't take away from functionality.First thing you need to do is go to FLIRC web site and download software for configuring FLIRC with remote control. While you at it do firmware update on FLIRCAnother thing I would like to mention is if like me you have your minipc media station/server/XBMC attached to back of the TV you will need to purchase USB extension cable to be able to place FLIRC in front of the TV for remote control to work.Software is very simple and easy to use. First I went to configure FLIRC with my old Sony DVD remote and this resulted in FLIRC transmitting same command twice every time. No troubleshooting could fix it.Ok, next I moved to old spare Sky box remote I had. After configuring each button I had left , right up and down, play was working. OK, BACK , PAUSE not working. Nothing. Tried number of times to reconfigured it and same results every time.Next I moved on Hauppauge remote , here FLIRC recognised every press when configuring it but once connected to media PC not a single key press worked.Now I took my LG DVD remote control and configured it with FLIRC. This one WORKED! All key presses worked as they are supposed to except SHUTDOWN did translate into left move. I can live with this..So the bottom line is great concept in theory. In practice its hit and miss and would not recommend this product unless you have lots of unused remote controls around the house.

Has enabled me to use a Sky + remote with Windows Media Center 7.It takes a little while to hunt down all the necessary codes for the functions you want to program buttons to do and also takes a while to find the appropriate remote that has the necessary buttons for the functions too, but once up and running it works well.Needs to be evolved as it is not really discrete enough to be sticking out of the front USB port of a neat media centre case. Ideally this would be something that could be installed in a case.