How To: Customise Coloured Buttons on MCE remote with XBMC
I’m not sure if this is well known but it took me a while to work it out, so I thought I’d make a post on it. Just in case it may make anyone else’s life a little easier as well as being a future reference to me.
I decided I wanted to change the button functionally on my MCE remote, the remote I have is similar if not the same to the one in the picture. I never really used the coloured buttons but I want to so I thought I’d change their functions. The function being related to x10 devices which I am yet have a mess with as Royal Mail have yet to deliver them, I could rant all day about them I think I’ll move on.
My system is based upon Mythbuntu/Linux so bare that in mind and these are the steps I had to take which may differ but this should give you an idea.
1. Create a file in “~/.xbmc/userdata/keymaps/” called remote.xml
2. Insert the following;
<keymap>
<global>
<remote>
<red>Function_Here</red>
<green>Function_Here</green>
<yellow>Function_Here</yellow>
<blue>Function_Here</blue>>
</remote>
</global>
</keymap>
3. Replace Function_Here with an Action within XBMC, a list can be found here.
4. Save and restart XBMC.
Hope this helps, It worked for me so hopefully it’ll work else where.
Broken Laptop Hinge – Not Any More!
I seem to be getting more and more experience with fixing Laptop and iPhone screens. My latest fix was my sisters Dell Inspiron 1525. The hinge had broken which stopped her from closing the hid, and in time it had also broken the screens front bezel. It was a simple fix but I didn’t think to take a pictures, so I can’t do a how to, but it was pretty simple and I just skimmed over a couple of repair the keyboard/ replace the screen type tutorials of that/similar models. It took less than an hour and the total cost was less than £20 with parts from eBay! So if you’re thinking about it, go for it, it’s a quick and simple job!
I did take a couple of pictures on my iPhone of the result however.
New Atom Machine
Just built the new Atom machine I will be using in my Final Year Project. Everywhere is a little too dark so no decent pictures..
Spec
Motherboard + Processor: Intel D945GSEJT Low Profile Fanless Atom Mini-ITX Motherboard
RAM: 1GB DDR2 667 SODIMM Memory
Case: M350 Universal Mini-ITX + PCI Riser
Network: Intel PRO/1000 Dual Gigabit Network CardJ1679
100% fanless / no moving parts 
My First App – HideMediaFiles
I wrote a small app, not at app as such but more of a little tool for my Windows Home Sever. I suppose its not my first app as well as I have written apps for University but this is the first one I’ve written that I didn’t have to write.
HideMediaFiles is a small tool to hide all the media information in your media directory, all those fanart images and nfo’s. If your like me when you go directly to the folder it annoys you because its filled with lots of useful but annoying to look at files.
So anyway more info and a download link can be found over at the new App page! Here
Fried Graphics Card!
I never really thought that you really needed any kind of surge protection on your computers up until now. A couple of weeks back now the house circuit breaker was tipped by the microwave we think which turns out fried the on board graphics card in the HTPC in the living room. It was due an upgrade really as I liked the sound of it having a HDMI port for the future. Not sure what happened but the VGA or DVI output on the motherboard just flashed white and never displayed anything. Its quite lucky I suppose I though have thought it would have done more damage or at least taken out the PSU!
However after playing around trying to get this fixed I gave in a took a trip to Maplin’s just down the road. I thought it would be quicker and probably not much more expensive than anywhere on the internet. Anyway I came away with an NVIDIA Geforce 210 for £30 with £10 off! Bargain!
Drove home and quickly got it installed! Surprisingly, what with this going in to a Ubuntu installation (Mythbuntu actually) it was extremely simple. Just installed the NVIDIA proprietary and BOOM! sorted! That’s how I like it!
Anyway as I keep saying.. Good story eh?
Upgrading Windows Home Server
Its been a week since I have finished placement and I decided as well as preparing for univeristy which if I am honest has gone as far as checking if I have any days off, thought I would take on a not so small project. Upgrading my Windows Home Server! Its getting on for 3 years old and the hardware is much older and well due for an upgrade.
Its not cost very much so far as upgrading my main desktop a couple of months back. I have a spare motherboard and memory as well as a power supply. The only missing pieces are a CPU and case. I am using my desktop CPU and have a new faster one on order for my main PC. The case, well I have purchased a new one as well as a new hardware as I’d prefer not to use my old drives that are probably starting to degrade.
The case I have got for it is a Fractal Design Define R2. I had seen it a while ago and was impressed with its 7 internal drive bays and sound proofing features. First impressions I see these are actually working and its current near silient sitting on my worktop while its copying data across from the old home server.
