Filed under: Hardware, Multimedia, Video, iMac
Apple's remote controls more than FrontRow
Mat on Macs has recently made a discovery: The
Apple remote that shipped with his iMac can be used to control more than FrontRow. Specifically, he found that
play/pause, chapter forward/back and 4x fast forward/back all work with DVD Player (play and pause even work if DVD
Player is not the frontmost application). Also, his remote worked with Quicktime Player and adjusted the system volume.
That's pretty cool. Now I want one of those iMacs even more.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
flowolf said 3:07PM on 1-30-2006
wasn't that obvious that they wouldn't block up the remote in front row??? never accept limits for hardware that isn't defined by itself...
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DonW said 3:15PM on 1-30-2006
It will also work with iTunes as well. Very cool.
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Jeremy said 3:17PM on 1-30-2006
I have been told you can also use the remote to netboot.
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Jack Straw said 3:19PM on 1-30-2006
You realize it will also work with the newer Apple iPod docks as well, right?
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jimmie geddes said 3:23PM on 1-30-2006
Sweet, I gotta try this when I get home on my new 17" Intel Code Duo iMac:) I love it!!!!
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The Rock said 3:23PM on 1-30-2006
It will also put your computer to sleep if you hold the play/pause button
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Mark said 3:27PM on 1-30-2006
I thought this was obvious. If I'm at my desk but not using the computer, I still use the remote to control iTunes: skipping tracks, volume, etc.
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meatmcguffin said 3:28PM on 1-30-2006
and keynote? anyone know?
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Dan Warriner said 3:28PM on 1-30-2006
i have an option on my PB G4 that says "This Computer will work with any available remote"
along with a check box (checked by default) that says "Disable remote control infrared receiver"
DOES THIS MEAN I CAN USE THE APPLE REMOTE ON A POWERBOOK!?
check the option for urself under system prefs >>security
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drebes said 3:28PM on 1-30-2006
Can anyone test it in Keynote? I was under the impression that the remote send regular keypresses, so "next" would send "right", "previous", "left". It would be cool to use them in the new MacBook Pro to control presentations.
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Neil said 3:30PM on 1-30-2006
Holding down the play button puts the computer to sleep too.
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LD said 3:36PM on 1-30-2006
That Apple Remote is a son of a bitch!
It's the father of every kid in this town.
It once punched a hole in a cow just to see who was coming up the road.
It was the sight of Apple Remote's naked body that drove Brian Wilson insane.
Apple Remote orchestrated the merger between Unicef and Smith & Wessen.
Apple Remote was a 10 foot monster who slept with all our wives! And punched us all in the face! And we loved him for it!
His first name is Apple! ....... I'm drunk.
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Nick Starr said 3:38PM on 1-30-2006
You can also use it to advance slides on Keynote presentations.
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Felix Ekman said 3:42PM on 1-30-2006
This is just so cool, can't wait for Apple's PVR!
http://www.technologysweden.com
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Tim said 3:56PM on 1-30-2006
I wasn't able to get it to work with Keynote (iwork6).
Works with just about everything else tho.
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shrimp said 4:07PM on 1-30-2006
I can't believe you thought it only works with Front Row .... the remote work great with iTunes, even if you're in another app.
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matonmacs said 4:55PM on 1-30-2006
David GP just commented on my post that on Apple page for the MacBook Pro it reads:
"You can even use the Apple Remote to navigate through Keynote presentations."
Strangely, though, I too can't get it to work on my iMac running the trial version of Keynote. Perhaps this feature will only be rolled out when the MacBook Pro ships?
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mayo said 5:00PM on 1-30-2006
I don't have the remote, but why would Apple create some special technology for controlling Front Row? I'm pretty sure the remote works through the keyboard driver via either left/right arrows or whatever the characters are used for next/prev/play buttons on the recent (non-Apple) keyboards.
Somebody who has the remote and X11 installed, try checking it out with xkbmon (not actually sure if it comes installed with Apple's X11). I'm pretty sure it'll be caught there.
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Jack said 5:17PM on 1-30-2006
What I want to know about the remote is this: When will someone come out with a low cost clone or a universal remote that handles the same remote codes as this remote?
We all know how many remotes there are out there. And at $29 this thing is overpriced if you have a universal dock.
I'm all for Apple design and quality but the price of this remote is laughably high.
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al said 5:21PM on 1-30-2006
Minor correction, the remote will allow you to choose a netboot drive, but you have to use the Option key at power on to get this choice. Actually, it will allow you to cycle through all the bootable "drives" that Open Firmware/EFI find...
Cool in a nearly useless and stupid kind of way. ;o)
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