Catch the SideShow

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Joined: 3 Dec 2006
Catch the SideShow

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I saw this in my Dell add last night.

The most interesting thing in this article is the reference to 2 new Ricavision remotes. The Vave 50 and Vave 100. They sound like universal remotes. If this is the case I am much more interested. Hopefully they will have functionality similar to a Harmony. If they do, sign me up.

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Joined: 17 Sep 2007

They aren't universal but definitely worth looking into. They are bluetooth too so you could be far away from the PC and change the music, ect.

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Joined: 8 Jan 2007

the logical use of sideshow would be to control music maybe program your htpc to record stuff like that

ms should try to get producers of AV hardware like denon to build sideshow into there receivers etc. That would be something to boost it

jennyfur's picture
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Joined: 5 Oct 2006

Sideshow in a remote makes absolute sense to me. I'd love to have it so that I could play music without necessarily having to turn on the TV.

But sideshow in a receiver? Eh, not so much. That sounds as useless as touchscreens on HTPCs to me. The whole point in me having an HTPC is so that I don't have to get off the couch.  Wink

7MC - Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 - Avermedia M780 - Dvico Fusion HDTV7 - Terk HDTVa - Xbox 360 S - Logitech Harmony 650 - Panasonic V10 - Onkyo HT-RC160

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Joined: 9 Oct 2007

I agree i never understood the use of touch screens in HTPC's....
They look cool but the 2 people that I know that have it almost never use it.
It's just a nice gimmic nothing more.... ;D

“I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.”
Stephen Henry Roberts (1901-1971)

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Joined: 8 Jan 2007

ThaClown wrote:

I agree i never understood the use of touch screens in HTPC's....
They look cool but the 2 people that I know that have it almost never use it.
It's just a nice gimmic nothing more.... ;D
that's because such a screen would only be usefull in your hands

i don't know about you but i haven't touched the buttons of any kind (other than power) on my equipment in years

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Joined: 3 Dec 2006

Well I think the most useful form for sideshow is definitely in remotes. Scanning channel guides, selecting music, viewing video/dvd library, etc. All while the TV or a movie/song is playing. Hell, even seeing RSS feeds and checking my email is a nice added feature.

Now, if I am continuing on my realistic wishlist (because I do think the above is realistic) it would also be nice to have a remote with qwerty keyboard and mouse movement. Tonight I was looking at my Samsung Blackjack phone and thought to myself that it would make a great remote if it had sideshow and was universal. No more need for the MCE keyboard when downloading off of the web, or doing other HTPC maintenance. This would be complete functionality and I would pay very nicely for it. So to sum up;
1) Have sideshow
2) Universal with setup like a Harmony
3) QWERTY keyboard and mouse functionality
4) Color screen (doesn't have to be huge)
5) Using both IR and bluetooth would be a nice touch.

What does everyone else think?
Oh, and I have tried using webguide to control my HTPC, but there is some lag and it's not quite as nice as bluetooth/IR would be.

Mike Garcen's picture
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Joined: 1 Oct 2006

sideshow is a dual-headed problem/monster. so right now, we're at the point where there is no hardware devices, right? Well, the problem when Ricavision finally wakes up & releases the remotes, is that there is NO SOFTWARE!!! Right now, assuming you could get a Sideshow remote...you know that cool TV Guide sideshow feature? Doesn't exist to the public yet! Last time i checked, all there was, was an e-mail checker, and Windows Media Player control plugin. Maybe a weather one as well. It's a big cluster right now, and it's a total shame.

Mike Garcen (shadymg) MissingRemote Editor-in-Chief Windows Entertainment and Connected Home MVP (formerly Media Center MVP) Twitter @mikegarcen MissingRemote on Facebook

jennyfur's picture
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Joined: 5 Oct 2006

Whoa. Now here's an interesting sideshow rumor. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside cuz I just bought a new HTC phone this past weekend!

7MC - Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 - Avermedia M780 - Dvico Fusion HDTV7 - Terk HDTVa - Xbox 360 S - Logitech Harmony 650 - Panasonic V10 - Onkyo HT-RC160

Mike Garcen's picture
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Joined: 1 Oct 2006

i'd totally believe that. in playing with sideshow thus far, its clear it could work on a number of devices. maybe that would make people actually make software/hardware for them

Mike Garcen (shadymg) MissingRemote Editor-in-Chief Windows Entertainment and Connected Home MVP (formerly Media Center MVP) Twitter @mikegarcen MissingRemote on Facebook

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Joined: 6 Aug 2006

I got an email from Ricavision saying they were selling samples of the remote, when I went to click on the link the sideshow remote did not show up. The price for the remotes was $129.00.

Microsoft really needs to get behind the whole convergence aspect of their products. Imagine sideshow on Zune, or on you cell Sad.. Someday

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Joined: 3 Dec 2006

Check it http://www.ricavisionplix.com/
Universal Sideshow remote. What I find hard to believe though is that none of the gadgets allow the access of the TV guide... WTF!

Still a long ways to go in my opinion. But this is a legitimate step in the right direction. Oh, and all for the low low price of $274. This isn't really all that bad. Make it like a Harmony 1000 and include QWERTY for ~$500 or so and I'm in.

Mike Garcen's picture
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Joined: 1 Oct 2006

whatever. still not available. don't go holding your breathe Smile

Mike Garcen (shadymg) MissingRemote Editor-in-Chief Windows Entertainment and Connected Home MVP (formerly Media Center MVP) Twitter @mikegarcen MissingRemote on Facebook

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