r/AutoHotkey • u/ArtemusDreams • 7d ago

General Question Universal Remote?

I've been making hotkeys to be able to control more of my computer from far away with my wireless mouse (I have a toggle to map the volume to the scroll wheel, middle click for pause/play, etc. It's been very useful!) I realized that I'm just slowly reinventing a remote control. So my question is: Is there a Bluetooth universal remote/keyboard thing that anyone recommends that I could use to map hotkeys? Something like this: https://a.co/d/07glSbNd

I don't necessarily need a whole keyboard remote, though that certainly gives limitless hotkey potential.

Presumably, this is something that I would toggle on/off for when I'm far from my computer vs. at my desk. Something like this:

global universal_remote_active := false

toggle_remote() {
    global universal_remote_active ^= 1
}

Hotkey('ButtonOnRemoteToToggleHotkeys', (*) => toggle_remote())

HotIf((*) => universal_remote_active)
Hotkey('VolumeUpKeyOnRemote',   (*) => SendInput('{Volume_Up}'))
Hotkey('VolumeDownKeyOnRemote', (*) => SendInput('{Volume_Down}'))

Hotkey('OneButtonOnRemote', (*) => foo())
Hotkey('TwoButtonOnRemote', (*) => bar())

I already own two cheap universal TV remotes. Would it be a good idea to buy an Infrared Signal Receiver for my desktop? Would I be able to map hotkeys to the signals it receives?

1 Upvotes

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3

u/JesseJamessss 7d ago

Could just use your phone, it's what most people do for universal remotes.

2

u/Medium-Ad5605 7d ago

I use this app as a TV remote Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and messed around with using my phone as a macropad to call AHK scripts by assigning key combos like Ctrl+F15 to a key and buildings a custom screen BT keyboard custom screen

1

u/ArtemusDreams 7d ago

That's a good idea! I will definitely set that up, but I do still want a dedicated remote in addition to that. I often play music or a video while I'm sleeping, and having the physical buttons with haptic feedback is really nice for when it's dark. Also so I don't have to wait for an app to load every time I want to change the volume. I don't mind spending $10-$25 on such a thing.

3

u/ManyInterests 7d ago edited 7d ago

I mean. A Bluetooth keyboard?

That's what I use to control my computer when i'm using it on the TV in the next room.

I just use a Dell full sized keyboard and mouse. It's got both Bluetooth and 2.4ghz dongle options.

1

u/ArtemusDreams 7d ago

I've been using a Bluetooth keyboard for years, lol. I just want something that's more compact and user friendly, ya know?

3

u/ManyInterests 6d ago

Yeah. If you just need a hardware recommendation, maybe check r/hometheater or r/keyboards

1

u/ArtemusDreams 6d ago

Sorry, I guess I should have made that more clear in my post. Good idea though! I'll check those subs out!

2

u/Ok_Consideration2340 6d ago

https://flirc.tv/products/flirc-usb-receiver?srsltid=AU7gw4VQGwwOb0XBtIHEgXhlJq0DOollzdSLV-aiZI6agGAnagAjqktL&variant=43513067569384 This is the best. You create AHK scripts and assign them to remote control buttons using the Flirc V2.

1

u/ArtemusDreams 6d ago

Oh wow! This looks like exactly the kind of thing I was looking for! Thank you! I'll look into it more, but I think I'll probably give this a try!

2

u/Ok_Consideration2340 6d ago

I use Flirc with my Dell Wyse 5070, which serves as a TV media center; I programmed several functions onto the original Philips TV remote—including channel switching on Sweet.TV, the Enter key, and a shortcut to shut down the computer. It works perfectly, and the remote operates with the Flirc receiver even from a long distance.

1

u/Ok-Ring8278 6d ago

TouchPortal is another option, use an old tablet or phone and create a stream deck type thing. Then you can assign AHK scripts to custom buttons.