Hi David and Others, All you intel Mac users with remotes can not only use the Apple Remote to start up Bootcamp and activate the boot this way, but it turns out you can control a whole slew of functions even on your Windows installation, as well as run VLC, I'm posting the section of the Wikipedia entry for the Apple Remote that covers these features. There are links to some of the third party software, so you'll want to go to the web page at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Remote and read this there. Some of the functions also work on the non-intel Macs. And some of the apps listed are not accessible. Quick Summary overview of functions (including some Apple described) Sleep Booting to other partitions Ejecting CDs/DVDs Control Keynote presentations, iPhoto, QuickTime, DVD player, iTunes, and Open Office presentations through a 3rd party app VLC media player control on the Intel Macs Third party apps allow you to assign keystrokes and AppleScripts to remote buttons Extended capability to older Macs via third party apps and addition of a USB-based IR receiver to support sleep, device pairing, low battery detection, and Front Row multimedia (iTunes, DVD player, etc.) iPod control when docked (limited) Boot Camp - partition selection and booting, loading iTunes, control of Windows Media Player and third-party freeware audio programs foobar2000 and Media Player Classic (skipping tracks, playing/pausing). Excerpted text starting from the section labeled "Shortcuts" <begin quote> Shortcuts Pair With Device A device can be configured to respond only to a certain remote. This can be achieved by holding the Apple Remote close enough to the device with which it is to be paired, and then pressing and holding the "Menu" and "Next" buttons for five seconds. Pairing can be removed by deactivating it under the Mac OS X "Security" System Preference pane. Note: Only users with administrative privileges are allowed to pair their remote; in a non-administrator account, pressing the buttons will have no effect and nothing will be displayed.[6] However, users who have both an iMac and Apple TV nearby have issues with remotes working with both devices forcing users to disable the remote function on the iMac. Sleep Users can put iMacs, MacBooks, MacBook Pros, Intel Mac Minis, Apple TVs or docked iPods into sleep mode by holding down the Play/Pause button on the Apple Remote. Devices can also be awakened by pressing any button on the remote. [7] Boot Options Holding down the Menu button on the remote while starting up an Intel Macintosh enters the Startup Manager[8] (same as holding the Option key at startup). The remote can then be used to cycle through all bootable partitions and can then confirm them by pressing the Play/Pause button. This can be especially useful for Boot Camp users who might frequently use this feature to boot into Windows partitions on the Intel Macs. The remote can also eject CDs or DVDs in this menu by selecting the disc and then pressing the + (Volume Up) button on the remote. [9] Application Compatibility The remote can be used to control presentations in Apple Keynote (on both Intel Macs & PPC Macs), picture slide shows in iPhoto, QuickTime, DVD Player, and audio in iTunes. You can use iRed Lite for controlling OpenOffice.org Impress presentations.[10] VLC Compatibility In response to the new Intel processors, a small piece of software called the Apple Remote Helper has surfaced to allow remote use in the popular VLC media player. Play, pause, volume, and skip buttons all work normally. It should be noted, however, that the volume buttons change VLC's volume, and not the system volume. Starting with release 0.8.6-test1 VLC itself supports the Apple Remote. Compatibility with more applications Recently a number of tools have been released allowing custom configuration of the Apple Remote buttons. Programs such as Remote Buddy, Sofa Control, iRed Lite and mira allow control over any application by providing users with the ability to assign simulated keystrokes and applescripts to each individual button. iAlertU uses the remote to activate security features allowing alarms/isight photos when people come near or move your macbook.[11] Compatibility with other Macs Using the third-party remote software mira (from Twisted Melon) or Remote Buddy (from IOSPIRIT GmbH) users of older Macs can use the Apple Remote with a USB-based IR receiver. Most new Mac models come equipped with a built-in infrared receiver, but previous generation products lack any such IR device. Even the Mac Pro desktops released in the summer of 2006 lack built-in IR. Using Remote Buddy or mira, it is possible to connect an external USB receiver such as the Windows Media Center Edition eHome receiver, and use the Apple remote on older machines with full support for sleep, pairing, low battery detection and Front Row. In addition, Remote Buddy is able to emulate events of an Apple Remote on these systems, enabling users to use software written for the Apple Remote in exactly the same way as with newer Macs. iPod compatibility The remote only works with the iPods with Dock connectors and only when the iPods are docked. The remote cannot control an undocked iPod. The remote's menu functionality does not work on the iPod, docked or not. MacBook and iMac resting place The Apple Remote can be rested on the magnetic frame on the MacBook's screen when not in use. The three places on the MacBook that will hold the remote are the top left and the top right of the frame, as well as the middle left of the frame. The remote can also be rested on a magnetic pad located beneath the SuperDrive of an early 2006 - mid 2007 iMac when not in use. In addition, the Apple Remote can be magnetically stuck onto an iMac's sideframes. This feature does not work on the newer aluminum iMac, only on the previous white iMacs. Boot Camp compatibility As of Boot Camp 1.2, the remote has been given some compatibility when a user is running Windows. If the user has iTunes installed on the Windows partition, pressing the Menu button on the remote will load the program. As well as this, the remote has the ability to control both Windows Media Player and iTunes, as well as system Volume Control. Additionally, the remote also has the ability to control the freeware audio program, foobar2000, and the freeware media program Media Player Classic. Programs must have focus for the remote to control them (as in being the program that is in front with the dark window frame; if you are in doubt as to the program in focus, click anywhere in the program to bring it into focus). Skipping tracks and pausing/playing functionality are available under the programs. <end quote> I've snipped some of the intermediate posts, but left the reference to the MacFixIt aritcle about using the Apple Remote to Boot in Bootcamp. That post describes where the "menu" key that acts as the option key is located as a workaround/alternative to using the keyboard keys. Hope this of interest. Thanks to Christian for originally posting his problems with getting some keyboard function keys to work. (And no, he didn't report problems with the startup keys). On Dec 09, 2007, at 07:02AM, David Poehlman wrote: >I might actually try this. fr those though who are confused about which key >on a windows keys is the option key, it goes space bar, windows/command key, >alt/option and control/control. >On Dec 09, 2007, at 03:50AM, David Poehlman wrote: >>ok, so once you get the boot screen, can you use the remote to select and >>activate the boot? >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: "Esther" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS X by >>theblind" <discuss@macvisionaries.com> >>Sent: Saturday, December 08, 2007 9:27 PM >>Subject: Using an Apple Remote to start up (Bootcamp, etc.) >> >> >>Hi All, >> >>I found an interesting alternative way to start up your computer if you >>have >>an >>Apple Remote and you are booting into a separate partition or from another >>hard drive: holding down the menu key (the depressible circular region that >>is below the raised clickable circle of controls; it's near the center of >>the >>Apple Remote) acts like pressing the option key on your Apple Keyboard. >> >>The Apple Remote is a small control unit, that Apple has been including >>with >>new Macs sold over the last year and a half or longer. It's used to >>control >>multimedia such as playing iTunes, movies, etc. remotely, and works with >>VoiceOver. >> >>Because a number of people have posted about using Bootcamp to >>install Windows on a separate partition, and others may want to either >>start up from a backup of their operating system on another hard drive, >>or be using linux partitions or external hard drives, this seemed like a >>pretty >>interesting option. To change the default startup location when you >>turn on a Mac, you hold down the Option key as you power on, or >>just after you push the "On" button. If there are multiple partitions or >>drives attached that you can choose to boot from, you'll be given the >>option of selecting one of these. >> >>Holding down the menu button on the Apple Remote works like pressing >>the Option key on your keyboard. >> >>This was reported in MacFixIt a couple of weeks ago as a work-around >>for a user who was having problems with his keyboard: >> >>http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20071113074656308 >> >>Tuesday, November 13 2007 AT 07:46 AM PST >> >>Using your Apple Remote as a "startup key" >> >><begin quote> >>It seems that if the Menu key is held down on the Apple remote during the >>boot >>process it will act as though the option key was held down. . . . your >>readers may >>want to know about using the Apple remote to select the Bootcamp partition >>or >>any other alternate partition on their hard drive. >><end quote> >> >>This might also be useful for people using non-Apple keyboards, although >>using an Apple keyboard is highly recommended on this list. >> >> >> >> >> > > > > >
