I originally bought the "AVS Gear HA-IR01SV Infrared Certified MCE VISTA Remote Control" remote & usb IR combo, from newegg.

In the mythbuntu control center, you configure this combination by selecting the "Windows Media Center Transceivers/Remotes" (MCEUSB2 in <mythbuntu 9.10) setting in the drop down list. It's that easy.

I didn't like the default key mappings for mythtv, so I edited ~/.lirc/mythtv until I had each button configured to a unique keypress. I then modified the key bindings for the frontend in mythweb until each button operated the way I wanted it to.

After a while I got my hands on the harmony 550 remote. During the programing of the harmony remote, I just selected "Windows media center remote" as the device I was controlling. The harmony remote sends the same IR commands as the AVS remote it replaced. I did tweak the logitech settings so that my LCD screen has buttons for "Recordings", "Music", "Videos", etc. and those mapped to the buttons at the top of the AVS remote.

Same here. A HTPC with Mythtv (mythbuntu) is sitting under my television. Most content I watch through Mythtv

• recorded shows via Over the Air & Digital Cable
• backed up DVDs
• regular DVDs
• Music
• I use the mythnettv script/program to grab podcasts (i.e. revision3) which sticks them in with my mythtv recordings.
• I just recently installed hulu desktop (as a menu item in mythtv), but I'm not happy with the full screen playback.

I control this all with a logitech harmony remote & USB ir reciever.

I also have a wireless BTC keyboard for launching firefox to surf the web (youtube, facebook, flicker, etc.)

I am also a netflix subscriber. Neflix instant streaming doesn't work on linux. Since I have a ps3, I use the netflix streaming disc. the ps3 is for blu-ray also.

-phil

Same here. I very rarely see movies in theaters, so I wait for the rental. What's waiting a few more weeks? Heck, push me a little more and I won't even bother watching it at all

Movie studio's need to wake up. Between (1)theater tickets costing too much, (2) movies sucking, (3)dvd's being phased our for blu-ray, (4)blu-ray costing way tooo much, (5) most movies I only want to see once & I'll never watch again (6) Blockbuster being overprice; the balance of cost vs. enjoyment is way out of line.

Redbox on the other hand gets that most movies are only worth about $1

I admit, I was instigating a little with my grandparent post. Although, my mother has a knack for calling during the middle of my favorite shows. Pausing live TV is very useful. If I was using a VCR, I'd have to wait until the show was finished recording before I could resume.

Even with my mythbox, I still watch shows live if I'm home. And when I do, I employ the same method of getting up and walking around (get a drink, use bathroom, etc.) during commercial breaks.