[Will Brocklebank]

I am sorry if this has been asked before but I cannot find the answer in this or other forums like MacOSXhints...

Given that Keyspan have come out with a remote for AExpress can one use other USB related remotes with it? The one that springs to mind is the ATI Remote Wonder which is a great unit becasue of its multi-functions and also the fact that it is RF not IR so can work beyond simple line-of-sight.

If this functionality is not here already do you think Apple will eventually allow it or are they keeping the really good stuff for their own type of remote?

Thanks for any help - W

[larkost]

This functionality has to be specifically supported in the base station. I would guess that Apple and Keyspan did some work leading up to the release of the AExpress. If the decided to create a new USB class for a device such as this there is a chance that other devices could just work (if programmed to this class), but I don't see any evidence of this.

[tooki]

Edit: hmmm, so I went and looked at Keyspan's site, and the new remote does in fact connect to the Airport's USB port. I guess Keyspan and Apple did work something out, since it definitely required Apple's cooperation to do. I can't say whether Apple added more generic USB support, or just made one exception for Keyspan's unit. According to the FAQ, Keyspan's own software isn't even used when connected through the Airport. This indicates one of two things: Apple specifically wrote in support for the Keyspan, or Apple put in some form of generic remote control API, which the Keyspan supports.

ATI's remotes, at least at this point, won't work that way. But they are RF remotes, so unless you have a really big house, it can just go right through the walls and reach the receiver attached to the Mac anyway.

If it were up to me, I'd still buy the ATI remote (especially the Remote Wonder II, which has longer range) since it has more buttons, and is a nice hefty remote.

That said, I just use Salling Clicker on my phone.

tooki

I'm quite certain that the "new" Keyspan remote (which is just a slightly updated version of their old Digital Media Remote [DMR]) does not connect to the Airport Express base station. The remote connects to the Mac and controls its copy of iTunes, just as the old DMR always did. The USB port on the base station is and remains for printers only. (It can charge some iPods simply because they can charge from any USB port, no drivers needed to suck power!)

ATI's remotes will work just fine, because all the remote has to do is control iTunes, just as before. Airport Express changes nothing in iTunes other than where it outputs the audio to. The remote's receiver will, of course, connect to the Mac, not the Airport Express.

tooki