Problem: Can't pause/fast forward/rewind video or music while sitting on the couch.
Solution: An IR receiver. Luckily it just so happens, I have an old IRMan lying around (basically a commercial version of UIR, albeit long discontinued).
Next problem: The computer is behind the couch, at the other end of the room.
Solution: Universal IR Receiver Daemon. This neat little utility supports the UIR protocol and can send the IR codes over a network as UDP packets. Neat! Now I can connect the IRMan to my conveniently located home server which relays the button codes to my desktop PC.
Next problem: No receiver daemon!
Solution: A simple python script listens for incoming UDP packets, checks if the code matches an action defined in a configuration file, then executes that action. Currently amarok and mplayer are supported. Get the script at the software odds & ends page.
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