Cheap Tablet PCs as a home theater remote control?

[Rajahal]

This sale got me thinking:

 

Archos 7 501521 Refurbished Internet Home Tablet - 7" Display, 8GB, Android 1.5, Wireless

 

$30 Off - Enter Code RML22975 At Checkout

 

$95 + shipping

 

Normally I've dismissed Tablets such as this and the iPad as being somewhat useless.  My phone (Droid 2) is infinitely more portable and nearly as capable.  If I want to do more than is comfortable to accomplish on a phone, I prefer a full laptop with a physical keyboard (I really dislike touchscreen keyboards...).  Lately, one of my projects has been configuring my home entertainment center to be controlled by my phone.  I'm well on my way...so far I can control both my XBMC-based HTPC and my receiver (Yamaha RX-A1000) through my phone.  The only thing I can't do at the moment is turn on and off my TV (and I'm open to suggestions here)...I expect I probably need a network-capable TV to accomplish this.  In the past I've also dabbled with a cheap (refurb) iPod Touch, but I found that the battery life with wifi always enabled was dismal.  I don't want a remote that I have to charge every day, that defeats the purpose.  With the help of the app Tasker on my phone, I have configured it so that anytime I open the XBMC or receiver control apps wifi is turned on (and automatically connects to my home wifi network), and then turned off again when I exit the apps.  Since I have to charge my phone every few days anyway, I don't mind if the wifi kills the battery a bit faster.  Still, the phone seems to handle wifi much better than the iPod Touch ever did.

 

Now I'm wondering if the above cheapo tablet might make a good remote control system.  It runs Android, so it should be able to run the same XBMC and receiver apps that I already use on my phone.  I think 7" might be a nice size for a remote too (I think the iPad would be too big).  I wonder about the battery life...it might be as dismal as the iPod Touch, I don't know.  But I should be able to set up Tasker in the same way to turn on and off wifi to save battery life.  I'm always a bit dubious about recertified products, but for this price it might be worth the risk.

 

Has anyone actually used the product in question?

[MurrayW]

I don't know anything about the Archos, but a Global Cache iTach device could allow you to control your TV via IR or RS-232 if your TV is RS-232 capable.

http://www.globalcache.com/products/itach/specs/

[Rajahal]

Interesting, thanks!  I've never heard of that device before.

[kizer]

My iPad rocks for controlling XBMC and my Roku player.

 

I often find myself using my actually Hardware remotes, but its kinda fun to pick it up and play with it.

[dgaschk]

I have a harmony remote. The cheap one can control up to 4 devices. It controls my Onkyo, TV, XMBC, and cable box. I have an outlet in the floor under my coffee table which makes charging easy.

[kizer]

Just remember its running 1.5 which will limit you a lot since most apps are now written for 1.6, 2.1 and 2.2

 

Interestingly-enough first search in the market pulls up an app that is 1.5 compatable.

http://market.android.com/details?id=org.xbmc.android.remote&feature=search_result

[Rajahal]

I have a harmony remote. The cheap one can control up to 4 devices. It controls my Onkyo, TV, XMBC, and cable box. I have an outlet in the floor under my coffee table which makes charging easy.

 

I know I could just use a Harmony remote to control everything, but I like the touchscreen remote's capability of browsing the XBMC library without taking over whatever is playing on the TV...as far as I know, no Harmony remote can do that.