I have written a program that is an alternate remote control for SlingPlayer running on Windows XP. I could go on and on about the why's and wherefore's of its use, but I'll just tell you what I can do with MiniMote™ and let you decide if some of the features would be of use to you.

• MiniMote takes very little space on the screen - about 1 1/2 inches square. I can also minimize it to the taskbar.
  
  
• MiniMote works with SlingPlayer running in skinless mode. I don't need to click to view the skin and then click again to see SlingPlayer's remote.
  
  
• MiniMote keeps track of the last 12 channels I have viewed. I can return to any of them with a single click.
  
  
• MiniMote has 12 favorite channel buttons for each of 6 categories making a total of 72. I can tune to any of them with just a couple of clicks.
  
  
• I watch some channels from an antenna and others from my satellite tuner. MiniMote's favorites setup includes the SlingBox input so I can tune to a channel on any input with a single click.
  
  
• Some HD channels like HD Net and Discovery HD always broadcast in 16:9 format. MiniMote's favorites setup also includes the screen format so I can tune to a channel on any input with a single click and let MiniMote set the appropriate screen format.
  
  
• When I turn off SlingPlayer in the evening, I've usually been watching a movie channel or a DVD. During the day, I usually have CNN running in a small window in the corner of my screen. As an option, MiniMote will start SlingPlayer and tune to the channel I specified as my startup channel so I don't have to start SlingPlayer and tune to CNN the next morning. I can just click MiniMote on my desktop and it does the rest.
  
  
• I sometimes use a wireless AV pointer to change channels across the room from my PC and the buttons are a little hard to see. As an option, MiniMote enlarges the button the mouse pointer is over to 4 times its normal size.
  
  
• When there is a show coming up that I don't want to miss, I can tell MiniMote what time it will start and what channel it is on and MiniMote will tune it in for me at the proper time. If SlingPlayer doesn't happen to be running at the time, MiniMote will launch it first.
  
  
• I have a mobile DVR made by Archos. It can record from the S-Video and audio outputs on my laptop and recording can be scheduled. MiniMote's schedule feature also lets me set
  SlingPlayer's video mode so that the show to be recorded can be tuned and set to full screen even if I happen to be out at the scheduled time.
  
  
• If I leave my laptop running overnight without SlingPlayer active, I can use my laptop as an alarm clock by having MiniMote start SlingPlayer for me in the morning.

UPDATE 5-29-07 - Version 2.0!

There were two aspects of the first MiniMote program that I was not very happy with.  The first was the fact that I could not get the dash to work for tuning HD channels.  The second was the method I used to try to make the small buttons more visible for the vision impaired and for those who wanted to be able to use a wireless mouse from across the room to change channels.  Version 2.0.0, which is now available from Sling Community, addresses both of those issues.
 
The dash problem has been fixed.  Users may still enter a dash into a channel number, but the program internally converts it to the keyboard shortcut used by Slingplayer.
 
I'm quite pleased with the new Vision Assist method and I think that those who use it will be, too.  As the mouse is hovered over a MiniMote button, the button's caption is displayed in a very large font close to the MiniMote on the screen.  I can read it from across the room and it makes it much easier to change channels with a remote control.  A user with serious vision problems will have a much easier time tuning Sling Player with the option selected.

User Guide

MiniMote does not do away with SlingPlayer's remote; it is always available for functions that MiniMote does not support. If you would like to take a look at the user guide, you can download it here.

Downloads

MiniMote 2.0.0 Program for Windows XP - Free

MiniMote User Guide

Share Your Comments Here

MiniMote is a member contributed program from SlingCommunity.com. It is neither supported nor endorsed by Sling Media in any way. As a contributed program, no warranties are expressed or implied by Sling Media, SlingCommunity.com, Capable Networks LLC, or Waldorf Computer Systems, Inc. It is the user’s sole responsibility to determine the usability and usefulness of the program. Comments and suggestions are welcome, but time constraints on the author may prevent timely maintenance of the program in the future.