Follow the manufacturers instructions to set up your remote control with your hardware first. Note: If your remote control does not work with your hardware, it will not work with Kodi. These pages are only needed for those that have built their own HTPC and need to configure a remote control, or who need to replace a lost/broken remote control or change button actions. Using a Mouse to control Kodi is not recommended and many skins do not support mouse functions. Most hardware you purchase, like the RPi and Android devices, will have a remote control included and will work out of the box with Kodi. Alternatively a (wireless) keyboard can be used. That’s all I could come up with, so I’m now eagerly waiting for your suggestions, or just let us know what you use.Kodi is primarily designed for the home theatre using the 10-foot user interface principles controlled with a remote control. This may not be as easily to use as the other solution above, but it should be much more powerful feature-wise. Remote App with an Android SmartphoneĪ final way to control your HTPC is to use your smartphone, or if you prefer recycle one of your old smartphone, with a remote control app such as Yatse. I’ve also tried to find Chinese clones / alternatives, but without success. You can buy on Pulse Eight website directly for $44.60, and it’s also available on Amazon US for $49, where you’ll find mixed reviews. It looks pretty straightforward to use: connect the HDMI out and USB port to your mini PC, and the HDMI IN part to your TV or AV receiver, and it will be automatically detected in Kodi, and you should be good to go. Unfortunately, HDMI CEC is not usually implemented in computers, but there’s a workaround thanks to HDMI USB CEC adapters such as the one provided by Pulse Eight. HDMI CEC allows you to control multiple devices over HDMI using a single remote control, and in theory you could use your TV or AV receiver remote control to control Kodi on your mini PC. Use your TV or AV Receiver Remote Control with HDMI CEC
Reviews are mixed on Amazon with some people saying it works great for the price, while others complained it only lasted a few weeks, and the range is 10 feet (3 meters) max. In case of issues, you may have to double check “ Remote control sends keyboard presses” is enabled in “ Input Devices” menu. You just need to connect the USB IR receiver into a USB port of your mini PC, and it should work. The remote is said to be driverless, so even though the specs says it only works with Windows, it should also work with Linux or other operating systems. The cheapest one could be SANOXY Wireless USB PC remote control / mouse that sells for $5 on Amazon US. If you don’t need something too fancy, and just want to control Kodi with the arrow keys and enter most of the time, you could get a USB IR remote.
I also mentioned iPazzport KP-810-35BTT Bluetooth keyboard recently with backlit keys, and a touchpad that can be used as a numpad. It should also be easy to setup, as you just need to connect the “USB unifying receiver” to your mini PC, and you’re good to go. If you don’t mind something a little bigger, but still smaller than a full-sized keyboard, a wireless Bluetooth or RF keyboard may be an option, such as the popular Logitech K400, which beside a keyboard also includes a multi-touch touchpad. Small form factor RF or Bluetooth Keyboards
Whatever air mouse you choose, make sure a play/pause button is included, as it’s not always a given. MeLE F10 Deluxe sells for about $30, but you can also find cheaper model like Tronsmart TSM01 that goes for $17. This type of device is compliant with USB HID class, so it should work with all common operating systems.
In Kodi, you would not use the air mouse function, but the remote mode is working well, and you can use the QWERTY side for the rare times when you need to input text. You just need to connect a tiny USB RF dongle to one of the USB ports of your mini PC, and you’d ready to go with having to configure anything. I’m using MeLE F10 Deluxe air mouse during my reviews, and such device can be used with HTPC. Since I’ve been asked about this recently, I’ve decided to dig into the issue to see what options could be available, and I also hope to trigger a discussion in comments to discover other interesting solutions. Low cost Intel Bay Trail mini PCs such as Pipo X7, MeegoPad T01, MeLE PCG03, etc… almost all share one thing in common: they lack an IR receiver, and for people who’d like to use their box as a dedicated HTPC running Kodi for example, this could be a problem as connecting a keyboard might not the best of solutions.