Launching Boxee with a Windows Media Center Remote

Boxee

Updated 10/23/2010: Based on some comments, I’ve released a new version with an installer and file for defining custom parameters. Big thanks to Joshka for showing me a neat registry trick that allowed me to create the installer. I’ve also moved the source to a subversion repository. Enjoy!

I was recently notified that Boxee might benefit from the same hack I used to get XBMC working with my Windows Media Center remote (see the post before this one). The problem was the same. While you can use a Windows Media Center remote and IR receiver (or a universal remote emulating one) to control Boxee, the green button will continue to launch Windows Media Center. I was asked to modify the little launcher I had written for launching XBMC to launch Boxee instead. About 10 seconds of coding (and another 5 minutes of testing) later, I had what appears to be a working solution.

Download BoxeeLauncher Installer
Download BoxeeLauncher Manual Install

Source code, project files, and install scripts can be found at http://inchoatethoughts.com/boxeelauncher/ (subversion repository)

Tags: Boxee, Green Button, Media Center, Programming, Remote

Programming | Jacob June 3, 2010

8 Comments to “Launching Boxee with a Windows Media Center Remote”

By mb, June 3, 2010 @ 10:57 pm

I just tried this out on my htpc and it works great. Thanks for such a quick solution!
By Brandon, September 10, 2010 @ 11:27 pm

Thanks so much. I have been looking for this for a while. Works excellent on Win 7 32 bit with HP MCE remote.
By Joshka, September 26, 2010 @ 8:10 pm

Per my post at http://inchoatethoughts.com/launching-xbmc-with-a-windows-media-center-remote/comment-page-1#comment-1524 there is 1 step way of replacing ehshell.exe.

As an admin run:
reg add “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\ehshell.exe” /v “Debugger” /t REG_SZ /d “\”C:\tools\BoxeeLauncher\BoxeeLauncher.exe\”" /f
By Jim, January 23, 2011 @ 8:00 am

Awesome.. I have been trying to figure this out for awhile!

This works great!!
By Jim, January 23, 2011 @ 8:14 am

Oh, I am using the Gyration Music Remote and Windows 7.
By 2areg, January 30, 2011 @ 12:05 pm

SAve my life

Works fine with boxee over windows 7 and asus vision 3D HTPC.

Thanksssssssssssss
By Amiram, April 15, 2011 @ 7:53 am

Installer doesn’t work on Vista X64 (didn’t try it on other systems). Manual installation works fine.
By natom_cz, October 30, 2011 @ 3:18 pm

Fantastic! Just what I desperately needed. Manual install worked for me on Win7 x64. Many thanks!