Remote control, mouse or keyboard with touchpad?

Before you start equipping the brand new Android Box, let's take a look at how it is controlled. The main three principles of management are described in the table of contents of the articles, so let's start in order.

Remote control

Well, from experience I’ll say that there are no control panels for set-top boxes, and the latest market analysis showed that more recent remotes appear along with set-top boxes with fewer and fewer buttons.

Honestly, I use as often as possible only the Android Box power button on the control panel, I do everything else with the mouse, but more on that later.
Let's analyze the main functions of the remote control, it was not in vain that I drew numbers there: 1. Turning on.
Everything is simple, it puts it into standby mode, the indicator on the set-top box changes color from blue (working mode) to red (sleep). 2. Turns off the sound, the same button is on the TV remote control
3. A colorful block, but in fact useless contains 4 keys (they can be modified but are clear in meaning):
♦ Media - opens a funny explorer in which you can see folders and files, only video is visible -segment
♦ Music - the same as the button above, only distinguish between music files
♦ WEB - opens the browser that comes with the console (the only useful button)
♦ APP - opens the menu of installed applications.
♦ TV - (on some remotes) it just constantly clicks back, it does not work like a “Reset” button (7), but in general it simply flips everything back through minimized programs, and menu settings, only already closed menus are not subject to it.
4. Rewind, but it works so interesting, experiment yourself, I personally flip through films, but it should take time
5. Volume control - quieter-louder sound of the speakers.
6. Home - from any program will throw you into the home menu.
7. Return will take you back one step, even one step.
If you are in the menu of the Android Box program, it will remove the menu when you are in the program, and generally close the program. 8. Joystick.
The name speaks for itself, you can switch up and down, left and right. The “OK” button works like the “Inter” button on a computer keyboard. 9. Settings menu - it opens some submenus in any program and application, even opens something on the home page.
It's funny, in many programs I did not know that there were such menus. We try. 10. Mouse Mode (sometimes labeled as “Cursor”) - switches the console and it only responds to the joystick (8), to turn it off, you need to click on “mouse mode” again. The button takes skill, but in some situations the mouse mode is vital.

If the console does not respond to any keys, you are in mouse mode.
11. Shift button works when typing.
Switches the keyboard layout. 12. Erases a character. When typing, deletes the last character (similar to the Backspace button (backspace))

Everything is clear with numbers (0-9) - numbers and numbers
Let's consider several other remotes, let's designate the blocks in the same way
.

The main button that comes in handy is marked (prefix setting), but it can be found in another way.

The section turned out to be large and I hope it is useful, let's move on to another device for controlling the Android Box prefix - namely the mouse

Mouse and Air Mouse

Although I have never held the AeroMouse in my hands, I am sure that the principle of the equation is the same for it as for a conventional computer wireless mouse (only more functionality).

The connection is very simple, find the transmitter, it is hidden in both devices under the battery cover, and plug it into one of the USB sockets of the set-top box. We all insert batteries and we can use it.

Does not work? If suddenly the mouse or Air Mouse does not work, then change the USB socket for the transmitter to the Android Box

There is still a difference, if you type a lot, then the “Air Mouse” is much faster, with a large screen and dexterity. You have to get used to everything.

A computer mouse and Air Mouse are much more convenient to use, but they do not turn off the set-top box in standby mode

You are unlikely to have problems with the controls, there are not so many buttons, and the captions for them say a lot, in addition, when you shoveled the information above about the remote control

Wireless keyboard with touchpad

The TouchPad has always been difficult for me, even on a laptop, so I treat this functionality with particular distrust. Carrying a finger over this square is a misunderstanding. But the possibility of working with this device is available. How convenient is it? Well, for everyone this is their own understanding, if you type a lot of texts and are used to the touchpad of a laptop, then the amount is within $ 10 and this control device is yours.  

There are a lot of buttons here, and how they will work on the Android Box is better if you write to me in the comments, because I don’t have this gadget.

What to choose and how to manage the console is up to you. I made my choice - a wireless computer mouse for a few dollars, and a remote control to turn off the set-top box. Where did you end up and why? Write in the comments.

Keyboard apps for SwiftKey are here and LeanKey are here .