Mac Mini + Television Part 3
After trying out several remote control schemes for the Mac Mini connected to the television, I’ve settled on two. One that lets me use a Harmony Remote, which is already controlling other components, and the other, an iPhone app, useful when the Harmony Remote fails and the Mac Mini gets stuck in some dumb place that requires mouse / keyboard control. In a previous post I decided Remote Buddy was the best Mac app to lets one control the Mac Mini with a Harmony Remote. Method one; check.
Method two meant trying out several iPhone apps. Which one, basically comes down to how you prefer interacting with your Mac. The initial instinct is to simulate a mouse and trackpad on the iPhone. If that’s your preference, AirMouse will work well.
But after looking at several more apps (Snatch, HippoRemote, Rowmote Pro), I settled on Rowmote Pro. The key reasons: it’s simple, and toggles between several states (trackpad, Apple-like remote control, keyboard, and app launcher) easily. Especially neat is the iPhone-esque manner in which you can show / hide apps in the launcher so you only have what you need.
The only annoyance of Rowmote Pro is a single mouse button. Tap the trackpad with two fingers for right click instead.
I was really impressed by the custom remote creation of Snatch, but ultimately I’m only running a handful of apps on the MacMini so that customization is overkill.
Anyhow, here’s how I’d sum up the various apps based on need so you can pick your own:
- Mouse Simulation: Air Mouse, Hippo Remote, Rowmote Pro
- Apple Remote Simulation: Rowmote Pro, Snatch
- Want uber control to create your own remotes: Snatch
- Don’t want to install a helper app: Hippo Remote
- Want to use your infrared Harmony Remote: Remote Buddy
- You own a PC: Snatch, Hippo Remote, AirMouse
Previous Installments: Mac Mini + Television Part 2, Mac Mini + Television Part 1
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