AirMote is an application for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch that lets you control a Macintosh computer remotely.
Airmote, on this page, is for older devices that can’t run the latest iOS system, such as the original iPhone model.
This is the general description page. The online help for AirMote is here.
Sit down and enjoy video or music!
Control media players like Front Row, iTunes, QuickTime Player, VNC, Plex, and others.
Stand up and show a presentation!
Use Keynote, PowerPoint or any other application.
Customize to your heart’s content!
If it can be controlled with the computer keyboard, it can be controlled by AirMote. You can create any number of custom remote control screens, each with up to 12 buttons that can be set up to do anything a computer keyboard can do. Any button can have any label and send any sequence of keystrokes. Details on setting up custom buttons are in the online help.
AirMote connects to a computer and displays a remote control screen. Touch the “Next” button to switch to another screen layout. Quickly switch among any number of button layouts, in any order you like.
A number of remote control screen layouts are built-in, making it very easy to control media players, presentation applications, iTunes, iPhoto, QuickTime Player, Keynote, and Apple’s Mouse Key, Full Keyboard Access, and VoiceOver features.
AirMote uses VNC protocols to make a connection. This ability is built-in and easy to set up on any Macintosh running OS X 10.4 or above. Information on doing it is here.
The online help for AirMote is here.
Bryan, for info on making custom buttons, take a look at http://myallo.com/leptonic/airmote-help/action-codes/
Sorry about that. I found the link awhile after sending you my message. But thanks for the quick reply to the question.
So far Airmote has been working great. I’m happy that I chose this program .
That said, there are a few things that would be nice:
1. Allow longer button titles to wrap on to a second line on the buttons
2. Maybe include a spinning dial in the button editor that would allow you to choose odd ball control commands (like control, shift, tab, etc..) and have them automatically inserted
3. Have the text on the keys rotate when you rotate the phone.
4. Maybe give the option to change button colors.
The app is more or less fine as is, but some additions would make it more user friendly, especially for users who don’t want to look up special codes to use for custom buttons.
All in all, I’m happy with it.
Bryan
Bryan, I like 2 and 3, and 1 and 4 are planned for a big brother app I call AirControl that has custom buttons – any number of them, different sizes, new kinds of functions such as typing and being able to see the remote screen, stuff like that. In AirMote, I purposely only have the 12 button layout and no rotation to sorta-kinda help you use the thing without looking… sorta.
Thanks for this great app!
I would love to see a built in Plex screen on the next release. I created one similar to one you mentioned above and it works great!
Is it possible to launch Plex from the AirMote? Is it possible to wake the computer from AirMote?
I have my iMac hooked up to an LCD TV, so if could come home, sit on my couch, wake up my iMac via AirMote, launch Plex via AirMote, and control Plex via AirMote; I would be one happy camper!
Also, I agree with Bryan about the interface changes… a few nudges would make this app really shine. But I also agree with Bryan in that I’m completely satisfied with the app and you guys did a great job. Thank you.
Jonathan, check out my comment a little farther up on “FastScripts” which I’ve been using to launch apps with AirMote. AirMote needs a little help to do reliable launching since the VNC protocol we use doesn’t have launching built into it.
I used Apple Script & FastScriptsLite to create a simple “Launch Plex” script and assigned it the keyboard shortcut Control-Alt-P. I used “\xFFE3\xFFE9P” for the Action of the new button in AirMote but it doesn’t launch Plex. The keyboard shortcut launches Plex when I enter it via the keyboard but not when I press my newly created “Launch Plex” button in AirMote. Did I mess something up in writing the “Action” for the new button?
Thanks for your help!
Jonathan you might try a lowercase “P”. The button might be sending Control-Command-Shift-P instead of Control-Command-p.
This page is getting long, here is a reminder to everyone there is a forum for AirMote at http://www.myallo.com/community/viewforum.php?f=20
Maybe I am missing something…is there any way to control the system volume with Airmote?
Andrew, on Mac the global volume is hardwired to the keys and can’t seem to be controlled using AirMote’s remote protocol. However, most apps have their own volume control commands, for example Front Row lets you raise and lower the volume with the up and down arrows.
First off: everything works as described. I was able to create custom buttons and control my software accurately. But, I have a problem. I am using Airmote to control a presentation at church. I create a local network on my Macbook, but if I don’t enter any commands for 15-20 minutes, as will happen during the sermon, I lose my Wifi connection. If I go to the “Settings” in Airmote, it says there is no Wifi available. If I then quit Airmote, open the “Settings” app and click on Wifi, it says I am connected. Upon relaunching Airmote, everything works fine. Is this a problem with my Macbook, my IPhone or with Airmote? Any ideas for fixing it? Thanks. Chris
Chris, I have recently discovered that 30 seconds after the device auto-locks, it turns off WiFi and disconnects all the connections. So if the device has been asleep for that long, it won’t be connected when it wakes up. A temporary workaround is to set the auto-lock to “Never” in the Settings app of the device. What I did to address this is add a setting in AirMote 1.1 called “Don’t Sleep” which will keep the device from auto-locking while AirMote’s remote control screen is showing.
Another thing I put into 1.1 is the abilty to switch remote control screens just by swiping left or right, instead of having to use the “Next” button. I’m testing 1.1 and will submit the update for release in just a few days.
Hey there Lepton,
I finally realized why I couldn’t launch Plex via action codes, I was using the wrong action codes for my buttons.
Just FYI you might want to update your info at http://myallo.com/leptonic/airmote-help/action-codes/ under the Example Command Strings:
“\xFFE9\xFF1B” sends Command-ESC (invokes Front Row on a Mac)
“\xFFE3\xFFE9\xFFFF” Control-Alt-DEL
You’ve got “xFFE9″ as both Command and Alt, when in fact it is Command. I was basing my codes off of the Control-Alt-DEL example.
Thanks for all your help and I look forward to seeing some cool updates for this app!
Greetings!
I am working in a recording studio environment, and am looking for a way to remotely start and stop (among other things) my DAW’s.
i.e. – I am recording keyboards over here; I can reach the Mac. But now, I go over to my drums and I can’t reach the keyboard anymore. I need to be able to arm a record track, start, go into record, stop, rewind – all basic key commands. I am using Ableton LIVE the most, but also digital performer (MOTU) which has a lot of custom buttons on the screen when open. Almost all the functions of these DAW’s can be controlled with the keyboard, ergo – airmote! Yes?
Just wanted to check with you first…
Many thanks in advance.
-Nail
As long as the computer is on WiFi or the Internet and there is a keyboard command for the thing you want to do, you will be able to make a button for it. AirMote buttons work by sending keystrokes to the computer, and you can make custom buttons to send any keystroke – Command, Option, Shift whatever. So you should be good to go!
A couple of things, though. WiFi is fast but can have a tiny bit of latency, so its great for switching setups and effects but perhaps not for triggering notes. Also, AirMote only has twelve buttons on the screen and you might want more than that, but in version 1.1 (free update is waiting for approval and coming out any second now) you can switch among any number of 12-button screens with a swipe of the finger, so it lessens that problem considerably.
Has anyone used this with Boxee running on Ubuntu? I’m curious to know how well it works…
One feature I’d like to see, in addition to button colors, is for a button to perform its action and then switch the screen to a different one. Or in the alternative, let the host computer tell the controller to switch.
Is there possibility to use this iPhone app for control apps under m$ windows?
in Appstore are many remotes, but only this one are accept almost fully customisation (sorry for my english)
If you’re looking to ONLY CONTROL PLEX you should look at http://remote.collect3.com.au/
It has tighter integration with plex (or xbmc, maybe boxee never tried it)
Eg. Allows browsing of sources: movies/tv shows (with art) on the phone.
Also has a fully featured remote, and a gesture based mode so you dont need to look at the iPhone to move up/down/left/right and click.
I’m not affiliated with remote, just love using it for plex.
Will look at AirMote for controlling other apps.
Keep up the great work.
I already active Remote Management in “System Preference/Sharing” and also check box for “VNC viewer….”
But when I try to connect from airmote. It say ” XXX cannot connect. Because no network is available”
My MACbook connected to an internet with global IP
My iphone connected to an internet with global IP
Can I create my own button libraries somehow? I’d love to be able to create graphical buttons too.
Some things I’d love:
1) Be able to import icons (small PNGs) for buttons
2) Be able to set # of buttons on screen (or Rows and Columns), as 12 may be a bit tight for some solutions (I think that – for some applications – you could easily go to 20 (4*5) or even 30 (5*6) buttons)
This would – for instance – allow me to set up my device as a game-keyboard or a Gimp pad and activate actions/function using the same graphics I would use when clicking on the on-screen buttons…
Right now you can create any number of buttons that can do most anything a keyboard can do, and any number of screens with any combination of buttons. But each screen is limited to a grid of up to 12 buttons.
As soon as my newest app, the amazing Myallo HotList (http://myallo.com/hotlist) comes out and settles in, I’m doing an update to AirMote. [Myallo HotList is submitted, waiting for Apple to approve.] Some of the things that _might_ get in the next AirMote include different size buttons with different layouts and colors, and new kinds of {“buttons” such as a trackpad, keyboard, and remote screen. Those are in the plans, but I don’t know what actually will get in.
I am looking for a remote that will allow me to control MS word. I teach using the textbook in word so my students can see my highlights in the same location as their text. This literally keeps everyone on the same page.
So I want to scroll down the page, we examine pictures and it would be nice to be able to activate hyperlinks to quicktime and close them again.
It might be nice to be able to change screen size to make things fit properly from the projector but if I had to go back to the computer it would not be the end of the world I guess.
POwerpoint or keystone just does not seem to work for me to keep connected with the students.
Would I need to establish a WIFI network in the classroom to use your program with my macbookpro?
What do you think of my chances of adapting your program for my classroom needs with word.
Students would be impressed I’m sure.
Each button in AirMote can be set to perform one or more keyboard keystrokes. So if there is a keyboard equivalent for a command, it can perform that command. At my house, I also installed FastScripts Lite, a free program that lets an AppleScript run via a keystroke. I use this to set up buttons that launch different apps.
The iPhone can communicate via WiFi or the cell network. WiFi has the least latency. But if a computer is hardwired onto the Internet via Ethernet, AirMote can use the cell data network to get to the computer, if the computer is exposed on the Internet and has port 5900 open.
I’m using UltraVNC on Vista(Home Premium/SP2), and can’t use this application…
1. I can’t found my PC by this application
I can see the message “Locel WiFi Connections…” “Looking for computers…”, but nothing happen. So I Added my local IP & VNC PWD manually tapping “advanced”.
2. I can’t connect to my PC
Inputing VNC PWD correctly, I saw the message “incorrect password”. I also use Mocha VNC Lite on iPhone, and can connect to my Vista by Mocha, so i think my password is right and WinVNC run correctly.
Could you give me some advice…?