Streamzap PC Remote Control

I've used this the Streamzap PC Remote Control for 5 years. It doesn't have support for a lot of the apps I want to use it for and it's a little quirky at times.Although the product description doesn't mention support for Vista, the latest Streamzap version 3.0.0 does actually support Vista.The minimum requirement is specified as "Windows 98, 98SE, 2000 or XP, 2 AAA batteries (not included), available USB 1.1 or 2.0 port, Pentium 90 class processor or faster"). Pentium 90? C'mon! As you might surmise, this is pretty outdated technology. The last update before version 3.0.0 was version 2.9.6 - back in 28 Mar 2005! Streamzap doesn't provide updates for their software very often.I have XP, but I recently made the mistake of upgrading the software to version 3.0.0. I now frequently get the message "Streamzap Remote Software has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry fo the inconvenience." Trouble is, once the app is exited, it cannot be restarted until you reboot your computer. Every time Streamzap crashes, I have an issue with a lack of responsiveness from my keyboard (there's a ~2-second lag from the time I press a key on my keyboard to when the key actually registers). Grrr...If you have XP or an earlier OS, I recommend that you download version 2.9.6 from the Streamzap site instead. It doesn't crash as often. However, version 2.9.6 has a few problems:(-) It's supposed to be able to cycle through all the windows so that you can remote control the active window but it doesn't cycle through *all* of them. As Murphy's law would have it, it's usually the Window I need to remote control.(-) Sometimes, the exit button not only closes the active window, it closes one or two other windows as well.(-) Occasionally, there's a lag between the time you hit a key to the time the key registers.(-) Streamzap has little or no support for the newer apps. You would have to wait for them to update their software on the next release (good luch with that). (Alternatively, there's a software called Girder made by Promixis - it takes over control of the remote control functionality from Streamzap *completely* but it requires a little "programming." That's an entire different animal I won't get into here).Streamzap does have a few pluses:(+) It is quite usable for a few commonly-used apps such as Windows Media Player and Winamp.(+) Streamzap controls the master volume, so the mute and volume control will work across all apps.(+) The up, down, left, right control is universal as well.---I would recommend Streamzap only if need minimal remote controlling capabilities or if you're strapped for cash and need to settle for something more affordable.

I just got this streamzap pc remote a couple of days ago and looked forward to using it with cyberlink powerDVD 9, Pinnacle usb pctv hd and possibly in WMC which I really stray away from as it is too big and bulky plus it does not recognize all the local broadcast hd tv stations for some reason. Pinnacle usb mini stick gets a bunch but media center just wont get them up there and pinnacle player is good enough does everything plus i do have a good remote with it so the streamzap was for Media cent since there is not support for the pinnacle full function remote in windows. dumb again. my problem is that since streamzap addition the computer shuts down (crashes) on its own . It will not re boot unless i take the usb plug out for streamzap which essentially disables it. the computer is just fine without it but as soon as i put it back in -the ir gizmo- all kinds of issues arise and the computer becomes unstable and untimately just shuts off and is not responsive plus it will not reboot, gets stuck right after the first load splash screen until i literally 'pull the plug' and then it is ok. I did go for the newest vista drivers and no success possibly more stable prior to updating? not sure on that. I really wish it would work. i got only limited functionality moving the cursor around in powerdvd didnt really do as it was advertised to do. no menu , no ff or rew and then the pause/play developed a mind of its own and alternated about every 10secs pause then play on its own. so I havent found where the conflict is and probably wont. the faq is a joke only self serving installation issues none on conflict and the 'knowledge base' is under construction or maintenance. No a word there about any issue good or bad. so i am out $35 with the shipping. amazon will probably take it back but then back to the drawing boards. I was suckered with all the possible applications it might work with and the cursor will actually move about with the arrow keys but i have a friend who is a quadriplegic and has the cursor system he can move with his eye and it is faster than me moving this around with the remote. It is not quite synced up with the target click spots. moves around quickly until i get to the critical area and then it jumps around, over and along side the spot until i finally get it. I do have a few other things added to the laptop but all work in perfect harmony until I got this streamzap which I waited with great anticipation almost as much as the wait for my first 2 wheeler bike. So I am disappointed somewhat and wish there were places I might find a fix for this as I love the potential and envy the reviewers who managed to elude the blue screen and freezes.

I got one of these to control Quintessential Player and the CineMaster DVD player on my PC. For Quintessential Player it works great; there are even some nice touches like being able to turn shuffle on or off with the remote, so I can shuffle around songs but then turn shuffle off to listen to a few songs in a row. (There is a one- or two-second lag, as others have said, but I don't find it a big problem.)For CineMaster the story's not so good; some buttons do the wrong thing (e.g. the rewind button pauses; the chapter-back button stops play!), and many just don't work at all.I was in contact with their tech support about this, and we went back and forth for a while. They gave me a new patch which didn't fix the problems. I fed them a good bit of technical information. And then, for the last couple months, I've heard nothing, despite writing a couple of times asking for an update. They also said that in the future they'd allow user-customization; but nothing has appeared yet.So...go ahead and buy it, but immediately test it with all the programs you want to use it with. If it doesn't work well enough for you to be happy with it, return it; _don't_ wait for tech support to fix it, because I can tell you, it won't happen.