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User Input/Output Hardware Considerations (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)

  • Article

1/5/2010

For information about developing device drivers for a specific type of device, see Windows CE Drivers.

Front-Panel Control Buttons

The front panel on the networked media device (NMD) must have a power button and a standby button. You may use the same button for power and for standby. You can use general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pins, or a button controller, to manage these buttons. Pressing the power button causes the device to enter full power mode if the device is currently in standby mode. If the device is currently in full power mode, pressing the power button causes the device to enter standby mode.

For alternative user input, you can optionally duplicate the remote control buttons that are on the front panel. The following list shows the optional front-panel buttons that you can duplicate:

  • Home button
  • Menu button
  • Directional buttons:
    • Up
    • Down
    • Left
    • Right
  • Play, Rewind/Replay, Forward/Skip, Stop, and Pause buttons
  • Volume buttons:
    • Up
    • Down
    • Mute
  • For digital video recorders (DVRs), the channel up button and the channel down button

Power and Standby LED or LCD Indicators

A power LED indicator or LCD indicator and standby LED indicator or LCD indicator are both required on an NMD. These indicators must show whether the NMD is turned on or is in standby mode. Consider using GPIO pins, or an LED controller, to manage the LED indicators. If you implement these indicators by using a front-panel LCD, you may want to add a controller for the front-panel LCD.

Network, Remote Control, and Keyboard Activity LED or LCD Indicators

For network activity, remote control activity, and keyboard activity, you should use LED indicators or LCD indicators. The indicator for network activity must flash when network activity is detected by the NMD. The indicator for the remote control and the indicator for the keyboard must flash when the NMD detects presses of the remote control button and of the keyboard button, respectively.

Input Devices

NMDs require a remote control that has the following buttons:

  • Home button
  • Menu button
  • Directional buttons:
    • Up
    • Down
    • Left
    • Right
  • Play, Rewind/Replay, Forward/Skip, Stop, and Pause buttons
  • Volume buttons:
    • Up
    • Down
    • Mute
  • For DVRs, the channel up button and the channel down button

A remote keyboard and a remote mouse are optional input devices. If you implement a remote keyboard, you should model your keyboard after a standard 101-key desktop keyboard.

For information about virtual-key mapping and about the remote control, see NMD UI.

Software-based, Remote-controlled Input Panel

The software for the NMD provides software for a software-based, remote-controlled input panel.

See Also

Concepts

Hardware Architecture Diagram for Networked Media Devices

Other Resources

Performance Considerations for the Hardware Components of Networked Media Devices
CETK Tests
Core OS Services
Developing a Board Support Package
Developing a Device Driver
Developing an OEM Adaptation Layer