MBP...with a remote

[Alpha Centauri]

So what's weird about this?

It's my mid 2009 MBP running a Catalina patch. So far not weird!

I rummaged through the depths of all things lost, looking for something else, and found this old 1st Gen remote. I'm quite sure it came from an old G5 iMac I once owned in 2006 and got rid of with the MBP purchase.

Hit the play button and instantly the Music App sprang to life!! It really just controls volume, track selections and pause. Back in the day I think it accessed Front Row via the menu button. I wonder how it actually interfaces with the MBP though as I'm quite sure the G5 had an infrared receiver up front?

Still can't get it to attach magnetically to the side of the screen though

 

[MultiFinder17]

See that black line on the front right of your 2009? That’s the infrared receiver

 

[Alpha Centauri]

See that black line on the front right of your 2009? That’s the infrared receiver

Next to the sleep indicator, yes thank you. System Pref>Hardware>USB>USB Bus>IR Receiver Tadaaaa. Perhaps early on I used it for the iLife suite, hence kept the remote, but Apple probably dropped it soon after!?

Pressed play again and an open YT Vid started playing, prioritising over the Music App this time.

Totally unexpected from this patched, 13 year old MBP to retain this most basic, limited, useless really function. So used to devices interconnected with AirPlay around the home, shocked me momentarily back into the past.

Amount of times I prob stared at the IR receiver with the back cover off.

 

[zackkmac]

I also had fun with this when I came across my white remote last year or so. I have a 2008 (pre-unibody) 17", and whatever OS I was running at the time had Front Row so I had an instant nostalgia hit when it pulled up.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

I also had fun with this when I came across my white remote last year or so. I have a 2008 (pre-unibody) 17", and whatever OS I was running at the time had Front Row so I had an instant nostalgia hit when it pulled up.

On the G5, that remote was always the superstar during group shots on PhotoBooth.?

 

[jav6454]

My 2008 MacBook still had the remote included with it. It still works.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

My 2008 MacBook still had the remote included with it. It still works.

Never knew the laptops had them included back then. Assume they stopped that in 2009.

 

[jav6454]

Never knew the laptops had them included back then. Assume they stopped that in 2009.

The 2008 versions were the last that I knew that included one.

 

[appltech]

The 2008 versions were the last that I knew that included one.

Having my old MBP 2010 with IR receiver. Thinking that for MBP those are available till 2012

 

[jav6454]

Having my old MBP 2010 with IR receiver. Thinking that for MBP those are available till 2012

Unsure on 2009+, I know for a fact mine brought one.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Having my old MBP 2010 with IR receiver. Thinking that for MBP those are available till 2012

Functional until 2012 models yes, an optional Transceiver purchase from 2009 onwards perhaps? My 2009 certainly didn't include one, hence it didn't even click I had IR and the 2006 iMac remote brought it in very limited and useless scope to life.