Play/Pause Button on Keyboard

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I noticed when I am watching things on VLC and hit the pause button on my keyboard it pauses VLC but begins playing iTunes which gets annoying. Is there a way to set so the play/pause button to only controls the active window or something like that because I will still want it to work with iTunes when I am using that but work with VLC when I am using that. Also I am buying an Apple remote and would want that it be able to do the same thing. Anyone know how?
 
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***I didn't read your post well enough before replying. The link below completely removes the functionality of the media keys in iTunes, which from what I can tell isn't what you want. You might be able to achieve a similar effect with a fancier script, but I don't know what that would entail.

It's close to what you want, but not exactly. Might serve as some inspiration though...

Free Your Mac’s Media Keys From iTunes’ Grasp | Lifehacker Australia
 
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Not sure about the first part of your post, but as far as the remote goes, when you are using VLC, or Quicktime, it is isolated to those apps.
 
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chas_m

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I noticed when I am watching things on VLC and hit the pause button on my keyboard it pauses VLC but begins playing iTunes which gets annoying.

The fix for this is "make up your mind which of the two programs you are using, and quit the other one."

The problem is that you're not quitting iTunes. Command-q or "quit" from the Application menu (or dock), NOT "click the red close button."
 
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chas_m iTunes opens when the button on the keyboard is pressed even if it is not running. I know how to quit a program and when it is quit and the button is hit, it opens and starts playing the first song in there.
 
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chas_m

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iTunes does not, by default, open when a button is pressed on the keyboard. You have set that behaviour up somehow, so just undo that and you're good to go.
 
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nope did not set anything special up to do that. maybe you have an older version of the keyboard or itunes or OS X because it does open by default on mine and mine is pretty much straight out of the box configuration.
 
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The fix for this is "make up your mind which of the two programs you are using, and quit the other one."

The problem is that you're not quitting iTunes. Command-q or "quit" from the Application menu (or dock), NOT "click the red close button."

chas_m iTunes opens when the button on the keyboard is pressed even if it is not running. I know how to quit a program and when it is quit and the button is hit, it opens and starts playing the first song in there.

iTunes does not, by default, open when a button is pressed on the keyboard. You have set that behaviour up somehow, so just undo that and you're good to go.

chas-m, iTunes does open by default when the play (F8) button is pressed. This was the case on my white Macbook running Leopard, and Snow Leopard, as too with my current MBP running Snow Leopard.
 
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thanks 6string, i tried telling him, he just wouldn't believe me lol. But back to the question... anyone know how to make the pause/play button only work for the active window?
 
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chas_m

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chas-m, iTunes does open by default when the play (F8) button is pressed. This was the case on my white Macbook running Leopard, and Snow Leopard, as too with my current MBP running Snow Leopard.

Ah, you kids today with your new-fangled multimedia keyboards ...

Okay, my bad, sorry about that T_O. I don't have a keyboard here that has the play key right on the keyboard.
 
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... anyone know how to make the pause/play button only work for the active window?
I think the application itself has to be programmed for it. Just about all the Apple created applications can do what you are asking. iTunes, DVD Player, and Quicktime doesn't open iTunes when you press the play/pause button. You can also use the forward and back button in those applications also.

If this is a major issue for you then you might want to try watching your videos in Quicktime. The only other solution I can think of is to get involved with the VLC community and see if you can convince the Mac programmers to get this function for you.

I also like VLC better but I don't use the play/pause button like you do with VLC. In VLC the shortcut for play/pause is Command P.
 
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Thanks EndlessMac and I would like to use Quicktime but a lot of videos I have been watching lately are .avi and those don't always play nicely with Quicktime. I did just buy an Apple Remote and its functionality works with VLC alone when it is the active window and then when it is not, it works like you stated how the keyboard works so I am thinking it is something with how the keyboard is set up.
 
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Have you tried installing Perian? It will allow Quicktime to play most of the popular video codecs used.

Since your Apple remote is working then it does seem like it's a command execution linked to the play/pause button on the keyboard. I'm guessing Apple's other applications has some kind of command that tells your computer not to open up iTunes when it is press. I'm sure VLC can do the same thing but it has to be added to the programming. I don't think this feature can be easily turned off and on through normal means. At least I don't know how.

The play/pause button does work in VLC but as you have noticed it opens up iTunes and operates both VLC and iTunes when you press the button again. VLC just needs to stop iTunes from opening up. I still think it's a job for the VLC Mac programmers.
 
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just downloaded perian and now i can use quicktime for .avi so thanks! do you think the quality is the same? I feel like the same video is a little cleaner and better looking with VLC or am I just making this up in my mind lol?
 
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I switch between them usually to decide which player I'm gonna use, most often going with VLC, but occasionally Quicktime is the choice, due to picture sharpness ....I can never work out if it's just in the mind.
 

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