How to stop iTunes from launching when using Keyboard media keys

Michael Pitogo wrote:
iTunes chews up too much cpu when I try to use a Mac Mini to display EyeTV on a 1080p system. Its barely able to push the frame rate, at 720p not a problem but...kiss is good. Mira switches between boxee, eyetv, hulu and plex.

Then start QuickTime Player instead of iTunes (but don't open any movie); this will have the same effect.

Credits for the tip belong to this post on Super User: http://superuser.com/questions/31925/stop-play-pause-button-opening-itunes-in-sn ow-leopard/35296#35296

I've been annoyed by the fact that every time I insert an audio CD into my IMAC, Itunes loads automatically. After searching some 2001 forums on machints.com, I realized that all I had to do to stop this was to go into System Preferences under CDs & DVDs, and set the bottom 3 options ( insert music CD, picture CD, video DVD ) to ignore. Now, I'm not forced to exit Itunes every time I insert a disk. I can choose to open Itunes or choose to open another program or run a script, or just ignore the event.

Another thing I learned is that the great free utility, TinkerTool, allows one to remove, hide, deactivate, or rearrange login items by drag and drop. Rearranging the order of login items can't be done from System Preferences. Only Apple OS icons on the menubar can be moved by drag and drop, or removed all together by dragging them onto the desktop.

Under TinkerTool, one extra login item is shown, apparently hidden from sight in System Preferences, called ItunesHelper.app. This can be deactivated also, and it may solve the problem some of you guys are having with Itunes popping up with other programs. For me, it doesn't matter.

Unfortunately deactivating ituneshelper.app in the login items didn't make any difference for me 😟

hey guys, same problem here with vlc media player with apple remote as well as with media keys. found way more forum discussions on the web, so there is quite an outcry to apple. anybody think of calling apple support and giving them some h*ll on the phone? i mean all the fixes or workarounds people are thinking of are nice, but not really a final customer friendly solution. somehow it makes the remote useless to me as other people already said as well.

10.6.1 did not fix the Apple Remote bugs.

This Apple Remote issue is also being discussed on several forums for 3rd Party developers that rely on the Apple Remote for navigation and control such as: Plex, VLC player, EyeTV, and Hulu Desktop.

This issue is also currently noted on the Hulu Desktop download page:
http://www.hulu.com/labs/hulu-desktop

"10.6.1 did not fix the Apple Remote bugs."

*This is not a bug*. This is intentional. They may "fix it" but only after enough people speak out, or tech news outlet gets a hold of it.

Didn't Microsoft get in trouble for putting an alias to their internet browser on the desktop? This "feature" Apple makes us use launches their software and removes your ability to control this from happening by hard coding it into their keyboard and remote controls.

It is maniacal, fascist, and a blatant attempt to control your user experience. Nothing less. But remember, it is no mistake.

I disagree, I believe it is a bug, since disabling the remote in iTunes....er.. doesn't disable the remote!

I use Logic Pro 8 and am fed up with having iTunes start when I press play on my remote. This feature (before SL) was a godsend to me.

Come on Apple, give us an option to select which app uses the remote!!

So I did call apples tech support this morning and surprisingly the telephone operator did not hear anything about this issue before nor was there any information in apples database yet... But he did register the issue with an official tech support number and there might come an answer some time.

Good for you! We should all raise this as an issue. I've noticed recently the 'Apple denial syndrome'.

Some months ago I raised an issue thats been talked about on forums worldwide for months and yet Apple claimed to have never heard of it; I now believe this is a standard response from them.

I have one quick and dirty workaround for this. go into HD/System/Library/LoginPlugins and rename BezelServices.loginplugin to OLDBezelServices.loginplugin and reboot. This seems to cure the problem for me, it enables me to use Logic8 as I used to. But one side effect is that it disables the Function Key brightness and volume controls. I can live with that until Apple fix it.

The only real solution to this problem seems to be to delete iTunes (or at least put it in the Trash can). Sad. I liked iTunes...

Silent tracks, putting apps in trash cans and doing stuff in Terminal is NOT an acceptable workaround - any workaround, by default, is not acceptable


This HAS to be sorted out. My (not at all ellaborte) AV set up has a Mini at the heart of it. Until Apple sort out this silly remote issue I would be better off with a Win7 machine: something that both scares and upsets me

Would renaming itunes work? that way you don't have to delete it and a simple shortcut on the desktop will ensure you can run it when you want? Again its a workaround but Apple seem to be very silent on this matter. Who else has reported it to Apple?

Seriously, to all those who are posting now with questions about workarounds: read the previous posts - workarounds galore!

My two favourites are (simple, manually activated script):
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10158303#10158303

and (involves downloading something from someone else - I have trust issues):
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10170311#10170311

or if you don't like scripts you can choose this silly one:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10175600#10175600

Or open Quicktime (no file), or open iTunes and leave it on the iTunes Store page...

Don't let that stop you from posting of course - we need the numbers to get some action on this.

I actually reported that 10 days ago or so.

I have reverted my Mac Mini back to Leopard 10.5.8 and will not be using Snow Leopard until these Apple Remote Control BUGS are fixed. By the way, my Mac Mini is working great again with 10.5.8.