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Multi-tap Javascript Library

Pushbutton has developed an elaborate multi-tap text entry Javascript library for the Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV browser.

Multi-tap text entry with a remote control is a critical feature in most Interactive TV applications; so that users can register, enter personal details etc… Passwords and credit card transactional data need additional functionality so multi-tap characters are securely asterisked out after a short time delay.

It is likely that this library will assist any future applications requiring multi-tap text entry, when the IPTV browser does not have this feature built in.

You can view the demo here: Multi-tap demo.
You can download the files here: Multi-tap files.

After launching the demo, give it a go – try pressing your keyboard numbered keys several times in the text field and you should see the textfield cycle through letters.

Usage instructions are outlined below:

Usage

- The HTML requires two script files: tvkeys.js and multitap.js.
tvkeys.js handles basic mapping of TV remote keys.
multitap.js is the main script for handling multitap functionality.

- The HTML input field needs the following onkeydown and onkeypress handlers:

onkeydown="return(!Multitap(event, this));"
onkeypress="return(!Multitap(event, this));"

In order to support password protected text fields, we used two textfields, one as above which takes the focus, the other is hidden by default and placed on top at the same xy coordinates. It unhides and displays asterisks a few seconds after each user input.

I hope this library is of use to your iptv projects, let us know if you have any questions.

L