Firefly Remote

[scbundy]

I'm having trouble with the Firefly remote. I fixed the sagetv profile (which Firefly is still has SageTV version 1.4). Using AppIdentifier I found that the SageTV class ID is sage.specialWindow. And that seems to work fine. Except when I play a divx video. Sage loads the divx codecs to play it, and that changes the class ID to something else and my Firefly remote no longer works. Also when the Sage screensaver loads the class ID gets changed again, and when the sage window is maximized or shrunk, the class ID changes again. And there's likely more cases where it does this too. Which really screws up my remote.

Has anybody gotten Sage 4.1.8 to work with Firefly. And the answer can't be "buy girder". I can't spend more money on this. Thanks.

[scbundy]

*bump* Sage WAF factor is falling dramatically so long as the remote doesn't work right.

[Opus4]

I don't know anything about the Firefly remote, but the targets for sending commands to SageTV via Windows messgaes are shown on p. 190 in the v4.1 manual. Is that what you are trying to find?

- Andy

[scbundy]

No I can get it to send commands. You see the way Firefly works is that it has a directory full of xml files. These files are configuration for various programs like MCE, Sage, WinDVD, etc. The way Firefly knows which program is running, and which profile to load, is by an identifier tag at the top of each xml file. Included with Firefly is a program called AppIdentifier, what you need to do is run this program. Then run the program you want to make a profile for (i.e. Sage). AppIdentifier will display the ID of the program you ran so you can type it into the XML file and Firefly will link that application to the profile.

The problem with Sage is that it keeps switching that ID depending on what it's doing. When I play a video that's encoded in Divx the divx codecs run in the background and the ID is changed to the divx program. When the Sage screensaver runs the ID is changed to a Java file. Those are the two I know about. There could be dozens of little programs and Java apps that kick in with different ID's.

Snapstream (makers of Firefly) are less than no help. If you ask they'll just respond with, "We don't update the profiles." Those jerks.

[scbundy]

Does the MCE remote work "out of the box"?

[Opus4]

The MS link I used to have for the MCE remote layout doesn't work anymore... anyway: the buttons that send keystrokes or APP_COMMAND messages work, but those using WM_UNPUT messages don't. To use all of the keys, you would have to use something like Girder or HIP.

- Andy

[scbundy]

I really only use Sage to playback recorded TV shows and playing back divx or wmv videos. I don't use it for viewing pictures or playing music. So needing the special shortcuts buttons to work isn't something I require. However, more than likely an MCE remote isn't an option for me (unless I can find one for free). I can spend exactly $0 in getting this to work. Not a penny more.

[wazkaren]

Originally Posted by scbundy

The problem with Sage is that it keeps switching that ID depending on what it's doing.

I use the Firefly remote and have never had this problem (I don't use DivX). But have you tried taking the SageTV xml file and making a copy for each ID that you run across? Not a great solution but maybe that would work.

Just a thought,
Greg

[wazkaren]

Another thought, I don't remember exactly how it works but there is a global.xml and default.xml. Maybe you could put the sage commands into those files and have them be the default for the system no matter what application is running?

Greg

[scbundy]

I'll try that. Question for you. You don't watch any movies compressed in divx?

[wazkaren]

Nope, haven't watched anything in DivX on my Sage system. Everything I watch is either recorded in Sage or a DVD.

Greg

[scbundy]

Does the Sage screensaver ever kick in and change the profile of your remote? I disabled the screensaver to fix this on mine. But Divx remains an issue. I did try adding a profile for it but it didn't work, I might have made an error in the XML though, so I'll keep trying.

I'm looking to replace the remote in the future. The firefly is kind of annoying when it sometimes doesn't pick up button presses. Is the 45 button Hauppauge the remote of choice here? I know it has native Sage support.

[PGPfan]

Originally Posted by Opus4

The MS link I used to have for the MCE remote layout doesn't work anymore... anyway: the buttons that send keystrokes or APP_COMMAND messages work, but those using WM_UNPUT messages don't. To use all of the keys, you would have to use something like Girder or HIP.

- Andy

Hi Andy,

HERE is the link to the 'new' location at MS for the remote control. You might want to update the documentation you have to reflect it.

-PGPfan

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by scbundy

I'm looking to replace the remote in the future. The firefly is kind of annoying when it sometimes doesn't pick up button presses. Is the 45 button Hauppauge the remote of choice here? I know it has native Sage support.

There have been several discussions on what the 'best' remote is, but there is no single right answer -- it comes down to whatever you are most comfortable with. You could check out some of the links in the Information Resources for Remotes, Receivers, and IR Blasters index or search for other forum comments about the best remote.

Originally Posted by PGPfan

HERE is the link to the 'new' location at MS for the remote control. You might want to update the documentation you have to reflect it.

Thanks for the link -- I tried searching the MS site earlier & even the title of the page doesn't seem to find itself when you search for it. Did you just know where to go, or did you have some magic search phrase that I happened to miss?

- Andy

[wazkaren]

Originally Posted by scbundy

Does the Sage screensaver ever kick in and change the profile of your remote? I disabled the screensaver to fix this on mine. But Divx remains an issue. I did try adding a profile for it but it didn't work, I might have made an error in the XML though, so I'll keep trying.

I'm looking to replace the remote in the future. The firefly is kind of annoying when it sometimes doesn't pick up button presses. Is the 45 button Hauppauge the remote of choice here? I know it has native Sage support.

I disabled the screensaver so I haven't run into that problem either. Just for laughs I might give the DivX a try this weekend just to what happens.

Don't know if this helps but here's what the beginning of my SageTV.xml file looks like. I setup my firefly quite awhile ago so I don't remember how I came up with this but as you see my xml file handles multiple ClassNames. So maybe I did run into the changing window name and just don't remember I must be getting old!

<Profile Type="SnapStream.Firefly.Core.Profile" Name="SageTV" ShowOSD="False">
<Identifier ClassName="sage.s" WindowText="SageTV" FileName="" />
<Identifier ClassName="sage.SpecialWindow" WindowText="SageTV" FileName="C:\Program Files\Frey Technologies\SageTV\SageTVClient.exe" />
<Identifier ClassName="sage.d" WindowText="SageTV" FileName="" />
<Identifier ClassName="sage.ae" WindowText="SageTV" FileName="" />


Greg

[scbundy]

Ya, I modified that so it would have the correct ClassName for divx but it didn't work. I think because I left the WindowText to SageTV. I think it uses all the tags as part of the identifier, so I'll try fixing the WindowText tonight and see if it works.

[wazkaren]

Originally Posted by Opus4

There have been several discussions on what the 'best' remote is, but there is no single right answer -- it comes down to whatever you are most comfortable with.
- Andy

The biggest thing I wish I had thought of before buying the Firefly is I should have gotten an IR remote. Since I have S/PDIF out to my sound system I can't control the sound via the computer. Since the Firefly is RF I can't use it to control the sound system (or power to TV and sound system). So now I need two remotes, one to control the volume and power, and another to do everything else. With an IR remote I would only need the one.

Greg

[scbundy]

I agree. I'd get an IR remote too. Also, the Firefly can be flakey b/c it's RF based and so interference from the rest of my setup blocks the signal. I need to make it a BIG antenna!

[wazkaren]

Originally Posted by scbundy

I agree. I'd get an IR remote too. Also, the Firefly can be flakey b/c it's RF based and so interference from the rest of my setup blocks the signal. I need to make it a BIG antenna!

Yeah, I've found that when my RF mouse is on the range of the Firefly is reduced.

I just tried playing a divx in Sage and I don't have any problem, Firefly worked fine. It was an .avi file compressed with DivX (I know it is divx because I got the big Divx logo in the bottom right).

Greg

[scbundy]

Well, and this is the fun part, sometimes it would be okay. Sometimes the codec would launch (the little icon in your toolbar would appear) but then Sage would take over focus quickly and there would be no problem. But about 25% of the time, it would be the divx plugin. Anyway, I'm about to tinker with the profile again, wish me luck.

Hmm, the mouse you say. That makes sense b/c since I rebuilt my HTPC the mosue has been by the couch where as normally it's idle and not doing anything. That could be why my remote has been so tempermental.