Do away with HIP for good! with MCE remotes

[phelme]

Matrix35 thanks for doing this! I was about to embark on the Hip-train, but this may have saved me from that. But, i need clarification about a few things and I'm having a problem with blasting. First, does Blaster rewrite the .dat file every time it's run? it doesn't appear to load in the data either if it exists. does the "Test" button even work?

Now the problem. MCEBlaster seems to be very erratic (trying to blast a DirecTV H20). Sometimes codes get through and sometimes not. The blaster does seem to send the correct count of codes, but the H20 isn't always happy with them. I'm going to experiment with different spacing timings to see if it helps. I have to believe this isn't normal. any ideas what I can try?

Oh one more thing.... I bought both MCE kits of a Hauppauge PVR-USB2 and a PVR-150 and they came with *different* MCE IR receivers. The USB2 with the gray SMK one which I've seen before and the 150 MCE Kit came with a little black rectangle box. Only says "Made in China." it has two blasting ports as well, but it just doesn't work as an emitter at all. IR receiving works fine though with the latest MCE Rollups. Could it be they threw the wrong receiver in the box?

[phelme]

Figured out my blaster issue (at least with 2 of the IR transcievers). My DirecTV H20 box doesn't like the emitter to be placed over the diode. too strong a blast I guess. I had to place it down and to the left of the diode below the power button (found this out at the MCE forum at MS). now it works great!

but my third transceiver, the little black box I got with my PVR-150, simply won't do anything but be a receiver, it won't blast nor can it accept programing at all. not a big deal, I'll just use it with a box that only needs remote capability.

[camus]

Slightly of topic but I was reading over at the Greenbutton I think and they were discussing controlling the H20 through the USB port with the DirecTV serial control. Might be worth looking at, dunno, sounds like you got your problem fixed.

[bcjenkins]

http://www.patersontech.com for serial control

[Uisge]

Any chance we could get the sources for Blaster.exe and Sagetray.exe posted?

I'd like to take a stab at tweaking them for GBPVR.

Regards,

-EA

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by Uisge

Any chance we could get the sources for Blaster.exe and Sagetray.exe posted?

I'd like to take a stab at tweaking them for GBPVR.

Regards,

-EA

This is based on a plugin from Mediaportal. Check out this post:
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...67&postcount=4

You should be able to get it from their sourceforge site.

Gerry

[cejota3]

Hello All: Matrix35, THANK YOU for putting in all the work on this. It has proven to be exactly to be what I need for the new, second SageTV system I'm building. My OS is Windows MCE 2005 (with all service packs and roll-up updates), don't ask me why I didn't play it safe and just go with XP PRO.

I've installed the latest and greatest version of SageTV, 6.0.19.

I've got the MCE remote and keyboard. I'm trying to use the blaster that comes with the MCE remote following the directions in this thread, but I've got the following two, and I'm pretty sure unrelated, problems:

1. Only some of the buttons on the remote are doing what they are supposed to in Sage. My understanding is that the remote should just work because full support for it is built into Sage. The 4 arrow keys and "OK" buttons work, but that's about it. Volume, Stop, Rewind, Guide, etc. just are not doing anything.

2. I'm trying to use one of the blasters to control a DISH 301 receiver. I ran the "blaster" program to teacher it the 0-9 and "select" keys. That seemed to go alright, but MCEBlaster.exe doesn't seem to be able to change the channels on my receiver. The codes seem to be going to the blaster unit as I can clearly see the red LED flash, but nothing is happening on the receiver. Does someone maybe have a working blaster.DAT for a DISH 301 receiver, or tell me the steps they went through to train the MCEBlaster program?

Thanks!

[GbrNole]

the remote will just work as you put it but you have to make sure that you selected the mce remote for use in the sagetv setup menu. if it's not properly selected all you will get is limited functionality.

also make sure hip or girder aren't present and interupting things.

[GbrNole]

also i see that you're using xp pro so make sure you're using the base drivers too and not the green button modded ones.

[matrix35]

Sorry folks I've been away for a while and I'll try to answer the questions that weren't answered.
But before I continue, it just came to my attention by bmellesmoen that I shouldn't be releasing this program since he contacted me while I'm away and didn't give him the source code. so evidently I don't adhere to GPL (although I did get written consent from their author).

I don't need the headache. if someone still needs them let me know.

[matrix35]

Originally Posted by cjwhelan

1. Only some of the buttons on the remote are doing what they are supposed to in Sage. My understanding is that the remote should just work because full support for it is built into Sage. The 4 arrow keys and "OK" buttons work, but that's about it. Volume, Stop, Rewind, Guide, etc. just are not doing anything.

GbrNole has the right path... make sure you have the default xp drivers.

Originally Posted by cjwhelan

2. I'm trying to use one of the blasters to control a DISH 301 receiver. I ran the "blaster" program to teacher it the 0-9 and "select" keys. That seemed to go alright, but MCEBlaster.exe doesn't seem to be able to change the channels on my receiver. The codes seem to be going to the blaster unit as I can clearly see the red LED flash, but nothing is happening on the receiver. Does someone maybe have a working blaster.DAT for a DISH 301 receiver, or tell me the steps they went through to train the MCEBlaster program?

Thanks!

have you tested the programmed button after the capture? Just select the number and click "Test". the MCE receiver is very sensitive but don't always get all the keys properly (i.e. the red LED on the receiver might blink but doesn't mean it got everything). Try aiming at the receiver at around 5 cm range and fully press the keys to make sure all of the signal gets captured.

hope this helps.

[cejota3]

Originally Posted by matrix35

GbrNole has the right path... make sure you have the default xp drivers.

Hey guys, I really appreciate the input. Unfortunately, still no luck.

As to the remote, I'm not quite sure what you mean by the "default XP drivers". My OS is Windows Media Center Edition 2005. (The machine described in my signature is my "old" Media Center PC, not this new one that I'm building up.) I started with the default drivers for that. However, I have since tried what you get with "Update Rollup 2 for eHome Infrared Receiver for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (KB912024)" at this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Still no luck. Again, this is very frustrating as I it seems as if the MCE remote "just works" within Sage natively for a lot of people. Could it be that I just need to go to true Windows XP, and not MCE? As far as I can tell, MCE really isn't getting me anything that I don't get with Sage and other programs. Curiously enough, in going through other posts, it seems as if other people have had this issue of not all of the MCE remote's buttons working, but no one seems to have found a common fix.

As to the blaster, well, I know they are working as I can train it to control other devices just fine. I just cannot get it to train on the DISH receiver. This one is a big ARGH! I've spent many hours on this, and many iterations of holding the remote just right from the receiver to train, and adjusting the blaster to control the reciever. Nothing at all. Like I said, if anyone has successfully used the MCEBlaster.exe as part of this thread with a DISH receiver, I'd love to get your .DAT files.

Earlier, I mistakenly said I'm using a DISH 301 reciever. It is actually a 311, which is basically the same thing with the smart card built in.

For that matter, does anyone know of any good solutions of controlling a DISH receiver with Sage that does not involve IR blasters? In the past I've used the blaster that comes with the regular Hauppauge PVR-150 card. It does a very good job, but is far from 100% reliable.

Thanks.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by cjwhelan

Hello All: Matrix35, THANK YOU for putting in all the work on this. It has proven to be exactly to be what I need for the new, second SageTV system I'm building. My OS is Windows MCE 2005 (with all service packs and roll-up updates), don't ask me why I didn't play it safe and just go with XP PRO.

I've installed the latest and greatest version of SageTV, 6.0.19.

I've got the MCE remote and keyboard. I'm trying to use the blaster that comes with the MCE remote following the directions in this thread, but I've got the following two, and I'm pretty sure unrelated, problems:

1. Only some of the buttons on the remote are doing what they are supposed to in Sage. My understanding is that the remote should just work because full support for it is built into Sage. The 4 arrow keys and "OK" buttons work, but that's about it. Volume, Stop, Rewind, Guide, etc. just are not doing anything.

2. I'm trying to use one of the blasters to control a DISH 301 receiver. I ran the "blaster" program to teacher it the 0-9 and "select" keys. That seemed to go alright, but MCEBlaster.exe doesn't seem to be able to change the channels on my receiver. The codes seem to be going to the blaster unit as I can clearly see the red LED flash, but nothing is happening on the receiver. Does someone maybe have a working blaster.DAT for a DISH 301 receiver, or tell me the steps they went through to train the MCEBlaster program?

Thanks!

Did you configure Sage and choose the MCE Remote in the Detail setup of Sage? The MCE remote duplicates keys from the keyboard. That's why it seems to "partially" work. It would do the same thing if you pressed the keyboard key.

You are learning your Dish 301 remote to the MCE receiver? Right?


Gerry

[cejota3]

Gerry,

Originally Posted by gplasky

Did you configure Sage and choose the MCE Remote in the Detail setup of Sage? The MCE remote duplicates keys from the keyboard. That's why it seems to "partially" work. It would do the same thing if you pressed the keyboard key.

Yup.

I totally understand how remotes work with Sage, in that they basically mimic keyboard commands, etc. Just out of curiosity, is this remote fully working for you? If so, is your operating system MCE or XP? I'm getting the sinking feeling (like I said in my last post) that I should just reinstall my OS from scratch as XP and ditch MCE.

Thanks for the ideas.

Originally Posted by gplasky

You are learning your Dish 301 remote to the MCE receiver?

Oh yes.

Like I said, I can train and use the MCE blaster with other devices, just not my DISH receiver.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by cjwhelan

Gerry,




Yup.

I totally understand how remotes work with Sage, in that they basically mimic keyboard commands, etc. Just out of curiosity, is this remote fully working for you? If so, is your operating system MCE or XP? I'm getting the sinking feeling (like I said in my last post) that I should just reinstall my OS from scratch as XP and ditch MCE.

Thanks for the ideas.



Oh yes.

Like I said, I can train and use the MCE blaster with other devices, just not my DISH receiver.

I have a MCE Remote working on Windows XP w/SP 2 and on MCE 2005 with rollup 2. My point being in Sage if you picked no remote at all some of the buttons on the MCE remote will work. In a lot of Windows applications the MCE remote will work with them. That's why I asked if you specifically went in and chose the MCE remote. Not trying to reflect on anyone's intelligence. You have stopped all of the MCE services from running too, correct?

Originally Posted by cjwhelan
1. Only some of the buttons on the remote are doing what they are supposed to in Sage. My understanding is that the remote should just work because full support for it is built into Sage. The 4 arrow keys and "OK" buttons work, but that's about it. Volume, Stop, Rewind, Guide, etc. just are not doing anything.

This symptom tells me it's not set in Sage.

Once you get it working in Sage I think you'll get it working with your DISH.

Gerry

[cejota3]

Gerry,

Ah, now I see what you are getting at.

Originally Posted by gplasky

Not trying to reflect on anyone's intelligence.

Didn't think you were reflecting on anyone's intelligence, nor was any slight taken. In fact, I really apprecaite the help! To keep up with these silly smilies, it has just been this is how I've been feeling:

I have definitely chosen the MCE remote in Sage. (As a matter of fact, I did it during initial setup, and then again by choosing "no remote", and going back in and choosing "MCE Remote" again.) I've also doubled checked that all of the MCE services are stopped, but I'll triple check all of this stuff again.

Originally Posted by gplasky

I have a MCE Remote working on Windows XP w/SP 2 and on MCE 2005 with rollup 2.

Well, this obviously says that I should be able to get it to work, and that I've got something not set correctly on my side. I doubt I'll have a chance to play with it again until the weekend, but give it some more time then. Like I said, I might just cut my losses and try re-installing everything from scratch. A big pain, but the hour or two that takes still might be shorter than the time I'm wasting now.

Thanks again! Just out of curiosity, what are you using for your video source. Cable? Satellite? And are you using an IR blaster with it?

[gplasky]

You're welcome.
I have 2 x nVidia DualTV boards (4 tuners) connected to the cable coming out of the wall. I also have the HD Homerun (2 tuner-Digital/HDTV) recording the HDTV QAM channels (mostly the locals and THTHD and DiscoveryHD). I have a USB-UIRT receiver/blaster on the server but since I only had the one cable box and wasn't that happy with the tuning (some misses)I just used the analog cable connection. I was very glad when the HD Homerun came out and will probably pick up another.

Gerry

[PhillJones]

I can't get the native support for MCE remote to work. I swapped back to the original eHome drivers (I was using the byremote custom drivers with HiP)

If I press a key, it responds but if I press the same key again, nothing. The first key will only work again after I've pressed a different key.

EG:

Key -> effect
Down -> selects next menu item
Down -> nothing
Down -> nothing
Up -> selects prev menu item
Up -> nothing
Down -> selects next menu item

[parkimar]

Hi Philljones,

I had this issue as well.
I cleared it by using the mce IR remote replacement drivers in this link.
http://www.promixis.com/download.php?ID=739

Then I setup Girder and used a pre configured GML file for Sage that can also be downloaded.

Im very glad that I did in the end, because my MCE remote mysteriously stopped working after the kids had spent time playing soccer with it, and this allowed me to substitute in an old Hauppauge remote. (Although I did have top relearn the IR codes, which took about 10 mins).

The other suggestion I would make, if you don't want to go the Girder route (and I thought long and hard before doing it, as using the inbuilt stuff is just so easy!), is to try uninstalling the USB hardware in the hardware list, then manually extract the IR drivers off of the MCE / XP Pro disk (If you search this thread Im sure it tells you what files are needed) and see if that helps.

Hope that is some help.
If you do go the Girder route, I can provide a GML file for Sage.

Cheers

Mark

[PhillJones]

Thanks for the offer. That may be a useful thing for other users. I was using HiP but fancied seeing if I could get better functionality out of the native drivers.

I've found the fix. I was using a universal remote. Now MCE remote has a debounce function which means it alternates two IR codes to avoid a reflection causing a double command. This means that most universal remotes won't work. You can however, turn the debounce command off in the registry.

I can't remember the exact registry address but if you search ofr debounce, it's obvious. Just change it from 1 to 0 and universal remotes will work.

The problem I now have is that the skip forward and backwards commands seem to jump forward by 2 and a half minutes or whatever it is, regardless of whether I'm watching a TV show (useful), or listening to music (stupid PITA). It seems that sage has separate commands for skip forward when playing videos, skip track for music and skip chapter for DVD. I read someplace that ch+/- should do track/chapter skip but it doesn't.

Is there a way to reconfigure this behaviour.