Remote Control To Use (Harmony setup help?)

[TheraEdge]

Yes, the UIRT only seems to recieve when I am pressing a button, but it will have sent all of those commands to Sage, so somewhere in there sage would have to decide how it handles that. Weather it just loses commands that go faster than it was able to read (or maybe sage is that fast and can keep up) or if it just ignors them. We will see though. Thanks for all the help, and I do understand. Man, I have to be careful, I had posted for like a couple minutes and learned somethign knew so I changed my silly response and you had already posted...

[TheraEdge]

So, I was looking through the irremote.ini file again, and I see you added in support for an MCE remote, which I believe you say uses an RC5 code as well, but I never see the code defined in there. Do you know what code it uses?

P.S. I know I don't need to mess with the irremote.ini file in my case, but I am using it for reference. Thanks again.

[Opus4]

I did not add anything regarding an MCE remote -- that came from Hauppauge, as the 150's IR receiver/blaster hardware is described as being able to receive RC5 and RC6 (previous Hauppauge IR hardware could receive RC5 only). The ini file states that the MCE remote is RC6.

- Andy

[TheraEdge]

Ahh cool, hmm, funny they didn't seem to completly set it up as that profile's device code is never defined. Like an unfinished thought, hehe.

Sorry about the misunderstanding, hard to know what you noted in the file and what they noted in the file.

[Opus4]

If you mean its system code, it should be commented out; see this line:

;0x800f=MSMCE

- Andy

[TheraEdge]

I wondered about that line, but was curious why they would use a different code denotation for it that the simple 0, 30, & 31 of the others...not sure how to read that, but no matter.

So, before, when you said you had trouble with the toggle bit of the RC5 code on your universal remote, what was the problem? Does the INI file not recognize the remote unless it is capable of using the toggle bit in the code?

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by TheraEdge

I wondered about that line, but was curious why they would use a different code denotation for it that the simple 0, 30, & 31 of the others...not sure how to read that, but no matter.

You'll notice that it says the MCE remote is RC6, not RC5.

So, before, when you said you had trouble with the toggle bit of the RC5 code on your universal remote, what was the problem? Does the INI file not recognize the remote unless it is capable of using the toggle bit in the code?

The Hauppauge receiver works just fine in terms of receiving non-toggling RC5 codes... the software just doesn't react 100% properly when it receives the same code for a 2nd button press rather than the toggled code -- it thinks you are still holding down the same button, so if you press the button twice in a row, you could end up with extra commands since it thinks you are holding down the button.

As for why my MX-700 has problems, I posted above: "My MX-700 is incapable of learning new RC5 codes correctly since it cannot learn both states of the toggle bit code; instead, I had to do some trial & error to find preprogrammed devices in the MX-700's database that use RC5 style codes and then I used those devices in my remote." Thus: it can't be taught new RC5 tricks & do them correctly; it can only perform the ones the factory taught it at birth (or via downloadable firmware upgrades/brain transplants).

- Andy

[TheraEdge]

Oh yeah, RC6, silly me.

OK, new question. Do the 3 remotes from Hauppauge use straight RC5 or do they use extended RC5? I remember you saying that RC5 actually has available 128 commands instead of the 64 that was previously stated, but in reading that RC5 article link you posted, the 128 commands are only available if Extended RC5 format is used. From everything I have taken in thus far, this suggests that the Hauppauge remotes do not use the Extended RC5 format & also that the two formats would not play well together. (IE: if I program my remote to use Extended RC5 even basing the commands on the irremote.ini file & what it says the commands are, the use of one of the Hauppauge remotes would confuse the system and not get the right commands. Or in other words: The RC5 & RC5X protocols don't translate to each other)

Am I correct in my assumption that the Hauppauge remotes do not use the Extended commands?

[TheraEdge]

OOps! OK, see I do it this way just incase you post reply before I edit post...anyway, I read the writup a little closer again, and see that the Extended actually just flips the second start up bit to denote the extended 64 codes. Which, if I think about it, that is what extended suggest though, that they found a way to add the other codes on later by playing within the constraints. So, back to my concern: Even if the the Hauppauge remotes are only capable of the 64 commands allowed in RC5 they will work the same as a remote that can do all 128 commands allowed by the RC5X set as the first part (64 commands) of the extended set and normal set are exactly the same. Or am I not understanding the subject matter?

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by TheraEdge

Even if the the Hauppauge remotes are only capable of the 64 commands allowed in RC5 they will work the same as a remote that can do all 128 commands allowed by the RC5X set as the first part (64 commands) of the extended set and normal set are exactly the same. Or am I not understanding the subject matter?

You got it -- the first 64 codes are the same; the only thing that is 'extended' is the next 64 that have that one bit flipped. The Hauppauge remotes don't send any extended codes, but the receiver is capable of decoding them & the software now recognizes the extended codes.

- Andy

[TheraEdge]

OK, cool, thanks for all the help, I'll report back when we see what happens with getting my remote configured properly.

Man, what are you doing up so late? I didn't expect a response until tomorrow. It has to be what 1am there?

[Opus4]

No -- it is more like 4AM. I was finishing some work before leaving for a few days. But, I better stop now, or else I will be getting QWERTY-faced pretty soon. (That's falling asleep on your keyboard and getting an interesting imprint for anyone who doesn't know...) Rats. There is not a good smilie to post for that one.

Oh wait! This one might work: <-- half asleep already.

- Andy

[TheraEdge]

Hehe, thought I would just leave an update since I was sad from not posting. Apparently the Harmony folks went on New Years vacation. Anyway, here I am staying up to late again the night before the one I will have to sleep on to get some rest for work the next day. The end of Vacations always suck. Anyway, basically the email I filled out for the Harmony tech to fill in the RC5 codes like I wanted was kind of ignored. Basically all that got programmed in, to a test set was the standard buttons of the 45 button remote, and here is the clincher. The only button they missed, was OK...hahaha, I can't believe it...I know the right button will select stuff in Sage, but it would have been good to have that button. The toggle bits seem to work just as if from a hauppauge remote, and programing both codes into Sage really isn't that difficult, it really only takes a slight amount of time longer. So, it looks as though, if someone used one of these profiles to contoll and add more buttons to the profile like I am, and still have a hauppauge remote, the hauppauge remote would also run many of the sage features. Kind of like still having your TV remote laying around if you ever want to use it as well as your universal. Not that you would need to. Anyway, the other issue was that they added none of the additional commands I requested. I was just going to have them call them like "Code-29" for the the RC5 code 29 for that device, and so on. Anyway, got a little progress before last Thursday, but still needs some work.

[TheraEdge]

Haha, just when you thought this thread was ready to die, I return! Hahah!

OK, so it seems to be working well, I have 64 of the codes programmed into the remote and have buttons set up for most of the nice menu functions so I can jump right to those shows. I am having slight trouble getting through my desires to the Harmony staff however as they seem to think like computers that are trying to second guess your desires. I mean I give them straight forward instructions and what happens? As they had started the remote profile for the 45 button remote for me without any of the expanded codes that are unused by the remote I decided to start setting up the remote the way I was going to use it with sage. Well, somehow some of the labels I put into the LCD part of the remote for some of the functions ended up into the next version of the profile they edited. Not sure which codes they used for these commands as I left no instructions for them but they may just duplicate the code I had it assigned to with the new name....anyway, all seems to work nice. Just thought I would give an update. It still needs tweaked, but even now I pretty much have what I need.

[Crashless]

glad to see that you've gotten it all set. I've only come in at the end here, but are you programming a hauppauge remote, or a harmony?

either way, I'm glad to hear that you've gotten things working.

[Opus4]

TheraEdge - It sounds like you are getting closer to your goal of having it be able to work with the Hauppauge receiver for others to use & have it extend the capabilities of the original Hauppauge remotes too.

- Andy

[justme]

EDIt>this message was started before Opus4's post. It looks like he answeered part of my question about you're goals. I just type too slow. <EDITJust wanted to say congrats and thanks. If I follow you correctly you've setup a Harmony profile that can be used with the Hauppauge IR reciever? I'm after a good Harmony profile that has all the buttons of the newest Hauppauge remote(versions 1 and 2 have too few buttons, IMHO). Normally I'd use my Harmony with my USB-UIRT, but I just got a SageTvClient license and would love to use the Hauppauge builtin IR reciever for controlling either my server or client(not sure which will get the 1 USB0UIRT, but most likely the SageTv server).

Are my assumptions about what you've done correct? If so what is the name as listed in the Harmony setup? There are soo many different Hauppauge remote setups listed and most are just remapped(keys exchanged) versions of the version 2(grey) Hauppauge PVR250 remote. The rest are for other Hauppauge devices, incomplete mappings, or the the old black remote which is even more limited for button choices.

In short I'm after the Hamony profile name for the newest(version 3) Hauppauge remote. I'm pretty sure it comes with the PVR150 but I think it can also work with my PVR250/350 if I upgrade the Hauppauge IR software.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by justme

In short I'm after the Hamony profile name for the newest(version 3) Hauppauge remote. I'm pretty sure it comes with the PVR150 but I think it can also work with my PVR250/350 if I upgrade the Hauppauge IR software.

Hi justme -- I simply wanted to verify for you that the new remote's codes work with the older receiver. In fact, it can work with the older software if you add the support yourself to irremote.ini or download the ini files I posted. But, you may still need the newer IR software if you want to use the new functions such the built-in Windows SendMsg function.

And, even better: if he has successfully gotten them to add additional codes, you should be able to use more than the 45 buttons that the new H remote has.

- Andy

[justme]

Hi justme -- I simply wanted to verify for you that the new remote's codes work with the older receiver. In fact, it can work with the older software if you add the support yourself to irremote.ini or download the ini files I posted.

Thanks. That's just the news I was hoping for. Hopefully, TheraEdge will post the name for me to check up on tommorrow morning(about to logoff). If not, no biggy as it shouldn't be too hard to find in the Harmony site(just a little trial and error). I'm very gratefull to TheraEdge for getting the database expanded to include more codes/keys. Once again thanks to you guys for all your groundwork.

Opus4, you should just buy a Harmony. This seems to be the only SageTV remote related question area, you can't answer in one post. And before you post back...No, I'm not willing to pay for it, or give you one of mine. No offense but the wife would kill me if I gave away something like that.

/justme

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by justme

Opus4, you should just buy a Harmony. This seems to be the only SageTV remote related question area, you can't answer in one post.

Heh, I'm sure there are a couple others, but if he gets it working the way he wants & posts the info, I'll have a source I can point to w/o having to buy the remote.

-Andy