IR Server Suite - Feature Requests and Roadmap

[and-81]

Hey all,

I want to kick off a feature request thread...

But at the same time, this thread will give users a kind of development roadmap. With features that are scheduled for future versions ...

For feature requests I'm looking for suggestions on things like:

• Devices to support.
• Features to include in the existing applications/plugins.
• New application/plugin ideas.
• Features other programs have that IR Server Suite doesn't.

Your suggestion can be as small or as big as you like, I'll accept them all.

Every few posts I'll fire back a response. I can't promise anything and everything will get in, but if it's possible I'll give it a shot!

To help me provide features quicker take a look at how you can help.


Requests so far:

• Full volume control capability in Translator.
• Include all of MediaPortal's remote maps as defaults in the MP Control Plugin. (Not necessary with 1.4.3 coming)
• Support Anysee E30+ remote.
• Minimize / Maximize / Restore window macro command.
• Support multiple keyboard layouts for MCE remote keyboard and in Translator on-screen keyboard.
• Speech recognition support.
• Tira transceiver support.
• Tekram IRMate 210 support (sorry, this doesn't look like it will happen).
• Support for scripting languages as macros (Lua, CS-Script, AutoIt, AutoHotKey), vote for one you'd like...
• Parallel port control commands.
• Greater control over the serial port.
• Support 2 or more Microsoft MCE Transceivers plugged in at the same time. With receiving and blasting supported on all. (Should be in 1.4.3)
• Time-based scheduling in Translator and MP Control Plugin. (Should be in 1.4.3)
• Enter/Exit MediaPortal screen events in MP Control Plugin Event Mapper. (Should be in 1.4.3)
• Customizable font size on the "Translator OSD". More customization in general.
• FireDTV remote support.
• Use IR Server Suite with Windows Media Center (Experimenting with this now).
• Ability to modify the repeat setting for blasting Pronto IR files.
• FFDShow control commands.
• More command line options in everything (Translator, IRBlast, etc).

Features completed for version 1.4.2:

• Choose MediaPortal and TV Server paths when installing MP/TV Server plugins.
• Add a command to send MediaPortal messages in relevant plugins.
• Add a command to send MediaPortal Actions in relevant plugins.
• Allow setting a specific multi-mapping in MPControl plugin.
• New command types: Send MP Action and Send MP Message.
• Translator can create shortcuts on the desktop for it's macros.
• IR File Tool - For manipulating and correcting .IR Command files.
• Can use windows keyboard repeat rate settings for remote controls/remote keyboard repeat rates.
• Hauppauge remote receiver support.
• Customizable HID device input.
• Keyboard Input addon.
• Direct Input (Game controller) support.
• Virtual Remote versions for PocketPC 2003, WinCE 5.0, and Smartphone 2003 (See attached screenshots).
• Configurable Process Priority for the Input Service and Translator application.
• Imon remote should now be supported through the use of the Girder plugin. I will try to support it more directly in the future.
• Ability to hide the Translator tray icon.
• Support the IR Protocol that is particular to Pace Foxtel STBs.
• Change the version number scheme to include a build version number to differentiate between test releases. For example: Version 1.4.3.1024 (removed the second digit and shifted the bottom two up).
• Imon receiver support.

Features completed for version 1.4.3: (will be a bug-fix and minor update release for late June)

• New automatic configuration system.
• New button mapping process that will tie-in with the automatic configuration to provide fully-automatic configuration at install time. Making the IR Server Suite fully functional for whole PC and application specific control from the moment it's installed.

Features completed for version 1.5.0: (big changes, should be finished by August)

• Add variables to macros, including conditional execution of macro commands (total rework of the command/macro format).
• New command type: Send WakeOnLan. (will move this up to 1.4.3 if I get time)
• New command type: Speak text.

Ongoing changes:

• Better documentation.
• Simplifying configuration.
• Automatic self-configuration.
• Reduce the memory footprint.
• Increase performance on low-end systems.
• Improve the installer.

Cheers,

[RICHARDG]

I would just like to get it to work. I know its me, but I would love documentation on exactly how to install and configure. I know, computer people aren't supposed to read the manual. but its seem I need to.

[The_Stig]

Hey Aaron, as already stated in IRC I would love to see the mappings of MP being natively integrated in your Suite. Since I lately have much trouble with MP's remote control, I would love to switch to your suite, but the mapping within MP is simply great for my remote, so this would be very nice :-)

BTW: Someone already mapped a X10 properly and wants to share it?

[sbp]

Regarding support for our Hauppauge PVR150 TV-card and blasting. It seems like this is supported in Linux, so I have looked for some information, that might help you, if you find it worth-while to try to do that for MP as well.

Here is a guy who made it possible for LIRC to receive and blast using PVR150 and LIRC using its own receiver and blaster connected to the TV-card.
http://www.blushingpenguin.com/mark/blog/?p=24

Here is something about Linux and PVR150, should be build by using i2C
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallLirc/Feisty


Here is someone who have made it possible to send pronto - codes through LIRC
http://www.nabble.com/Send-IR-comman...html#a14683947


I don't know if you can use the information to anything..
Regards

Added:
A little background about the PVR150 stopped responding and how to fix it (Linux)
http://www.blushingpenguin.com/mark/blog/?p=23

[aneip]

I would like to see Secondary Key feature.. Eg like this..

1. If I press power key follow by key 1 - execute xxx
2. If I press power key follow by key 2 - execute yyy

Something like combination of key for 1 action.

[Neptuni]

I would like to have wakeOnLan as an command to use for events and macros, ie have the possibility to wake up my TV-server from a client.

[Ture]

I need plugin for anysee E30+ remote ...

[and-81]

OK, so it's about time I reply to some of the posts that have been piling up ...

Take a look at the first post. I've edited it to show the status of the various requests. As you can see, some are going to be in for 1.0.4.2, some for 1.0.5.0 and some are yet to be completed.


RICHARDG:
I'm working on improving the documentation ... Hopefully the next version will be easier to install and configure for you... Maybe I can talk you through it in another thread or email?

The_Stig:
I'll make sure those mappings are in for the next version.

sbp:
The LIRC guys have done a fantastic job with all that code, but it would be a hell of a job porting it over. The current status of PVR-150 support is:

I'm working on supporting it as a receiver.
You can use it as a blaster for changing channels through the use of a third party app (or I can give you one I've thrown together).
There is no generic ir code blasting supporting and I doubt I'll get the time to port all the lirc code over to solve this in the near future, sorry
The IR service uses plugins to provide receive/blast support for individual devices, another developer could quite easily add support for a device not currently supported... So if someone else wants to pick up this task that would be possible.

aneip:
That will be quite possible with the improvements that are being made to macros for 1.0.5.0. By using variables and such you could set up all your number buttons to have different functions based on some modifier... When 1.0.5.0 comes out remind me and I'll post some example macros to do it.

Neptuni:
Done. It will be in 1.0.5.0.

Ture:
This will depend on how the remote works and if I can figure out how to communicate with it without owning one... If you can point me to other projects that support this remote that might help... I'll see what I can do.

Thanks for everyone's feedback and request's so far. Keep 'em coming!

Cheers,

[MJGraf]

Hi Aaron!

Well, I'm still having trouble with my very old Philips remote. But in the meantime i think, this is not due to a bug in your really great software, but due to the fact that the remote is just to old / uncommon. I can learn IR-Commands and blast those commands - just my TV-set doesn't do anything (not even the receiver LED of the TV is flashing - although the MCE-receiver LED is flashing when I hold the bug in fron of it, so something must come out...)

I think it was the last version before 1.4.0.0. that it suddenly worked, but never really reliable and with versions 1.4.0.0. and 1.4.0.1. it doesn't work anymore. The logs don't show anything that went wrong...

When I put all my experiences together, it seems to me that my problem is related to the carrier frequency used by this remote. In the very old days of one of the first MCE-Replacement drivers, it worked, but only when I chose "blasting fast" (or similar). My understanding is that the IR server should now learn the frequency as well - but unfortunately it doesn't work with the remote.

Hence, my feature request: I'd like to have some kind of easy-to-use stand alone application with which I can fiddle around and easiliy test IR codes. Something where I can see what has been learned in detail and where I can play around with the carrier frequency etc. When it finally works, I'd like to save that in a file and use it in IR server.

Again, many thanks for your efforts. I know that my problem seems to be only related to that particular remote, my TV uses (maybe I should just get a new TV set...). Therefore this app is definitely not high priority. But if you should have the time to put something like this together anytime - I'd be very grateful.

Best,
Michael

[and-81]

MJGraf:

I've already built a program to do just that. It's for my own testing, so it's not really releasable, but I'll polish it up and include it with the next version.

It currently doesn't connect to the Input Service to blast, but it does let you interpret learned codes to get the correct carrier frequency and it let's you import old .ir files from the early days and give them the correct carrier frequency too. And it saves in pronto format. I'll add the ability to test blast and then it will be ready for you.

Cheers,