Configure a remote in MP not listed as 'out of the box' (1 Viewer)

[pjuegos]

Hi,

does Anyone know how to configure a remote in MP, which is not one of the supported 'out of the box' ones?

More specifly, I have my imon remote working perfectly using the imon manager software. However, I would like my remote to send different commands depending on the MP screen. I know you can do that no problem in the remotes section of MP config for a list of remotes.
However, how do you do it with a different remote?

Cheers

 

[pjuegos]

thw MCE is the closest to the imon in that menu. Is this the one I should use to replicate the imon?

cheers

pj

 

[ajp8164]

Hi,

does Anyone know how to configure a remote in MP, which is not one of the supported 'out of the box' ones?

More specifly, I have my imon remote working perfectly using the imon manager software. However, I would like my remote to send different commands depending on the MP screen. I know you can do that no problem in the remotes section of MP config for a list of remotes.
However, how do you do it with a different remote?

Cheers

I don't have any specific help for you with your specific remote but I use an IR receiver in my PC that is non standard and so I had to come up with the right solution (this is similar to the situation where the remote sends non standard commands, not directly supported by MP). Here are some options:

• if your remote sends commands supported by one of the MP out of the box remotes then your good; just use the appropriate remote config in the MP configuration tool (you don't seem to fit this).
• IRSS - You can try the IR Server Suite (IRSS) (search the forum for the thread); with IRSS you can connect to the imon manager, then from the IRSS you can map commands over to MP just as in the config tool remote maps.
• MessagePlugin - a light-weight plugin that receives Windows Messages and translates them to MP actions etc using the standard remote map (search the forums). This is the option I use since the IR receiver I have is non-standard (it uses MX.Play). I have a harmony 700 remote that maps nicely to the MX.Play receiver, then the MX.Play translates the received command into a Windows Message and sends it to the MessagePlugin in which I have full MP command configuration and mapping support. Btw - no perceived lag between the time I press the remote button and MP responds - this is a very fast solution.

Hope this helps you with some ideas.

 

[pjuegos]

Thanks,

Those two routes seem to be the way to go

cheers

 

[DetrieZ]

Andy,
Looking at your system, we pretty much have the same equipment.
HDPVR 1212 and Logitech Harmony 700 remote.

I tried all kinds of things to get the 700 to work. I realized I needed an RC6 IR Reciever.
I bought this one HERE

In my efforts to get the 700 working without the Receiver, I've installed a bunch of stuff. IRSS, WiFi Remote, iPIMP and I'm afraid I mucked stuff up. I'm not sure what I need or don't need.

I'm not looking for anything fancy.. Just to be able to use my remote with MediaPortal.

Would you mind posting your steps to set up your 700 on your [Win 7] PC and how you set up your Harmony Activity to work with your 1212, 700 and MePo?


TIA
Detrie

 

[macwindows]

Andy,

I would also like to know the steps.

Would you mind posting your steps to set up your 700 on your [Win 7] PC and how you set up your Harmony Activity to work with your 1212, 700 and MePo?

Appreciate your help.
Thanks,
mac

 

[ajp8164]

Andy,
Looking at your system, we pretty much have the same equipment.
HDPVR 1212 and Logitech Harmony 700 remote.

I tried all kinds of things to get the 700 to work. I realized I needed an RC6 IR Reciever.
I bought this one HERE

In my efforts to get the 700 working without the Receiver, I've installed a bunch of stuff. IRSS, WiFi Remote, iPIMP and I'm afraid I mucked stuff up. I'm not sure what I need or don't need.

I'm not looking for anything fancy.. Just to be able to use my remote with MediaPortal.

Would you mind posting your steps to set up your 700 on your [Win 7] PC and how you set up your Harmony Activity to work with your 1212, 700 and MePo?


TIA
Detrie

Hi Detrie,

I checkout out your system specs and you list your HTPC-TV connection as "PVR -> PC=Composite. PC->TV=HDMI". With the HDPVR1212 there should be no route to the PC via "Composite", it should be USB. Is this a mistake in your specs? Here is the connections I have (the dots are just there for spacing ;-):

STB (Directv HR-21) ---[composite/RCA audio]>>> HDPVR1212 ---[USB]>>> HTPC ---[SVGA]>>> TV
...........................................................................+--[stereo lineout]>>> speakers

I have my Directv H-21 on my LAN. Directv has an IP protocol to change channels (among other things) and so I use the Directv SHEF IP protocol to change channels from MediaPortal. There is a Directv SHEF plugin for MediaPortal that makes the connection between MP and the STB (search if it's applicable for you).

With all this setup I only need to control MediaPortal from my Harmony remote and I can control all my devices without any IR blasting. The Harmony remote turns on/off my HTPC and TV. Note: I have to leave the HDPVR on all the time (24/7) because there is no way to remotely control power to it. The HDPVRs IR capability is for blasting only (IR comes in the front and blasts out the port in the back - useless for me, so I just ignore it).

To control my HTPC via an IR remote, my Harmony 700 has to be able to send commands to my HTPC IR receiver. In my HTPC case (by Moneual) there is an inbuilt IR receiver for which there is also some supplied driver software (MX.Play). I had to program my Harmony 700 remote to be able to send IR commands that are capable of being read by the Moneual IR receiver. Luckily the Logitech Harmony database has the command set so I just mapped the Moneual IR commands to to my Harmony buttons (I have a spreadsheet to keep up with the mapping). Once the mapping is done I could send button presses from the remote to the Moneual and through to the Moneual supplied driver/software. This software lets me map PC commands to fire when an IR command is received. In my case I chose (after looking at several alternatives) to interface to MP via Windows Messages, WM_APP, (to which MP listens). I wrote my own program to send windows messages; it's called SendMessage and it simply accepts command line parameters (the message to send to what application) and sends the message (I'll post it here upon request if it's useful to anyone); I think I got the WM_APP Lparam list from an IRSS remote map file. The WM_APP message is received by the MediaPortal message plugin. Use this plugin to map the WM_APP commands to MediaPortal actions. Done ;-)

It sounds like a lot, and perhaps it is, but it works very well -- it' very fast (responsive) from the button press to the MP change.

So, if you have an MCE compatible IR receiver then you should be able to use the MediaPortal Configuration tool, Remote section - click directly on "Remote" in the tree and the first tab is an MCE remote. Click the "Use MCE remote" checkbox and configure command mapping.

Let me know if you have any other questions...
Good Luck!