Generic Keyboard/Remote Input Plugin (2 Viewers)

[MarkC333]

A guide to configuring HID type remotes...

This is a great little plugin, but there are a few anomalies:

What I was trying to do:

I initially wanted to run Windows Media Centre (Oops - sorry) but soon found that getting a nice smooth ISO mount and play operation going was not going to be easy (unlike MP - redeamed!). The Remote that I purchased (like many I guess) was a cheap Vista MCE clone that does not in fact act as a true remote, but actually just acts like a wireless HID. It works fine with VMC (Vista Media Centre) because it follows the shortcut key mappings for VMC but not with MP as the shortcuts are different.

I tried a few other solutions including various apps to intercept the remote and run macros or whatever, but it was all to much like hard work again. That is when I came across this plugin, but there seemed to be a few issues with it as well, not to mention the lack of a good “how to” doc explaining the best way to set it up and use it.

So here is what I did to get it working and remap my cheap remote so that all buttons work correctly (or in deed exactly as I / you might want them to work).

I am currently looking at the source as well and with a little tweaking I am sure that it would work just “as it was originally intended”. Since the original code was written it looks like a few changes have been made to the mediaportal setup and this is what has broken it.

Sorry if the guide is a bit simplistic for the more advanced of you users, but if it saves others spending as much time as me working out what was going on.....then jolly days

 

[rsenden]

Hi all,

Just to let you know; I'm currently working on an update for this plug-in. Plans for the new release:

• Fix configuration file paths; no more need to copy Keyboard.xml file around, and should work correctly with Windows Vista
• Simplify configuration (integrate 'Add/Remove Buttons' form with 'Update Mapping' form)
• Add support for the Win-key (if I can figure out how to do this)
• Better documentation
• Any suggestions?

The new release will be compiled against MediaPortal 1.0.0.0 RC3.

You can expect the new release in a week or two.

Kind regards,
Ruud.

 

[armyofme]

Sounds great - looking forward to it!

 

[lordsavant]

I just wanted to say (1) thanks for this awesome plugin (you saved me $40!) and (2) if you buy a crappy remote for MediaPortal (such as the Antec Veris mini remote) that comes with iMON software, the software may not allow you to reassign the 'context menu' button on the remote. Solution: use this plugin to map key code 93 to the action 'Show context menu'.

Thanks!

 

[Harmani]

Looking forward to the updated version of this very helpfull plugin!
It was the only solution for getting my crappy Intervideo XPC-RC01 remote to work!!

It seems you have some knowledge about HID devices! So i give it shot and would like to ask if you (or anyone reading this) could think of a solution for a related problem:

I use a Logitech Harmony Remote to control my HTPC. After mapping the original Intervideo Remote buttons using your awesome plugin, i learned my Harmony these IR commands. No problems there. But, I would really like to get my Harmony Remote to send additional keyboard shortcuts, ones that are not used by the orignal Intervideo Remote... (There are just not enough buttons on this one for me to map )
So somehow i need to find out what IR-commands should be used for keys that are not used by the original remote. Could anyone think of a way to get this done? I already tried the Harmony-forums, but no luck there.

 

[SilentException]

latest svn broke this plug-in which is a shame coz it's the most useful one for me! looking forward to the updated version, hope it'll come soon!

 

[rsenden]

New version

Hi all,

A new version of this plug-in is now available; see the opening post for more details. I made quite a few changes, bot to the configuration screens and the keyboard interception mechanism. If you encounter any problems, or have any remarks, please let me know.

Kind regards,
Ruud.

 

[SilentException]

hi!

thank you so much for the updated and better version! i'll test it this weekend when i get home..

(Limited) support for passing through keystrokes that are not mapped by this plug-in.

limited how? since i'm not planning to manually copy all default keystrokes into the plug-in.. i just want to define few extra ones

(idea: automatic parse of keymap.xml to create valid Keyboard.xml)?

 

[minute]

First of all: millions of thanks, the plug-in is fantastic! I only have a question, off-course, regarding my configuration. I have a chinese remote called PiPi Remote, witch seems to work with power dvd application. But, I have a logitech harmony 785 remote, and I use it to replace the standard remote. All is perfect except when I want to volume+ my Logitech Z-5500, on my computer appear "6" and when I want to volume- it intercept the signal and on the screen appears +15... +1..+3 min... etc. It seems like the IR command to volume+ is like 6 and volume- is like "Directional Right". Any idea of what to do in this case is v. useful.
I have no idea on what other remote I should use instead of my PiPi remote. Microsoft MCE and Power Cinema/ remotes if I add them to Logitech configuration device, the IR (on usb) is not responding, when I press a button on the "learn" field, nothing happens.

Please help! Thank you!

 

[TheChaos]

Dear rsenden,

thanks a lot for this great plugin. It works very well, but I have two problems:

1. My MCE Remote Clone sends for the Info button the "context menue" key (that one between right ctrl and win key). The hint of lordsavant to assign key code 93 manually did not work, this keycode is never saved

2. Nowhere in the mediaportal help I find information how the action "Key pressed" works. When I assign this action to one button, I now have to fill two additional form fields with no description. The XML refers to it as cmdkeycode and cmdkeychar. How the hell can I assign a simple space press. I thought I could put the key code 32 for space. When I press the remote button in MP I can hear the click, but "space" is never pressed, because video is not paused. What's wrong there?

Thanks in advance