Help with blasting (1 Viewer)

[isparkle]

Hello all . I have been trying to set up media portal to blast IR commands to my set top box fior many hours now but still I cannot get it to work using any software. The mce replacement plugin was looking most promising but I just can't get it to work properly. I am using a Microsoft brand remote control (v2, RC6). I have followed all the instructions in the setup guide, and tried using both of the two baster ports.

At first it would not even learn any commands but then i unstalled the replacement driver for Vista and it is now able to learn them. However, when I try to test the IR blasting nothing happens. Nothing happens within media portal either if i try to change the channel. I have enabled logging but I could not find any entried in media portal logs about ir basting.. perhaps I am looking in the wrong place.

I have checked that I do NOT have any ther IR software like HIP installed, no other programs should be using it. I even stopped all the media center services.

I know my blaster works as I have been using it for sometime with media center.

Any help would be much appreciated, i'm feeling like I won't be able to switch to media portal after all now .

 

[and-81]

Can you tell me some more about your setup please?

Operating System?
64 or 32 bit?
MediaPortal version?
Use SVN?
Tv Engine 3 or not?
Plugin Version?

Most of these details are contained in the MediaPortal.log file, it's important you supply a copy of the log file. If you run MediaPortal and try to blast IR commands (when changing channel or linked to a button) then grab the MediaPortal.log file and post it here I'll take a look and get back to you.

Cheers,

 

[isparkle]

Thank you so much for your quick reply . I am using the following:

Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit
Media Portal 0.2.2.0 non SVN
No Tv engine
plugin version 1.0.3.1

I had the svn versions installed earlier but I decided to go back to stable version (it made no difference to the ir blaster not working anyway).

I have attached a copy of the log file after trying to change the channel a few times.

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[and-81]

Hey,

If you're using Vista you will need the Vista MCE Replacement Driver from here:

https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/windows_vista_mce_replacement_driver-t20094.html

There must be something strange going on, because it shouldn't be saying "Blast Successful" in the log file if you are not using the MCE Replacement Driver. Maybe the driver didn't install correctly ... Maybe the driver is in, and it's something else wrong ...

Did you select your set top box from one in the quick setup list?
Does the red light on the IR bug flash when it is meant to be blasting codes?
It could be that the codes in the quick setup are not compatible with your stb...

Try reinstalling the Replacement Driver, make sure it's the one from the thread above, and let me know how you go.

 

[isparkle]

Thanks for looking at that for me. I was using the vista replacement driver but I removed it and re-installed it as you suggested. Sadly it did not make any difference.

I did not select my box from the list, I'm using an Austar Atlas box (possibly made by Pace), so I learned the channels and assigned them manually. I'd think they should work if I learned them..

The red light on the blaster does come on when I press the test button so it seems it's sending the wrong codes maybe?

Is there a file where I can check exactly what IR codes are being sent? If so I could probably find out what they should be..

Thank again

Star

 

[and-81]

ok, so it's actually working, it's just that the codes are not working.

Try changing the Blaster speed. (if you change it to default you will need to unplug and re-plug in the IR device before it takes effect)

Give that a try and let me know,

 

[isparkle]

Hi again . I have spent all day messing around with it but still no luck. Changing the speed did not fix it unfortunately. I have been checking it out with HIP to see if other programs can actually send commands but I am getting the same problem there. It seems to be a learning issue I guess. The proper code is obviously not being sent.

When I used it in media center all I had to do was press one button a few times and it figured out the remote code so I never actually had to learn it manually. I have sent commands to this box from several devices before and I never had a problem, but I think most of those used preset codes..

I do actually have some hex IR codes for the numbers but it seems they may be in the wrong format. It turns out I am actually using an ADB Atlas box. I tried to find where media center was sotring it's IR codes hoping i could steal them but I have had little luck there.

Looks like I'll have to use media center for satellite and media portal for everything else. Let me know if you have any last suggestions.

Thank you
Steph

 

[and-81]

It does sound like the MCE IR interface code isn't learning the IR Codes properly.

You could try getting pronto CCF format IR Codes and using them.

Pronto codes use a format like this:

0000 0100 0664 3342 ... etc ...

Put them one by one text files with a .IR extension, in the right folder ... \ProgramData\MediaPortal MCE Replacement Plugin\IR (for Vista) and the plugin should be able to use them ...

Try RemoteCentral.com, they have codes for a lot of STBs...

good luck,

 

[andyd]

Dude,

do you know that there is a howto on setting up the plugin on the main page of this forum? have you gone thru that?

Also replacement driver for Vista doesnt seem to work with HIP or girder! Been there done that.... Also make sure you disable all features related to MCE.... Causes major headaches with MP and plugin....

Hi again . I have spent all day messing around with it but still no luck. Changing the speed did not fix it unfortunately. I have been checking it out with HIP to see if other programs can actually send commands but I am getting the same problem there. It seems to be a learning issue I guess. The proper code is obviously not being sent.

When I used it in media center all I had to do was press one button a few times and it figured out the remote code so I never actually had to learn it manually. I have sent commands to this box from several devices before and I never had a problem, but I think most of those used preset codes..

I do actually have some hex IR codes for the numbers but it seems they may be in the wrong format. It turns out I am actually using an ADB Atlas box. I tried to find where media center was sotring it's IR codes hoping i could steal them but I have had little luck there.

Looks like I'll have to use media center for satellite and media portal for everything else. Let me know if you have any last suggestions.

Thank you
Steph