MP 1.12: Changing from Centarea Remote to Generic HID - how to map Buttons properly? (1 Viewer)

[CyberSimian]

I have run into a problem though, if I attempt to navigate a Bluray menu, using the internal BD handler up/down buttons only work very intermittently/slowly.

I tried to watch a DVD last night, but found that I could not navigate the menu on the DVD disk -- the UP and DOWN buttons did not work .

Now I had deliberately changed the mappings for UP and DOWN when displaying fullscreen video in order to eliminate another quirk, but that change disables menu navigation on DVDs .

But the good news is that I have found a solution to this . The solution is to delete all mappings defined for the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT buttons in Centarea HID. You can use the "Mapping" panel in "MP Config" to do this. Expand the tree for a button so that "All layers" becomes visible, select "All layers", and then click "Remove". The result should look like this:



I will perform some more testing over the next few days, and update the zip file in post 36 in due course.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[joecrow]

OK, many thanks for that, I assume the Up Down Left and Right buttons will now just be seen as KB keys?
I'm in the process of doing a complete clean install of MP in the hope of clearing up some recent odd random behaviour, been messing with it a lot lately. Will try this out when possible.

 

[CyberSimian]

I assume the Up Down Left and Right buttons will now just be seen as KB keys?

I think so, but it is difficult to be sure about anything . My "working hypothesis" is that character keys are thrown away unless defined in Centarea HID, but that control keys are passed through and inherit the mapping defined in "keymap.xml".

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[joecrow]

@CyberSimian

OK I am now using your Centarea HID keymap with the nav. (Up,Down, Left &Right) mapping removed. I also changed the Jump For/Rev mapping, replaced Slideshow for TVrunning with the action to Step For/Rev which makes getting to the start of a recorded TV program much easier. So far it is all looking good even the BD menu navigation.
Nice work.

 

[CyberSimian]

So far it is all looking good even the BD menu navigation.

I don't have a blu-ray drive, so was not able to test the new definitions with blu-ray. They probably behave the same as ordinary DVD, but it is good to have a specific confirmation that they work as expected.

I see from your user details that you reside in Germany. Be aware that characters with accents, and other special characters (such as the German double "s" character), won't appear when you type them, unless you add definitions for them to "Centarea HID.xml". You might notice this if (for example) you try to search the EPG for a programme title that contains an accented character. I included in the TXT file some instructions on how to add the necessary definitions.

Are you using the AutoHotKey script with the new "Centarea HID"? I like the extra function that the script provides, and I have found AutoHotKey to be trouble free (apart from when there were errors in the script, of course! ).

Actually, I find myself warming towards the Ortek/Hama remote , although I probably won't use it long term as I want the volume control to operate my audio amplifier, not the Windows volume setting. However, I will mention that there is an Ortek definition for One-for-All universal remotes. It is not built-in, but it can be downloaded from www.hifi-remote.com and installed in the remote (provided that you have the correct cable). I would expect Harmony remotes also to have a definition for the Ortek (but I have not checked that yet). Using the Ortek IR receiver with a universal remote would allow the VOLUME and MUTE buttons to control a separate audio amplifier, as well as giving consistent behaviour of Harmony-style activities.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[joecrow]

I see from your user details that you reside in Germany. Be aware that characters with accents, and other special characters (such as the German double "s" character), won't appear when you type them, unless you add definitions for them to "Centarea HID.xml". You might notice this if (for example) you try to search the EPG for a programme title that contains an accented character. I included in the TXT file some instructions on how to add the necessary definitions.

I am in Germany and if required do have a German keyboard available however, to be honest I cannot recall having need for it when in MP for just regular typing, I was interested in using the "!" and alt+enter keys which had become diasabled with the "Centarea HID.xml" but that was pretty much it. I have never had an problems using the on screen KB (I mean the mobile telephone one that pops up in MP) in conjunction with the Hama/Ortek mouse even for the special german characters if required (very seldom).

Are you using the AutoHotKey script with the new "Centarea HID"? I like the extra function that the script provides, and I have found AutoHotKey to be trouble free (apart from when there were errors in the script, of course! ).

Sorry but I have not yet tried AHK, I need to look at it further.

Actually, I find myself warming towards the Ortek/Hama remote , although I probably won't use it long term as I want the volume control to operate my audio amplifier, not the Windows volume setting.
-- from CyberSimian in the UK

Good to hear that. BTW I control the volume of my AV receiver and sleep and resume of both TV and receiver via a Pulse 8 HDMI CEC adaptor and the MP CEC Remote plugin. This allows control of volume and propogation of MP sleep and resume over the HDMI from MP without of actually using the TV remote, i.e. volume and standby is still actioned with my Ortek/Hama remote.
Could this work for you? I believe it to be a very cost effective alternative to a Harmony universal type remote.

BTW I have edited the mapping for the Jump For/Rev to include TVrunning with the action Step For/Rev rather than next/prev chapter for quickly getting to the start of a recorded TV show.

 

[CyberSimian]

I control the volume of my AV receiver and sleep and resume of both TV and receiver via a Pulse 8 HDMI CEC adaptor and the MP CEC Remote plugin. This allows control of volume and propogation of MP sleep and resume over the HDMI from MP without of actually using the TV remote, i.e. volume and standby is still actioned with my Ortek/Hama remote. Could this work for you?

In my current setup, I use an analogue hi-fi amplifier dating from 1997, so it is not controllable via CEC. I am quite happy with it at the moment , so I don't anticipate replacing it unless it malfunctions.

I believe it to be a very cost effective alternative to a Harmony universal type remote.

I held out against the blandishments of a Harmony remote for several years. but I finally capitulated a few months ago and purchased a Harmony 650 to add to my collection. (The 650 is the "mid-price" one.) The activities are very nice, but I am not so keen on some of the physical properties of the remote, and I actually prefer my One-for-All URC-7140. I have not yet decided which I shall use long term.

I have edited the mapping for the Jump For/Rev to include TVrunning with the action Step For/Rev rather than next/prev chapter for quickly getting to the start of a recorded TV show.

I recollect that you migrated from WMC, so you might not be aware that MP assigns the skip functions to the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT buttons:

(1) UP and DOWN perform a fixed skip forward and backward. You can specify the size of the skip in "MP Config". I have mine set to 60 seconds.

(2) LEFT and RIGHT perform a variable skip. You pre-define the skip steps in "MP Config" (mine are: 20 secs, 1 min, 4 mins, 15 mins, 30 mins, 1 hour), and press the button the appropriate number of times, and then wait for the timeout to expire (which is also settable in "MP Config"; mine is 1.5 seconds).

But there is nothing wrong with using the JUMP_FORWARD and JUMP_BACKWARD buttons to perform the skips if you prefer that. You can also skip to a specific location in the video by entering 4 digits, which are interpreted as "hh:mm" (e.g "0123" means "go to 1 hour 23 mins from the start").

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[joecrow]

In my current setup, I use an analogue hi-fi amplifier dating from 1997, so it is not controllable via CEC. I am quite happy with it at the moment , so I don't anticipate replacing it unless it malfunctions.

I had the same until very recently, except my stereo amp. was even older, superb tone, but the knobs and dials were getting scatchy. 5,1 definitely does take movies to a higher level though.

I recollect that you migrated from WMC, so you might not be aware that MP assigns the skip functions to the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT buttons:

You are correct and indeed I was not aware of that, many thanks for the tip.

 

[CyberSimian]

I have released an improved version of the config file and AutoHotKey script for the Ortek/Hama remote control, available from the post below:

https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...te-control-vrc-1100.94301/page-6#post-1198295

-- from CyberSimian in the UK