home
products
contribute
download
documentation
forum
Home
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
All posts
Latest activity
Members
Registered members
Current visitors
Donate
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Search titles only
By:
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More options
Contact us
Close Menu
Forums
MediaPortal 1
Support
General Support
MP Stops Accepting User Input
Contact us
RSS
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="CyberSimian" data-source="post: 1304044" data-attributes="member: 141969"><p>I have never used CEC to control my TV (although I think that my Sony TV does support it), so unfortunately I cannot offer any advice on whether what you want to do is supposed to work. Possibly the CEC plugin could be enhanced (or fixed, if this is a bug) to behave in the way that you want. The problem is the availability of personnel with the necessary skills, time, and interest to make the changes needed. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" /></p><p></p><p>However, employing a bit of the late Edward de Bono's "lateral thinking", is there a solution that does not use CEC? Well, yes there is: <em>use a programmable remote control to control all of the relevant devices with one button press</em>. This is what I use.</p><p></p><p>Several years ago I used a Logitech Harmony 650 remote control, which can operate up to 6 devices. So using the Harmony web site, you connect the remote control via USB, and then program it by specifying the devices that you have in your system. The Harmony "activities" mean that when you press the button for "Start HTPC", the Harmony sends "power on" signals for the devices that you have defined for that activity (e.g. HTPC, AVR, TV), and then sends "select input xxx" on devices with more than one input (AVR and TV).</p><p></p><p>The Harmony does true device state tracking, so if you want to switch from the HTPC activity to (say) the "Watch DVD" activity using a separate DVD player, the Harmony will send "power off" to the HTPC, "power on" to the DVD player, and "switch input" to the AVR and TV. When you press the "Off" button, the Harmony sends "power off" to all of the devices that it knows are currently powered on.</p><p></p><p>Sadly, Logitech discontinued the Harmony remote controls several years ago <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite16" alt=":cry:" title="Crying :cry:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":cry:" /> . And I have used my Harmony 650 so much that some of the buttons require excessive force in order for the button press to register, so I no longer use it for general control. However, I do still use it to select activities, which powers on the devices and selects the inputs (the activities buttons still work OK). Once that is done, I use a One-for-All remote control defined with the Microsoft MCE code set for the HTPC, and the TV's own remote control if watching the TV directly (HTPC switched off).</p><p></p><p>In some of their publicity material, One-for-All claim that their remotes support activities, but these are not true activities because the remotes do not do device state tracking. So using the RMIR open source freeware tool (plus a special cable), it is possible to define a macro that will send the necessary power-on, power-off, and switch-input commands. This will work <em>provided</em> that every device in your system has explicit power on and power off commands. If there is a device that has only a power toggle command, the "activity" defined for the One-for-All remote won't work correctly <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite16" alt=":cry:" title="Crying :cry:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":cry:" /> . Unfortunately, Microsoft MCE does not have explicit power-on and power-off, so although the Harmony will operate the HTPC correctly (because the Harmony does power state tracking), a One-for-All remote control would not. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite16" alt=":cry:" title="Crying :cry:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":cry:" /> <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite16" alt=":cry:" title="Crying :cry:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":cry:" /></p><p></p><p>I have various One-for-All remotes. The one that I am using at the moment is the <strong>URC-7145 Evolve 4</strong>. This supports 4 devices, and has good-sized buttons, with good separation between them. For the current range of One-for-All remotes, see <a href="https://www.oneforall.com/en-gb/universal-remotes/products" target="_blank">this web page</a>.</p><p></p><p>-- from CyberSimian in the UK</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CyberSimian, post: 1304044, member: 141969"] I have never used CEC to control my TV (although I think that my Sony TV does support it), so unfortunately I cannot offer any advice on whether what you want to do is supposed to work. Possibly the CEC plugin could be enhanced (or fixed, if this is a bug) to behave in the way that you want. The problem is the availability of personnel with the necessary skills, time, and interest to make the changes needed. :( However, employing a bit of the late Edward de Bono's "lateral thinking", is there a solution that does not use CEC? Well, yes there is: [i]use a programmable remote control to control all of the relevant devices with one button press[/i]. This is what I use. Several years ago I used a Logitech Harmony 650 remote control, which can operate up to 6 devices. So using the Harmony web site, you connect the remote control via USB, and then program it by specifying the devices that you have in your system. The Harmony "activities" mean that when you press the button for "Start HTPC", the Harmony sends "power on" signals for the devices that you have defined for that activity (e.g. HTPC, AVR, TV), and then sends "select input xxx" on devices with more than one input (AVR and TV). The Harmony does true device state tracking, so if you want to switch from the HTPC activity to (say) the "Watch DVD" activity using a separate DVD player, the Harmony will send "power off" to the HTPC, "power on" to the DVD player, and "switch input" to the AVR and TV. When you press the "Off" button, the Harmony sends "power off" to all of the devices that it knows are currently powered on. Sadly, Logitech discontinued the Harmony remote controls several years ago :cry: . And I have used my Harmony 650 so much that some of the buttons require excessive force in order for the button press to register, so I no longer use it for general control. However, I do still use it to select activities, which powers on the devices and selects the inputs (the activities buttons still work OK). Once that is done, I use a One-for-All remote control defined with the Microsoft MCE code set for the HTPC, and the TV's own remote control if watching the TV directly (HTPC switched off). In some of their publicity material, One-for-All claim that their remotes support activities, but these are not true activities because the remotes do not do device state tracking. So using the RMIR open source freeware tool (plus a special cable), it is possible to define a macro that will send the necessary power-on, power-off, and switch-input commands. This will work [i]provided[/i] that every device in your system has explicit power on and power off commands. If there is a device that has only a power toggle command, the "activity" defined for the One-for-All remote won't work correctly :cry: . Unfortunately, Microsoft MCE does not have explicit power-on and power-off, so although the Harmony will operate the HTPC correctly (because the Harmony does power state tracking), a One-for-All remote control would not. :cry: :cry: I have various One-for-All remotes. The one that I am using at the moment is the [b]URC-7145 Evolve 4[/b]. This supports 4 devices, and has good-sized buttons, with good separation between them. For the current range of One-for-All remotes, see [URL='https://www.oneforall.com/en-gb/universal-remotes/products']this web page[/URL]. -- from CyberSimian in the UK [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
MediaPortal 1
Support
General Support
MP Stops Accepting User Input
Contact us
RSS
Top
Bottom