(original thread) MCE Replacement Plugin v1.0.0 (4 Viewers)

[donaldkennedy]

VdR

OK. here are my 2 files. One is the SamsungTVON file, this is created using codes from this forum thread - http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin/mboard/rc-discrete/thread.cgi?2792 . I've found that most of the codes in this thread (the ones I've tried) work with the LE26R51BDX, which as far as I understand uses the same codes as you're after.

The other is the SamsungTVOff file - this is one that MCEReplacement learnt for me and so it isn't a discrete TV off, it's the toggle code from the on/off button on the Samsung remote. As a result you need to treat this one with a bit more care, or use the CCF code from the above thread.

Hope these help you somehow

Donald

 

[FLY]

hi Aaron,

I want to use the replacement driver but I want to wake up my pc using the MCE remote. Do you have any suggestion how to do that ?

thx
fly

 

[and-81]

The cause here is that the mute command from a HID interface is also interpreted by windows. So both Windows and MP will mute/unmute, hence net result is no action. The solution is to block all interpreted commands from going through to the OS (this is something the developper can do only in this case).

The way the native MCE remote support in MediaPortal gets around this is by setting a "LastHidRequest" value. This tells the Hid handler not to double handle the button press. I would use this if I could, but the variable is not public, my code can't access it. So at least for now the only answer I have is to remove the button mapping for commands that will be processed by the Hid handler. What I can do to improve this is to make the plugin smarter and have it automatically unmap buttons that will cause this problem when using the original Microsoft driver. I'll work towards that.

0.2.1.0 version - "Yes, it works" with STB blasting

Thank you.

PS - This version is the first I've used with event mapping. To be honest, it's not something I need at the moment (though it may become more important in due course), so I've only tested the mediaportal_start event, to change to a different window from the Home. It strikes me that you've not included all the possible windows, Aaron - is this deliberate? (eg, I'm currently using it to change to Weather, but I quite often use News as the first function I go to in MP. News isn't listed as an option though...)

I get the Window Names from an enumeration inside MediaPortal. The list you see is everything MediaPortal gives me, but I'll see if I can figure out a way to improve it.

I want to use the replacement driver but I want to wake up my pc using the MCE remote. Do you have any suggestion how to do that ?

Just use S3 Suspend, that will work. Only S4 Hibernate won't wake with the replacement driver. And given that there is very little difference between suspending and hibernating you may as well use suspend. There are posts on these forums that will explain the differences better than I can, so have a search and see what you can turn up. But my recommendation is to use S3 Suspend.

@everyone:
I still haven't heard from anyone using the test version with SVN. Does it change external channels properly?

Thanks,

 

[arjay]

FLY - I have an MCE remote and use Aaron's plugin (not the replacement driver - just the channel change bit). My remote will put the machine into standby and wake it up just with the appropriate button - the little one, top right on the remote?

Also - for other's info - with powerscheduler enabled - the PC will comeout of stand by, record a scheduled recording, and go back to standby perfectly. Never did that before.

Aaron you really deserve a big pat on the back. I (like hundreds of other's) have been struggling literally for months and months without success to get myblaster to change channels on an STB and you come along and in a few weeks "knock out" a plugin that does about 10 different things properly.

BTW - you may be a victim of your own success. I confess I am still using a version of your plugin from a few weeks ago and have not given your latest version a try because my setup WORKS at long last. The WAF means I dare not do anything that will put me back to mucking about trying to get it to work again. I know it isn't fair to you as you need testers. But me - I'm real happy for the moment and am worried that it will all go up the shute if I try the latest version!!!

RJ

 

[northern]

This seems to be the thing i've been looking for. But i would need some help as i cant get the message mode with hip to work att all. I followed the install instructions precisly, using the replacement driver, mediaportal 0.2.1 and the matching plugin. If using the replacement driver only, mediaportal runs fine. When choosing to use message mode, it wont recive anything.
In hip i just read in the configuration file that came with this plugin. I can start mediaportal from hip, but then... Could it be that i have another rev of the mce or something with the postcodes or wm_app. Appreciate any help

Regards
Josef

 

[donaldkennedy]

Aaron

A bit more on MCEReplacementTray....

Having used it for a few days, it does (largely) what it says on the tin. However, I've noticed one "anomaly" which I think is a result of the current design (and I don't think you'll readily be able to sort out until/unless you alter Bruno's code). I've got a workaround myself, but it's the kind of thing that others who don't know how MCEReplacementTray works might get caught out by...

When the PC is running, and I want to start mediaportal, then, as you've currently designed it, I press the green button, MCEReplacementTray calls MP, and then puts itself into suspension until MP is closed again. And the cycle recommences.

Which is all absolutely as per specification, and exactly right MOST of the time, because MOST of the time the PC's running, and is either running MP or waiting for me to stop messing about with other stuff and start MP again.

However, where it falls down is when the PC starts up. I have MP set to load on startup, AND MCEReplacementTray set to load on startup. The effect this has is that both start, but because I haven't pressed the green button, MCEReplacementTray doesn't put itself into suspension, and so IT retains control of access to the MCEIR driver, rather than releasing access to the driver to MP. The net effect of this is that the remote doesn't work in MP UNTIL I've exited MP using the mouse, and then restarted MP with the green button.

As I say, I know what's going on, and I understand the need for the workaround, and I've got an RF mouse handy to do the "exit and restart" bit. But others might not be in such a fortunate position.

Is there anything you can do immediately/soon? Or is this going to be one of those things that will have to wait for the revised driver? (Just a thought - if you can provide a means to manually put MCEReplacementTray into suspension, wouldn't it be possible to call this from an Mediaportal_onstartup event inside the plugin? Or am I getting ahead of myself?)

Thanks again for an excellent plugin - as arjay says, this is one of those pieces of work that just sorted out SO many things that a lot of us wanted from the MCE remote but never really dared to try to deal with ourselves.

Donald

 

[and-81]

When choosing to use message mode, it wont recive anything. In hip i just read in the configuration file that came with this plugin. I can start mediaportal from hip, but then... Could it be that i have another rev of the mce or something with the postcodes or wm_app. Appreciate any help

Just check that you've ticked the "Enable message mode" checkbox in the plugin configuration. With that enabled you shouldn't have any trouble. Aside from that, as long as HIP has the messages set for the MediaPortal.exe (check the path) then it should all be ok.

Try adding another button mapping in HIP to make sure that's working while MediaPortal is running.

where it falls down is when the PC starts up. I have MP set to load on startup, AND MCEReplacementTray set to load on startup. The effect this has is that both start, but because I haven't pressed the green button, MCEReplacementTray doesn't put itself into suspension, and so IT retains control of access to the MCEIR driver, rather than releasing access to the driver to MP. The net effect of this is that the remote doesn't work in MP UNTIL I've exited MP using the mouse, and then restarted MP with the green button.

The copy of MCEReplacementTray that is in the Test Version 1.0.1 zip a few posts back should have a new feature I put in the other day to launch mediaportal when MCEReplacementTray is started. If it's not in that copy then it's definately going to be in the next one because I anticipated this problem

Cheers,

 

[VdR]

Donald,

Thanks for the codes.

The pronto code is indeed the same as I found on remotecentral and the same as I can generate with MakeHex for my exact model TV (LE32R41B), but it doesn't work.

The learned worked the first time ... but after that only about every 50th attempt .

I tried again to learn codes from the original remote, no chance.

I will have to think about what to do next, or find something else to play around with.

Thanks again.

VdR

 

[northern]

Just check that you've ticked the "Enable message mode" checkbox in the plugin configuration. With that enabled you shouldn't have any trouble. Aside from that, as long as HIP has the messages set for the MediaPortal.exe (check the path) then it should all be ok.
,

Yes, i tried with the different options under configuration, enable mce remote which works fine , but wont let me use hip, And then enable message mode which wont work at all for me. Applicationpath in Hip is set correctly, and the configuration file is read in, and shows the buttonmappings /Postmessages correctly.
I just did a fresh install of mediaportal, replacement driver, plugin and hip. Alas, same problem.

Regards
Josef

 

[and-81]

Can you set HIP up for another application and see if it is working properly. It sounds like there is some configuration problem with HIP. This part of the plugin is very simple, so I doubt it's the plugin. I'm not blaming HIP, I just think something's not set up right in HIP.

Try using HIP on another application to rule it out.

HTH,