(original thread) MCE Replacement Plugin v1.0.0 (1 Viewer)

[and-81]

Might not be your table, and-81, but is there any way to make MP not change channel (internal) before blasting is finnished?

Of the top of my head, I don't think I can do that. But I will look into it further and let you know if I come up with anything.

I'm using the message plugin together with HIP. Would it be possible to have the message plugin cancel the screen saver when a button on the remote is pressed (i.e. a message received)? Maybe this should be a configurable option.

Thanks for pointing that out, I'll get on it and let you know when I have a new version ready.

Thanks,

 

[CHli]

zombiepig I'm ready for the tutorial

(don't have much time to investigate the whole thing)

 

[Spragleknas]

Hi and-81 - I got an idea:

Could you make it possible to map an entire keyboard - with all letters etc?

I have a keyboard that came with my STB - I can learn every key using your genius plug in - but can't assign 'em to letter etc.

Why this would be great:
- Only need one receiver - no matter which keyboard you got. (Also, I'm having limited USB-on backside of my HTPC).


My keyboard also has a pointing device ("trackball") - perhaps this could be mapped to?

(PS: Only a suggestion!)

 

[and-81]

Interesting idea. Essentially what you're after is the ability to use my plugin for more types of inputs. In this case to map your keyboard with the same abilities you currently have for your remote.

Just to clarify, does the plugin recognise the keyboard button presses in the Different Remote section?

If it can be recognised in the different remote section then you will need extra buttons to map it. But that shouldn't be too hard. If it doesn't then we need to make an input plugin for that keyboard, or re-write the keyboard mapper of mediaportal.

I could add a keyboard mapper section to my plugin (and I probably will) but how far do I go? Do I re-write all the input plugins in MediaPortal so they can utilize the services of my plugin, or do I push for some changes to mediaportal to help.

At some point I have to face up to some hard truths about where this plugin is headed...

For instance, I think the name "MCE Replacement Plugin" no longer describes the plugin accurately. And the more I add these extra features the more meaningless that name becomes.

One solution would be to split out the different features of the plugin into a whole series of plugins... (and that's probably what I will do)

Of course that brings it's own issues ... For example, say I make the event mapper and the mce blasting into seperate plugins. This would then need a form of communication between the plugins so that, for example the event mapper could tell the blaster plugin to transmit an IR code. I figure I could use the GUI_MSG_USER message type to do this, and i'm testing just that at the moment.

However, the problem with that solution is that it doesn't really make things any easier for the end user, it actually could make things more complicated. And the plugin is complicated enough as it is!

To make this setup easier would probably require some changes to mediaportal itself, but either way, I'm going to need to do a lot more testing before I settle on a solution.

I'm also working on a suite of applications and plugins to better suit the Client/Server setup mediaportal is moving to. I've been putting a lot of time into it at the moment. And hope to have something useful soon.

I'll do some investigating into the idea you've raised and get back to you with something as soon as I can.

Thanks for the suggestion. If anyone's got any ideas for what I'm talking about, I'd love to hear them too.

Cheers,

 

[arjay]

Aaron - you are quite right: your plugin has moved so far from the original concept (for the right reasons) that the title bears no resemblance to the actual content.

I actually only use it as a very basic controller for my mce remote - but it is so good, so easy to use, and so reliable, that I am reluctant even to upgrade my version of MP. This is the first time ANY remote controller/blaster plugin has ever worked for me and you are deserving of my nickname "Guinness". OK, enough of the plaudits:

I would be concerned if it broke up into a number of completely different plugins - there might be compatibility issues and there would certainly be confusion for us punters about what does what.

Is there anyway that you could re-title it more generally as MediaPortal External Controller Plugin or some such and then have it as a menu-driven set of selections from the simple remote controller to the more esoteric capabilities. Then, if this is possible, conceptually, each additional facility would be dependent on installation of the previous step.

Not sure this makes programming sense - but anyway, keep up the good work.

I, for one, won't upgrade to the clent/server model until I am sure your plugin will work there.

Regards

Richard

 

[and-81]

Thanks Richard, I really do appreciate your support.

Maybe I could overhaul the user interface to make it simpler and rename it like you said... I'll give that a try and see what I come up with.

As for the client/server stuff... I can supply the plugins right now that will work as long as your client and server are on seperate PC's, or if you only want to run the plugin on the client or the server but not both.

It's when they are both (client and server) running on the same PC that I'm having problems, because the MceIr API that Bruno Fleurette developed will not allow two instances to be running simultaneously. That is, two plugins can't share the MceIr API.

I'm developing a whole range of plugins and applications that can overcome this, but they bring issues of their own.

Actually, as I type I've just had an idea that might solve this problem ... Hmmm ... I'll have to put some more work into it and post back later ...

Back to the current plugin ... For the people who have followed this plugin from the early days the interface is not too daunting, but I think new users are a bit put off by the complexity. I know it's not the best GUI ever built, but I have always seen it as a work in progress and something that I would fix later. Maybe it's time to sort out the plugin user interface...

Lot's of work to do ...

I'll keep you all posted.

Cheers,

 

[bottazzoli]

This have been missing for longtime. Thanks for this developpment.

But, I have a problem with the Sat receiver DSTV Dual View. The IR codes are not stored correctly. In MCE and in Vista it works fine, also my Pronto can reproduce the codes.
The blaster blinks when I send the codes but does not make any action.

The TV codes are working.

Can I insert the Sat Codes manually (copy from Pronto) into the IR-files?

Thanks for reply if you have any sugestion.

JPB

 

[stryker]

I've had a quick look through this thread but appologise if this has already been answered.

Question is, if I have say a .CCF file for my marantz sr4200. How do I convert it to seperate .ir codes? I've googled but to be honest I'm not sure what format the .ir file used by mce replacement is.

Thanks

 

[and-81]

It's been mentioned a few times in this thread that you can extract the codes from pronto ccf files and use them.

Use CCF Extractor from here:
http://www.byremote.com.au/downloads/download.asp?SID=25

Copy the code into a text file with a ".IR" extension and place it with the other IR files. You should then be able to use it.

I'll write up proper instructions and include it in the plugin docs because it's a common question.

Cheers,

 

[stryker]

Many thanks