(original thread) MCE Replacement Plugin v1.0.0 (22 Viewers)

[ular_king]

and-81

I have tried the using the "Learn IR" for my STB but not even a single channel works. I can see the blaster LED blinking but the STB would not accept it. Been trying to relearn many times but still fails. I am using Hauppauge PVR150MCE with the blaster plug into Port 2. The funny thing is that if I use the quick setup option and select Nokia 9800s, it does manage to change channels just that it is not consistent. Scratching my head now :-(

Thank you in advance.

 

[xavier]

I've been working on porting Bruno Fleurette's MceIrApi over to C#, so far I'm getting mixed results.

Good news. Can you explain me the necessary steps for recompile the Bruno driver ?

Also, I never heard whether anyone is using the SVN 1.0.1 test version of this plugin to change external channels successfuly

I am sorry, I habitually use the last release of your plugin with a lot of the extensions that it give me but I don't have an external decoder to try the "external channels" function.

Regards,
xavier.

 

[haagar]

I am moving this here from a separate thread.

I have a MCE remote installed with the replacement drivers and am using HIP.

However, when I launch Media Portal, with or without the replacement plugin, HIP no longer receives commands from the remote (the HIP system tray icon no longer flashes and nothing happens in any program I have it set to work with). When I close Media Portal, the remote works fine again.

When I say that HIP no longer receives commands, the HIP system tray icon no longer flashes.

This is a known problem. As soon as the plugin accesses the MceIrApi it interferes with HIP (which is also using the MceIrApi). There can be only one process accessing the MceIrApi at a time.

I'm working on ways to solve this, but it's not looking good in the short term I'm afraid. I will let you know as soon as I have a solution.

Thanks, I looked through this thread to see if I anyone else posted this issue, but didn't see it.

I should probably mention that this happens when using the plugin in message mode and without message mode, though you might already know that.

I don't pretend to be a programmer or know how this works, but if I am using the plugin in message mode, why does it need to access the MceIrApi?

As a temporary (possibly permanent) workaround I wrote a batch file that kills HIP, runs MediaPortal, and then when MediaPortal is closed, runs HIP.

 

[and-81]

I have tried the using the "Learn IR" for my STB but not even a single channel works. I can see the blaster LED blinking but the STB would not accept it. Been trying to relearn many times but still fails. I am using Hauppauge PVR150MCE with the blaster plug into Port 2. The funny thing is that if I use the quick setup option and select Nokia 9800s, it does manage to change channels just that it is not consistent. Scratching my head now :-(

Can you tell me the exact model of the set top box? Maybe we can find some Pronto IR codes that will work. Maybe the position of the IR bug is causing some problems? Have you tried shifting it around? Also, if your set top box supports commands over RS232 (Serial cable. Com Port) then you could try the serial commands feature of the plugin, which would always be more reliable than IR.

Good news. Can you explain me the necessary steps for recompile the Bruno driver ?

I'm using Visual C++ Express Edition, and I had to download and install the Windows Platform SDK. Once the SDK is installed you need to tell VC++ where to find it's include and library files, but once you've done that you should get it compiling. There will be a lot of warnings though. I've gone through my copy and removed all the warnings, mostly by replacing deprecated function calls.

I can attach my project file and copy of the source? I haven't tested it since making the changes to remove the warnings, but you could easily overwrite the files with Bruno's originals if you want.

I am sorry, I habitually use the last release of your plugin with a lot of the extensions that it give me but I don't have an external decoder to try the "external channels" function.

No problem. Thanks for your support.

I should probably mention that this happens when using the plugin in message mode and without message mode, though you might already know that.

I don't pretend to be a programmer or know how this works, but if I am using the plugin in message mode, why does it need to access the MceIrApi?

As a temporary (possibly permanent) workaround I wrote a batch file that kills HIP, runs MediaPortal, and then when MediaPortal is closed, runs HIP.

I'm working on a couple of ideas that might solve this, but it looks like it's going to take some time. The reason the plugin will interfere with HIP is because as soon as you access the MceIrApi it opens up a handle on the driver and this interrupts HIPs access to the driver. When in message mode the plugin does not access the driver unless you tell it to blast an IR code, a possible solution to this would be to replace blast commands with commands that instead ask HIP to do the blasting. I'll look into this some more.

Your work around is a valid one. I'm sorry you have to go to that trouble.

Cheers,

 

[ular_king]

and-81,

The only model number on the box says Nokia DVB 850s. Will take a look if my STB has a serial port or not tonite. Thanx for the advice.

 

[xavier]

I'm using Visual C++ Express Edition, and I had to download and install the Windows Platform SDK.

Where i find the correct version of SDK ? At this link i find lot of files...

I can attach my project file and copy of the source?

Yes, sir !

My knowledge of C++ is surely inferior to yours, but I want to have your same configuration to help you in the debug.

For example, to get the resume from standby with a remote control not Microsoft made but compatible RC6 (my Philips remote TV...).

In my opinion, at the moment this is the most big lack of the driver of Bruno.

Regards,
xavier.

 

[VdR]

Haagar,

I'm using HIP and this excellent plug-in. Or to be more precise I'm using the separate 'message' plug-in that and-81 once created. It is probably no longer supported and I understand that, but it works great if messages to MP is the only thing you want to do and have HIP handle the rest (including blasting). It doesn't suffer from the problem you mentioned that the plug-in takes over control of MCEir. You should be able to find the download of the message plug-in somewhere in this thread.

Hope this helps,

VdR

 

[and-81]

The only model number on the box says Nokia DVB 850s. Will take a look if my STB has a serial port or not tonite. Thanx for the advice.

I can't find any codes for that model but I'll keep looking...

Where i find the correct version of SDK ?

Here's what I downloaded:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...75-1FC4-49E5-BC66-9DA2B03D9B92&displaylang=en

But I probably should have downloaded this one:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...AC-60BE-41BD-AA14-7F1E0F19CA0D&displaylang=en

I'm going to update to it now. Also, once you've installed the Windows SDK you need to link it into Visual C++ Express (if you're using express as I am):

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/visualc/usingpsdk/

I've attached the source code for the MceIrApi, the driver is the USB Bulk driver that is included with the Windows Driver Development Kit. You can get the Windows DDK (Driver Development Kit) here:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/ddk/default.mspx

The source code I've attached has the Girder stuff removed. But it's still in the zip so you can re-introduce it, I just haven't removed the deprecated function calls from those bits.

Enjoy

 

[zutcorp]

tip

Hey

I had some problems getting the numbers blasted to my Satbox properly. It was unstable and some numbers didnt get blasted correctly. I was just about ready to throw MP out again, and go back to MCE (which is incredibly limtied and clunky, but at least didnt have this key problem) when i came upon the solution: re-Install the default MCe driver!

Now this removes some functionality that I liked, but it makes the blasting better (at least for me), and in my current setup I have next to no problems!

I'll get to sending you the box IT codes next time i fool around with my Media PC!

Thanks for listening, hopefully this will help someone

Karsten ' zut'

ps. now if only I could figure out how to get the epg runnning 100% i'd be very happy, but that for another thread!

 

[and-81]

Message Plugin

I'm using HIP and this excellent plug-in. Or to be more precise I'm using the separate 'message' plug-in that and-81 once created. It is probably no longer supported and I understand that, but it works great if messages to MP is the only thing you want to do and have HIP handle the rest (including blasting). It doesn't suffer from the problem you mentioned that the plug-in takes over control of MCEir. You should be able to find the download of the message plug-in somewhere in this thread.

Due to renewed interest in the Message Plugin I've posted it to the download section of the website. The source code has barely changed, but there's no reason for it to ever stop working. It's just so simple. And another good thing about it is that it uses MediaPortals own input mapper. So when that gets improved the plugin will benefit automatically.

https://www.team-mediaportal.com/files/Download/Plugins/Input/MessagePlugin/

Cheers,