Power decisions (1 Viewer)

[swamprat96]

MediaPortal Version: 1.1.0
MediaPortal Skin: Standard
Windows Version: XP
CPU Type: Pentium d 2.8
HDD: 1TB seagate
Memory: 1gb
Motherboard: Intel D945PVS
Video Card: Video Card Driver: Nvidia 6600LE Gigayte
Sound Card: on board
Sound Card AC3: on board
Sound Card Driver: Realtek Audio
1. TV Card: Hauppage T500
Remote: Logitech Harmony 515
TV: LG
TV - HTPC Connection: DVi-component

I'm trying to make the decision how to control the power on this setup.
Currently I have power scheduler running and I've told the remote to leave the HTPC on. PS then puts the HTPC into suspend mode after 5 minutes(I'll extend that when I finish testing)- good. BUT the Harmony remote remembers the last power state and presumes the unit is still on - so when using the Watch TV activity - the remote does not send a power command. I can manually fire it but thats not the ideal solution

If I allow the remote to power off the HTPC - will the power scheduler resume for recording?

The other scenario is that I leave the HTPC on and disable the power scheduler. But this will suck power and again is not ideal. Any suggestions welcome

 

[pilehave]

MediaPortal Version: 1.1.0
MediaPortal Skin: Standard
Windows Version: XP
CPU Type: Pentium d 2.8
HDD: 1TB seagate
Memory: 1gb
Motherboard: Intel D945PVS
Video Card: Video Card Driver: Nvidia 6600LE Gigayte
Sound Card: on board
Sound Card AC3: on board
Sound Card Driver: Realtek Audio
1. TV Card: Hauppage T500
Remote: Logitech Harmony 515
TV: LG
TV - HTPC Connection: DVi-component

I'm trying to make the decision how to control the power on this setup.
Currently I have power scheduler running and I've told the remote to leave the HTPC on. PS then puts the HTPC into suspend mode after 5 minutes(I'll extend that when I finish testing)- good. BUT the Harmony remote remembers the last power state and presumes the unit is still on - so when using the Watch TV activity - the remote does not send a power command. I can manually fire it but thats not the ideal solution

If I allow the remote to power off the HTPC - will the power scheduler resume for recording?

The other scenario is that I leave the HTPC on and disable the power scheduler. But this will suck power and again is not ideal. Any suggestions welcome

I use a Harmony too, and when you edit an activity, you can add commands the remote should fire when using the activity. I run a "Power toggle" for my iMon display/IR receiver when I start the "Watch TV" activity. I have also added an autostart plugin, that ensures that TV is automatically started and tuned when starting my "Watch TV" activity. This is fired after a 10000 milisecond (10 seconds) delay. These will fire nomatter what state the remote thinks the device is in

I use Windows own sleep function. When I start another activity, or I press the "Off" button, I have programmed the remote to send commands that navigates to home, and sends a "stop" command to MediaPortal. This way the machine will sleep after 5 minutes.

Think outside the box

 

[swamprat96]

OK thanks. But won't the power toggle turn the media center off if say you were listening to music then switched to TV? I understand how to add the powertoggle but didn't because of this.

I'm also not sure about the austostart for TV. Is what you are saying is that you only activate this for TV? Currently I have the TV set to start as fullscreen but it would be nice to have it start more quickly- and I do want Mediaportal to fire up in other modes for music video etc

appreciate the tips

 

[pilehave]

OK thanks. But won't the power toggle turn the media center off if say you were listening to music then switched to TV? I understand how to add the powertoggle but didn't because of this.

I'm also not sure about the austostart for TV. Is what you are saying is that you only activate this for TV? Currently I have the TV set to start as fullscreen but it would be nice to have it start more quickly- and I do want Mediaportal to fire up in other modes for music video etc

appreciate the tips

My Powertoggle doesn't do what it says, it only works for tuning the damn thing on, but basically it does the same as a "PowerOn" command would do

And no, my MP install always turn on Live TV as this is what I use it for 99% of the time. The music part isn't that big for me.

 

[swamprat96]

I intend to use this for playing stored videos, DVDs , Music and TV so that won't work for me. Also my power toggle works both ways so I still have an issue with it turning off if I program an extra power step.

The remote works fine if I just leave the unit on. It just seems to have a problem wakig up the box if I use the watch TV activity. But if I use device/poweron it works fine