Remote / IR Receiver Advice (1 Viewer)

[scott_mckenzie]

Hi,

Wanting some advice on a solution to my continued issue with my IR remote. If you look at my system specs under my avatar you will see my entire HTPC rig, but key details are:
- Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H-MVP motherboard - this does not have a CIR header. - refer to here fore more details http://www.gigabyte.com.au/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4192#sp
- Coolermaster 525watt PSU
- Microsoft MCE Remote + IR Receiver
- I also have a Harmony 650 remote which I primarily use
- I use the onboard HDMI to output to my AV Receiver (Yamaha RX-V773) which outputs video via HDMI to my LG 42" 1080p TV).
- Windows 7 x64 Ultimate OS with MP 1.6
- I have a lian Li C50 case - this has only 1 external 5.25" bay. No other external slots.

I have tried everything with BIOS settings as well Windows power management, and device manager settings to ensure the PC can wake from sleep via USB. I can wake the PC 100% of the time from my Wireless RF keyboard, however it rarely works with either the harmony or MCE remotes. When I use the remote the IR receiver does not respond - no red light response.

To me I can only guess that the problem is that the USB ports are not providing enough power to support the IR receiver. I have tried multiple ports, etc with no success. While the HTPC is on both remotes work perfectly.

So time to stop playing with software settings and to try something different. I have researched other options and from here I can see a few choices:
1. FORMAT / REINSTALL - I have done this before with no success.
2. Get a new motherboard that is highly reliable with supporting IR remotes.
3. Get the Soundgraph iMON IR Inside device - http://www.soundgraph.com/inside-feature-en/
- If I do this I would either have to butcher the device as I dont have an external 3.5" slot, or get a new case (which I want to avoid at all costs).
4. Get the Wesna or PLEX IR receiver. This looks promising, but runs off an internal USB header so I'm wondering if this will work.
Wesna Receiver - http://www.shop.perfecthometheater.com/Wesena-IR-receiver-IR-receiver.htm
PLEX receiver - http://www.hd-plex.com/hdplex-internal-mce-ir-remote-control.html
5. Get an IR remote and receiver (not preferred as I won't be able to use my Harmony remote).
6. Build a bridge and get over it and stick to using my keyboard to wake my PC

Out of all of these options, the one I would prefer the most would be option 4 as it looks to be simple and tidy, but I question if it would actually work considering it relies on a USB header. Other than this I am thinking Option 2 as motherboard are very cheap considering what they do... I can see the ASRock boards seem to support remotes quite well with their CIR headers.

Any advice would be great on this, if you have other options I would love to hear.

Cheers - Scott

 

[scott_mckenzie]

Bounce

Really need some advice here. There are a lot of smart people on this forum and I guarantee many have been in my shoes based on what I've read on the web. If you have suggestions please let me know.

Cheers - Scott

 

[CyberSimian]

So time to stop playing with software settings and to try something different.

For something completely different, you could try the following solution; I use it with hibernation, but it would work equally well with sleep:

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/viewtopic.php?p=71731#p71731

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[erichzann]

I don't know what the solution is but I know how I fixed the problem I had which was the same.

For some reason the combination of another usb port I was using for a game controller was causing problems.

Anyway, I am sure you have tried this but I removed all USB devices except the remote and then tried it on the different usb ports. Eventually it worked so I started to plug everything back in and that's how I found the problem with the usb controller.

 

[scott_mckenzie]

Thanks CyberSimian - I've had a look at the Power Adaptor and the price is almost the same as a new motherboard so I will need to have a good think about going down that path. It certainly is a creative solution and I agree it is pretty much guaranteed to work. Thanks for the suggestion.

erichzann, I am pretty sure I have tried that but it can't hurt to give it another go - I have a funny feeling it might just work - did you have a Gigabyte motherboard by any chance?

 

[scott_mckenzie]

Hi,

I had a thought about another option that might work. When I can't wake my PC, the IR receiver never shows a red light when using the remote. I am wondering if the issue is that the IR receiver doesn't have enough standby power as the PC can wake with my wireless RF keyboard.

If this is the case I was thinking that the solution might be as simple as getting a powered USB hub????

Am I thinking too simplistically? I can buy one on the weekend but thought I would get advice from you all.

Cheers - Scott

 

[CyberSimian]

I am wondering if the issue is that the IR receiver doesn't have enough standby power as the PC can wake with my wireless RF keyboard.

Not likely (unless the IR receiver is faulty).

Some USB devices have a "Power Management" tab on their "Properties" panel in "Device Manager", with an option that says "Allow this device to wake the computer". Does your IR receiver have this tab? Not all do -- I have just checked the entry for my "Microsoft eHome Infrared Transceiver" and that does not have the "Power Management" tab (I guess it is always enabled for wake from sleep).

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[kiwijunglist]

I can wake the PC 100% of the time from my Wireless RF keyboard, however it rarely works with either the harmony or MCE remotes. When I use the remote the IR receiver does not respond - no red light response.

so are you saying it intermittently works?

I would recommend you do all your testing using the mce remote, not the harmony. Then after you have it sorted add the harmony into the equation.

I would recommend making sure in bios to set wake from any device as well as the same setting in device manager. Ensure s3 sleep is enabled in bios. I would change power management in control panel to set power button to "sleep" rather than "power on/off". Try sleeping the pc with the remote, then wake with the remote. you could also experiment with using s1 sleep instead.

I wouldn't recommend using soundgraph.

So you are saying that you can wake the computer from s3 sleep using the power button on wireless keyboard, which uses a usb dongle?

 

[liyon8]

Yup you totally right about that

 

[scott_mckenzie]

Hi All,

You're not going to believe this but I have found a solution!

My 1 year old decided to relocate my Harmony remote in our toilet (yeah even I had to laugh) so I had to get a new one. I then installed it quickly as soon as it arrived with the showdown sequence to turn my TV, AVR, and HTPC all off at exactly the same time.

Voila, it has worked every single time! I have no idea why, but I'm too scared to change anything. Just wanted to close the loop out and let people know of something else to try.