That old chestnut - IMON (1 Viewer)

[Rob Hexenmeister]

Problems with IMON are well documented as well as the replacement dll for MiniDisplay with Soundgraph Display for iMON Manager >=8.01.0419 in plugin mode.

I did have this all working until a recent upgrade to MP which has upset everything.

I have got the VFD display working again on my Origen case, and I have managed to stop the remote control operating like it has a mind of its own.

However, the volume OSD is not appearing on volume change. I am using master volume and Windows 7 compatibility, and the volume control is actually working (for a while it wasn't).

I am a bit baffled. Obviously the volume OSD box is ticked in configuration. Any ideas anyone?


Alternatively, if it is the IMON remote control driver that is interfering or defective, I am open to other ideas about driving the VFD on the case. The remote control is redundant anyway as I am using FLIRC which is brilliant, and is making my Sky Remote Control emulate keyboard presses. I could do away with the IMON manager and drivers entirely if there was an alternative I could use to drive the VFD display only.

Any thoughts?
RH

 

[CyberSimian]

However, the volume OSD is not appearing on volume change. I am using master volume and Windows 7 compatibility, and the volume control is actually working

I think that the volume can change in one of two ways:

(1) The user tells MP to change the volume by pressing the volume buttons on an MCE RC6 remote control. MP displays the volume OSD, and tells Windows to change the volume.

(2) The user tells Windows to change the volume by pressing the buttons on an Ortek/Hama remote control. Somehow, MP finds out that the volume has changed and displays the volume OSD.

Now (2) works for me with MP 1.22f, but I am using "Wave" sound in "MP Config", and not "Master" sound. I am also using the "Windows 7" setting.

If your IMON or FLIRC software is issuing keyboard shortcuts, it sounds similar to (2), so I would suggest trying the "Wave" setting. Also, try using different settings for "Show MP OSD" and "Hide Windows OSD" to see if you can find a combination that works for you.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[Rob Hexenmeister]

Thank you CyberSimian, I shall give it a go tomorrow, though with the FLIRC emulating a keyboard which is pressing the defined keys in MP for vol up and vol down, I am surprised it isn't picking up the volume change. I shall report back!

 

[Rob Hexenmeister]

I think that the volume can change in one of two ways:

(1) The user tells MP to change the volume by pressing the volume buttons on an MCE RC6 remote control. MP displays the volume OSD, and tells Windows to change the volume.

(2) The user tells Windows to change the volume by pressing the buttons on an Ortek/Hama remote control. Somehow, MP finds out that the volume has changed and displays the volume OSD.

Now (2) works for me with MP 1.22f, but I am using "Wave" sound in "MP Config", and not "Master" sound. I am also using the "Windows 7" setting.

If your IMON or FLIRC software is issuing keyboard shortcuts, it sounds similar to (2), so I would suggest trying the "Wave" setting. Also, try using different settings for "Show MP OSD" and "Hide Windows OSD" to see if you can find a combination that works for you.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

Oh well, all permutations and combinations that I can think of have failed, including switching off HID and using the old keyboard method, using wave and using master volume, and using various volume scales. None seem to trigger the Volume OSD though the control is actually working.

So, for the time being I am stuck without the volume OSD. I think the IMON remote control driver might be the cause, so if anyone is using other software to drive the VFD (LCD Smartie for instance?) I would be very grateful to hear your experiences - and pinch your configuration


RH

 

[CyberSimian]

all permutations and combinations that I can think of have failed

The only other suggestion that I have is related to the MP version. In your "System Specs", you show the version of MP as 1.17. If you are really using that version, it would be worth updating to MP 1.22, as there were some changes in MP 1.22 relating to volume control.

If you are already using MP 1.22, it may be the case that IMON and FLIRC are suffering a side effect of those changes in MP 1.22. The Ortek/Hama that I use suffered a side effect too, but a change to the config file for the Ortek/Hama cured that. Your symptoms are different, so I don't know what to suggest to cure the problem.

Possibly another IMON/FLIRC user will comment?

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[Rob Hexenmeister]

The only other suggestion that I have is related to the MP version. In your "System Specs", you show the version of MP as 1.17. If you are really using that version, it would be worth updating to MP 1.22, as there were some changes in MP 1.22 relating to volume control.

If you are already using MP 1.22, it may be the case that IMON and FLIRC are suffering a side effect of those changes in MP 1.22. The Ortek/Hama that I use suffered a side effect too, but a change to the config file for the Ortek/Hama cured that. Your symptoms are different, so I don't know what to suggest to cure the problem.

Possibly another IMON/FLIRC user will comment?

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

Indeed yes, a very recent upgrade, I have yet to update my specs. I shall do it right away!
Thank you
RH

 

[Stéphane Lenclud]

drive the VFD display only

It's been a while since I spent time coding for MP1 but I vaguely remember there was a version of some MiniDisplay driver that would talk directly to that VFD.
It's probably very doable for any developer with enough time to invest.

 

[Rob Hexenmeister]

It's been a while since I spent time coding for MP1 but I vaguely remember there was a version of some MiniDisplay driver that would talk directly to that VFD.
It's probably very doable for any developer with enough time to invest.

Hi Stéphane,
It would be a potential solution if there was something that would drive the VFD directly and I could uninstall IMON, but I doubt that anyone would want to invest their time in something as old as this. I might be snookered, unless there is an out of the box solution already in existence using something like LCDSmartie, I will just have to wait and see what turns up. Otherwise it could be the end of MP or the end of my HTPC case for me.

KR

Rob

 

[Rob Hexenmeister]

Evening all,

I still haven't been able to solve the lack of Volume OSD. It has just occurred to me. What about using Event Ghost (I don't have this installed and don't want to install it if it is not going to help and just slow my system)

I was wondering, could I use a key press event for volume up / volume down / mute to show the volume OSD? Not a plugin I am familiar with.

Thank you
RH

 

[Rob Hexenmeister]

Hello everyone!

An update! It has taken 5 months for me to get to this point. I have IMON working, Volume OSD working and I am primed to reinstall FLIRC which has not been the problem.

Firstly, I've had to do a reinstall on a new SSD anyway because the boot sector of my HTPC got damaged and I was stuck in the repair loop. Disaster. But luckily all my data was backed up and this therefore created an opportunity.

What I have discovered:

Well, for me IMON+Volume OSD worked fine on early releases of MP up to around 1.8 then started tripping over. There is a well documented fix with a replacement minidisplay.dll library which many of you using IMON will remember.

Circa MP 1.15 the IMON library was integrated and versions circa 1.15 to 1.17 seem to work with IMON and volume OSD happily working in tandem. That is what I am currently using again.

This post may be of interest, particularly what Stéphane said on 29-05-2016
[solved] - Mini Display MP 1.13 and Volume OSD

At some point after 1.17 things go awry again and the volume OSD-IMON combination fail. This is what happened to me, and no amount of patching MiniDisplay.dlls etc solved the problem. Working out why is above my pay grade. I can't get any further.

I am pleased to say though that I appear to have most things working on an older MP build (1.17). FLIRC is an absolute whizz. It emulates just about any IR remote as a USB keyboard and I am delighted with that.

The one problem I have, and I really need help and would like to get it working, is that I need an older compatible version of Online Videos to work with MP 1.17 either to install through MPEI or manually with a bit of assistance. Can anyone help? I can't find anything on the downloads page.

If I can get hold of that then this little saga will be complete.