Using IR Server Suite to control receiver volume (1 Viewer)

[MrPaulo]

Hi,

I've been using media portal for a few years now and have been successfully using IR Server Suite to change channels on my STB for the TV Server. I think this plugin is awesome (essential!!) for MP TV, but I'm a long way from unleashing its full potential in my setup.

I'd now like to go to the next step and use the IR Server suite to control the volume on my recevier (rather than control the volume via the PC) - that should open the door for me to move to digital sound to the receiver...

"All" I want to do is when hte service receives a Volume + or Volume - command from the remote, to blast the command to the receiver instead of an internal vomune change on the PC (or as well as; I don't mind).

Anyway - I can't figure it out and I'm on the verge of giving up .

Here is what I have managed to do:
- IR Service is running (and working for STB changes)
- I have disabled the "use MCE checkbox" in the Remote section of MP Config
- Microsoft MCE remote set to transmit and receive in the input service config
- [Edit] Set the enable remote and enable keyboard to true
- [Edit] Set the handle keyboard locally button to false
- in the MP Control Plugin I have learnt the commands for the receiver (and they test OK)

then I wasn't sure where to go next. I want to tell it to blast these commands on a volume change. From what I could figure out I don't need multi-mapping (as I don't want multiple modes for the remote) and I don't need macros (as I only want to do one thing) and I don't need event mapper (as volume doesn't seem to be an event).

So I went to "Map Buttons" on the Remote Controls tab. In there I changed the action for Volume+ and - to Blast my new volume IR commands instead of invoking the volume change action.

The outcome is that there is no visible blasting at all on these button presses - but the rest of the remote seems to work fine. The volume buttons now don't seem to do anything. I tried setting the action for volume+ to be toggle Mute, but it doesn't do anything either. I tired resetting to the defaults and starting MP and the volume buttons still don't work. I tried setting the action for Mute to blast a volume down but in MP it still just muted it.

Also - I have a Microsoft infared keyboard, and the up/down buttons on this seem to do two keypresses, but on the remote there is only 1 keypress? [Edit] Remving the "handle keyboard locally" check in the input service config for Microsoft MCE fixed this issue.

It looks like I have three two problems:
1. Volume+and- don't seem to work if I disable the "Use MCE Remote" in the remote config.
2. The mappings that I change seem to have no effect.
3. MCE Keyboard button presses happen twice?

Any help anyone can give me is much appreciated.

 

[cafe.racer]

I don't think that's how you set up blasting, at least that's not how I've done it (but I'm a non-MP user).

However, you can remap the MCE Remote itself, though - so you can teach your remote the IR codes from your Receiver's remote. This would mean that you wouldn't need to use IRSS to do the volume changing on your receiver, although you still could if you wanted to.

This is the procedure for the early "curvy" remote:

Using the MCE Remote Control Learning Functionality:

The TV, Vol+ and Vol- buttons on the remote control can "learn" IR commands from other remote controls. This feature lets you use the TV button to turn on your TV and the Vol+ and Vol- buttons to adjust the volume on your TV or another device such as an audio receiver.

By default the Vol+ and Vol- buttons on the remote your pc sysyem volume and the TV button has no command assigned until it "learns" one.

Do not perform this procedure in bright or natural light.

1. Place the remote head-to-head (2-3" apart) with the remote control from which it is learning

2. On the MCE remote press and hold the DVD MENU and OK buttons at the same time until the LED turns off. (~2 sec)

The remote is now in learning mode.

3. On the MCE remote, press and release the TV, Vol+ and Vol-, depending on which command you want it to learn.

The MCE remote blinks once to confirm the selection.

4. On the remote control that is teaching the command, press and hold the button that you want the corresponding button on the MCE remote to learn.

The MCE remote LED flashes twice to confirm the selection

If the remote did not learn the command, the LED blinks quickly four times.

To try again, repeat steps 1 through 4.

---------

To restore the default remote control settings

1. Press and hold the DVD MENU button and the LEFT navigation button at the same time until the MCE remote LED turns off.

2. Press the OK button.

The MCE remote LED blinks twice to confirm that the buttons have been reset.

The TV button will have no command assigned to it and the Vol+ and Vol- will adjust the MCE system volume.

If the default settings were not restored, the LED will blink quickly four times. To try again, repeat steps 1 and 2.

//END

 

[MrPaulo]

Thanks for the idea. I remember this now, and it is diagrammed under the keyboard... But unfotunately the receiver is behind closed wooden doors (ventilated at the back though ). The only thing that is visible from the setup (apart from the TV of course!) is the Microsoft infa-red receiver. So I would prefer to use the blaster (that is inside the cabinet) if possible. But if no-one can help tell me how to make that work - I guess I'll have to take the receiver out of the cupboard.

Thanks,
Paul.

 

[cafe.racer]

Ah, fair enough.

Have you tried the debug client? It works well in helping you figure out which bit is not talking to which other bit. Also, try opening translator and try mapping any old button to send some learnt IR command to BOTH blasters. If you have the MCE blasters, they flash when emitting.