Denmark
If you own a x10 RF based remote like ATI, medion etc. then you probably also know that getting the remote control to actually turn on your PC from standby or hibernation is difficult if not impossible.
In this regard MCE remote users are spoiled. It more or less works out of the box.
But with a few tricks you can actually have the same thing working for any X10 based remote.
I did my experimentation on the ATI remote wonder, very old school remote.
My OS is win7 x64.
What you need is (requirements):
1) a 24-7 server (a PC that is running more or less all the time). Dedicated TV engine users might have this setup already.
2) each MP client needs to have a network card that is capable of WOL - wake on lan.
You need to enable the WOL feature on the NIC's settings under device manager in windows.
Also look on the power management tab. Enable the whole lot.
3) The x10 remote should be able to communicate from your livingroom and to where your server is located.
If x10 signal reception is bad, try and extend the USB cable. It does wonders.
The general idea is to have an always running windows server which will listen for any incoming x10 remote control commands.
It will then send a wake-on-lan packet to the user defined mediaportal htpc (mac adress), which results in the htpc waking up from any sleep mode.
With eventghost or any other WOL tool you should be able to tell if basic WOL actually wakes up your client(s).
Test if this basic functionality works.
If it does.. feel free to continue.
What you need to do is:
server:
Install the x10 usb receiver dongle on the server (the USB RF receiver that came with your x10 remote) and use these drivers:
ftp://ftp.x10.com/pub/applications/drivers/x10drivers_x64.exe
these are for x64, similar for x86 should be available.
Install EventGhost on the server. http://www.eventghost.org/
Run eventghost.
Menu->File->New
No add plugin, "x10 remote".
If you only have one x10 remote in the house then just choose all active ID's otherwise choose the active ID (channel) that
your remote us currently using.
Remember to choose the proper X10 model, ATI, etc.
Try and hit any button on the remote, it should appear in the log window to your left. If it doesnt, the active ID is probably wrong.
Now add a new action. Choose action / "wake on LAN". Enter the MAC adresse of the destination network card.
(You can obtain this by looking at the output from the ipconfig /all command on the client (dos prompt).)
Now hit the "power" button on your remote control. It should be listed in your left side (log window of eventghost).
Drag and drop the entry from the log and onto the wake on lan action.
It should now create a macro for you.
You should now be able to test it.
Put your client into either standby or hibernation.
Then click "power" on your remote.
The server (eventghost should acknowledge this)
The client should now awake.
If it works, cool, save your eventghost profile.
If you have more HTPC's each using a X10 remote control, then repeat these steps, remember to use unique active ID's.
You only need 1 USB X10 receiver on the server.
Npw what about the client and the USB X10 receiver dongle, it is now located on the server, right ?
Will luckily I have a few of these around.
So in my case I have a USB X10 receiver dongle on each of my clients also, and mp config is setup to use ATI remote.
If you only have one USB X10 receiver you should probably look unto IRSS and install this on your server as well.
It should be able to listen to the X10 signals at the same time as eventghost.
On the client you should also install the IRSS client part.
It should be able to redirect any keypresses from the server and onto the client.
If signal is semi bad in your case, then this IRSS deal might be a bad idea after all.
Instead you should invest in a spare USB x10 receiver unit, just buy an extra remote.
/gibman
In this regard MCE remote users are spoiled. It more or less works out of the box.
But with a few tricks you can actually have the same thing working for any X10 based remote.
I did my experimentation on the ATI remote wonder, very old school remote.
My OS is win7 x64.
What you need is (requirements):
1) a 24-7 server (a PC that is running more or less all the time). Dedicated TV engine users might have this setup already.
2) each MP client needs to have a network card that is capable of WOL - wake on lan.
You need to enable the WOL feature on the NIC's settings under device manager in windows.
Also look on the power management tab. Enable the whole lot.
3) The x10 remote should be able to communicate from your livingroom and to where your server is located.
If x10 signal reception is bad, try and extend the USB cable. It does wonders.
The general idea is to have an always running windows server which will listen for any incoming x10 remote control commands.
It will then send a wake-on-lan packet to the user defined mediaportal htpc (mac adress), which results in the htpc waking up from any sleep mode.
With eventghost or any other WOL tool you should be able to tell if basic WOL actually wakes up your client(s).
Test if this basic functionality works.
If it does.. feel free to continue.
What you need to do is:
server:
Install the x10 usb receiver dongle on the server (the USB RF receiver that came with your x10 remote) and use these drivers:
ftp://ftp.x10.com/pub/applications/drivers/x10drivers_x64.exe
these are for x64, similar for x86 should be available.
Install EventGhost on the server. http://www.eventghost.org/
Run eventghost.
Menu->File->New
No add plugin, "x10 remote".
If you only have one x10 remote in the house then just choose all active ID's otherwise choose the active ID (channel) that
your remote us currently using.
Remember to choose the proper X10 model, ATI, etc.
Try and hit any button on the remote, it should appear in the log window to your left. If it doesnt, the active ID is probably wrong.
Now add a new action. Choose action / "wake on LAN". Enter the MAC adresse of the destination network card.
(You can obtain this by looking at the output from the ipconfig /all command on the client (dos prompt).)
Now hit the "power" button on your remote control. It should be listed in your left side (log window of eventghost).
Drag and drop the entry from the log and onto the wake on lan action.
It should now create a macro for you.
You should now be able to test it.
Put your client into either standby or hibernation.
Then click "power" on your remote.
The server (eventghost should acknowledge this)
The client should now awake.
If it works, cool, save your eventghost profile.
If you have more HTPC's each using a X10 remote control, then repeat these steps, remember to use unique active ID's.
You only need 1 USB X10 receiver on the server.
Npw what about the client and the USB X10 receiver dongle, it is now located on the server, right ?
Will luckily I have a few of these around.
So in my case I have a USB X10 receiver dongle on each of my clients also, and mp config is setup to use ATI remote.
If you only have one USB X10 receiver you should probably look unto IRSS and install this on your server as well.
It should be able to listen to the X10 signals at the same time as eventghost.
On the client you should also install the IRSS client part.
It should be able to redirect any keypresses from the server and onto the client.
If signal is semi bad in your case, then this IRSS deal might be a bad idea after all.
Instead you should invest in a spare USB x10 receiver unit, just buy an extra remote.
/gibman