Hauppauge remote won't work

[timrob]

Does anybody know how to find out why my Hauppauge remotes won't work? I find all kinds of info on intermitent receivers, blasters not working, focus not right, but nothing on the remote not working. I have a Hauppauge 150 with an IR blaster and a Hauppauge 350. I have WinTV and Sage TV 2.2 installed on Windows XP Pro. Both remotes are the new silver remotes with 43 buttons. Either remote from the 150 or 350 won't work with either receiver. Either remote won't work with WinTV or SageTV. It's not that the remote is intermitent, it just doesn't work. The IR blaster works fine if I use the IR Blaster setup program. I can see the IR light and it turns my cable box on/off and changes channels when using the same IR Blaster setup program. Hauppauge sent me a new 150 IR blaster cable, and that doesn't work either. I confirmed the batterys are good. I confirmed the cables are seated properly. I tried replacing the Irremote.ini from Opus (see link How to sleep/wake SageTV with the Hauppauge remote in SageTV forum under this same section). Windows XP Pro, WinTV, and SageTV are all on a brand new partion on a fresh install. Everything works fine except for the remote. There's no issues under Windows Device Manager. The remote use to work intermitently with WinTV, and worked fine with SageTV (both on my old partition), but I had to rebuild because I couldn't get both cards to work.

[Opus4]

Do you get error messages when ir.exe starts?

It will use either the 150 or 350's receiver -- since you can use the 150's blaster, I'm guessing it should be trying to use the 150's receiver. Make sure you are really trying to use the receiver portion of that cable.

After restarting ir.exe, load an empty "debug.txt" file in notepad & make sure it has focus. Do you see anything appear in notepad when you press a remote button?

If you are getting no error message & nothing shows up in notepad, then I'm not sure what else to say.

- Andy

[steingra]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Do you get error messages when ir.exe starts?

It will use either the 150 or 350's receiver -- since you can use the 150's blaster, I'm guessing it should be trying to use the 150's receiver. Make sure you are really trying to use the receiver portion of that cable.

After restarting ir.exe, load an empty "debug.txt" file in notepad & make sure it has focus. Do you see anything appear in notepad when you press a remote button?

If you are getting no error message & nothing shows up in notepad, then I'm not sure what else to say.

- Andy

Thanks for the tip about the debug.txt file. now thats what I call smart thinking

I am in the process of trying to get my hauppage 43 button silver remote, to be used to control SageTV. So I started ir.exe from the *restart IR* option on the Hauppauge menu.

I see each buttons text show up in the debug.txt file. So I guess thats a good first step. NOW I what I think have to do is find this new irremote.ini file and copy it (after backing up original one) to the Windows directory.

And make sure ir.exe is running....after that I dont know if I have to do anything in SageTV to make it listen for my remote

I thought I read somewhere that you need to reinstall SageTV completely, if you didnt install support for the remote during setup. Tell me thats not true.

I will keep reading here to see if I can find the exact steps to get hauppauge and SageTV talking to each other. Unless you know offhand.

PS
I am using a PVR-150...thats is what the remote came with

Thanks!!!!!

[Opus4]

You don't need to reinstall SageTV. If it is already installed, just check out post #3 in Hauppauge link #1 in my sig lines (to control via key codes; SageTV must have focus for the remote to control it), or post #15 in link #3 (to control via event codes; focus is not needed). There are instructions in those posts & don't forget to restart ir.exe after changing or replacing irremote.ini.

- Andy

[steingra]

Originally Posted by Opus4

You don't need to reinstall SageTV. If it is already installed, just check out post #3 in Hauppauge link #1 in my sig lines (to control via key codes; SageTV must have focus for the remote to control it), or post #15 in link #3 (to control via event codes; focus is not needed). There are instructions in those posts & don't forget to restart ir.exe after changing or replacing irremote.ini.

- Andy

I remember seeing that stuff before. but as usual i got side tracked reading lots of other fun stuff. I am going to try the send message routine. And see how that goes. Hopefully wont be too painful.

Thanks

Do you ever sleep?

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by steingra

Do you ever sleep?

Yes, but this forum is all a dream, so it goes offline when I wake up. Or so I've been told.

Or was it vice versa?

Carpe noctem?

- Andy

[steingra]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Yes, but this forum is all a dream, so it goes offline when I wake up. Or so I've been told.

Or was it vice versa?

Carpe noctem?

- Andy

Thats funny. Who needs sleep anyway, right. Well I just did those two steps, copied the file to Windows directory (after making backup) and restarted ir.exe...I hit the green button and it woke up. Been clicking a few buttons. Its working. NICE NICE NICE

Glad it was easy.

So now its checked of my long todo list.

You will laugh...I will send you a diagram I am finishing up, of all the things I want to do with sageTV. Its A LOT!!!!!!!!!

I decided I was lost without a plan. TOOOOO many things to read out here.

[steingra]

Originally Posted by Opus4

You don't need to reinstall SageTV. If it is already installed, just check out post #3 in Hauppauge link #1 in my sig lines (to control via key codes; SageTV must have focus for the remote to control it), or post #15 in link #3 (to control via event codes; focus is not needed). There are instructions in those posts & don't forget to restart ir.exe after changing or replacing irremote.ini.
- Andy

Well, just an update, all the buttons work great on the remote. And I navigated through SageTV using it. COOL!

I was reading another post here about two hauppage remotes? The reason I ask is that, tommorrow when the new day arrives, I will be installing my PVR USB2 device. And I see it comes with a remote. Its probably the same one. So do you think that one will work too? Or you know what, I dont think it matters. Its transparent. I mean, as long as this first one keeps working, then SageTV will be setup for the new USB2 device. Then I can just navigate through SageTV just like I have been with keyboard or with a remote control

And I should just have the option to choose source 1 (digital cable) or my source 2 (DISH network) when viewing LiveTV guide or whatever.

So I guess the second remote is useless, right? The more I think about it, I cant think of why I need it. What do you think?

Thanks!!!

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by steingra

So I guess the second remote is useless, right? The more I think about it, I cant think of why I need it. What do you think?

Well, I wouldn't call it useless... if you are married, let your wife use it. If you have company over, let them use it. Then, always keep yours hidden by your side & secretly press Stop when they try to play something. When they give the 2nd remote back to you, it will suddenly work fine again. You'll be in control w/o any arguments.

But, in terms of controlling SageTV when it has multiple tuners... a single remote will still suffice.

- Andy

[steingra]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Well, I wouldn't call it useless... if you are married, let your wife use it. If you have company over, let them use it. Then, always keep yours hidden by your side & secretly press Stop when they try to play something. When they give the 2nd remote back to you, it will suddenly work fine again. You'll be in control w/o any arguments.

But, in terms of controlling SageTV when it has multiple tuners... a single remote will still suffice.

- Andy

Yeah now thats really funny!

I will have to do that


PS
Did you tell me already that I cant teach my MX 500 the codes from the hauppauge remote? Seems like you (or someone else) told me there is something different about the hauppauge remote. That is actually has 2 IR codes per button?

It would be real nice if I could teach the MX 500 from the hauppauge remote. Seeing as my MX 500 learned from every other remote, I am not sure why haupauge would have made their remote so different. but what-ta-I-know.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by steingra

Did you tell me already that I cant teach my MX 500 the codes from the hauppauge remote? Seems like you (or someone else) told me there is something different about the hauppauge remote. That is actually has 2 IR codes per button?

It would be real nice if I could teach the MX 500 from the hauppauge remote. Seeing as my MX 500 learned from every other remote, I am not sure why haupauge would have made their remote so different.

It has to do with the IR protocol the Hauppauge remote uses, which is called "RC5". It toggles between 2 different codes whenever you press the same button repeatedly (different from pressing & holding, which is the same code over & over). There are other IR protocols that do this too.

Unless the MX-500 was changed, it cannot learn both states of such a toggle code, so repeated presses of the same button will always send the same code. You _can_ learn the single codes & use it this way, but the Hauppauge software will not work as well as it should.

Check with the remote's manuafacturer to see if they've added the Hauppauge remotes to the MX-500's built-in database. (They did this for the MX-700 a few months ago, but its software is updatable by downloading new firmware.) When such RC5 codes are built into the MX-500, it works perfertly fine.

I think you said you have a USB-UIRT (?) -- single codes are best for it, so you don't have to teach 2 codes to SageTV for each button. You could learn each single code on the MX-500 & then teach them to SageTV for whatever commands you want to use for each button.

- Andy

[steingra]

Originally Posted by Opus4

I think you said you have a USB-UIRT (?) -- single codes are best for it, so you don't have to teach 2 codes to SageTV for each button. You could learn each single code on the MX-500 & then teach them to SageTV for whatever commands you want to use for each button.

- Andy

Here is a diagram of what I am working on. I simplified it somewhat. I also have a 7 page document :-O laying out all the things that I want to do. So there, now I have an official list of goals...and a diagram to stare at. I like drawing pictures

[Opus4]

heh... one thing people say the manual is missing is a series of diagrams of possible system configurations. If we ever manage to add such an appendix, maybe I should contact you!

- Andy

[steingra]

Originally Posted by Opus4

heh... one thing people say the manual is missing is a series of diagrams of possible system configurations. If we ever manage to add such an appendix, maybe I should contact you!

- Andy

I would be glad to draw *stuff*. I always enjoy it. A picture is worth a 1000 words, give er take a few

Just let me know. Its the least I can do for all the help I am getting and will be receiving from this place.

PS
Just installed PVR-USB2 card. No problems with that. My system didnt blow up yet!

Now to get SageTV to recognize it And to configure it, and talk to the DISH network receiver....we shall see....Hopefully it will go smoothly.

[ddesmedt]

Newbie here. Having serious problems with my HTPC. Besides parts dying on me, like having to replace my brand new Mobo and not getting any sound through winTV, I can't get my Hauppauge 150, 43 button remote to work at all!
I thought I would test with winTV and quickly move over to sage, but I'm not getting anywhere.

I'm kind of getting disheartened. Too many problems and I'm not really getting anywhere. So any troubleshooting tips for:

a) How I can get my hauppauge 150 to start responding to the 43 button remote that came with? Did I mention that I already returned a previous one back to the store b/c I thought it wasn't working. But two doing the same thing...I think I am doing something wrong.
I tried the "debug.txt" but I'm not sure if I understand. Bascially I opened a text file, made sure it had focus and began mashing buttons on the remote. Nothing. Not sure if that's what Opus meant.

b) How can I get sound to come through my tv input? Currently just playing with Analog cable, so I thought it wouldn't be too tough. Right now all I get is static for sound.

c) Picture is horrible. Played with the splitter and that's definetly not the prob. Pretty staticy (sp?)?

I realize that this isn't just about the remote like the forum says, but that is the big worry for me. I think with enough playing I can get the other two problems to work.

I've been looking so forward to getting a Sage enabled HTPC. My girlfriend was even looking forward to using it (She even put some $$$ b/c she wants to record Desperate Housewives...).

Just getting disheartened.

Thanks for the help.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by ddesmedt

a) How I can get my hauppauge 150 to start responding to the 43 button remote that came with? Did I mention that I already returned a previous one back to the store b/c I thought it wasn't working. But two doing the same thing...I think I am doing something wrong.
I tried the "debug.txt" but I'm not sure if I understand. Bascially I opened a text file, made sure it had focus and began mashing buttons on the remote. Nothing. Not sure if that's what Opus meant.

Did you install the Hauppauge software to control the remote? If so, is ir.exe running? -- it should start either when the PC reboots or when you run ir.exe.

Is the remote receiver connected properly to the IR port on the 150?

To do the test w/Notepad, you have to have a file called "debug.txt" loaded (w/o the quotes) in Notepad.

- Andy

[ddesmedt]

ir.exe is running. Restarted it many times.
I have also removed and replugged the connector many times too.
Replaced the batteries about 4 times.
Is it a specific "debug.txt" or can I just create one called debug.txt?

Tried different PCI slots and am just trying that again. I'm starting to wonder if it's possible that I got two seperate 150's with dead remotes.

Hmm, maybe it's times for a complete rebuild. Sigh, I just built this thing a couple of days ago. I'm going to try a few more things before hand.

Is there any way for me to tell if the remote is working at all? Flashing lights? Buzzing sound? Feeling of disorientation?

Either I have really bad luck with hardware, or there is something very obvious that I am missing. Frustrating.

Guess I can put a call into hauppauge about this instead of buggin you guys....

[Opus4]

Just save a blank file as debug.txt.

And, yeah, if it isn't doing anything, I would talk to Hauppauge.

- Andy