Anyone interested by a StreamZap alternative software?

[StephaneM]

Hello All,

As I will get rid of my Hauppauge PVR150 for a new DVB-S and as so will not be able to use the Hauppauge remote anymore. I get my Streamzap out of the closet but I was always frustrated by the lack of customisation of this remote (also the native driver is sluggish on my PC).

So I have created a little utility to replace the default association (and it is also faster that the default software). It does offer somehow the same possiblities of the IR program from Hauppauge :

* a default profile
* a profile for each application (either by windows title, class name or both)
* keys can be mapped to these actions (more than one action for a key press)
- keyboard shortcuts
- WM_APPCOMMAND
- Sending message to window
- Finding a window (title / class name or both)
- Bring a window to foreground
- Force a remote profile (optional : make the remote search the window before sending keystrockes / commands)

Is anyone interested in such a tool? It is working but does not have any way to setup the profiles (xml file edit for now) but if this is something that may proves interesting I can pursue my efforts and create the UI to create / modify the profile.

I was also thinking of adding a way for this utility to create its own menu (because there is not much button on the streamzap), so basically you would assign the "Red" key (or any other) to a menu and this menu give acess to "virtual keys" (of course this will display a nice transparent / skinnable floating window where you can select the command to fire with left / right / Ok).

I would release this as a donationware.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[PGPfan]

I think this would be interesting. Would/Could this program allow the Streamzap receiver to work with a programmable remote as well?

The original Streamzap software always seems like it's 85% done, and needs just a little more to be done but never is.

-PGPfan

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by PGPfan

I think this would be interesting. Would/Could this program allow the Streamzap receiver to work with a programmable remote as well?

Yes, I will use it this way. You will still have to make your remote learn the Streamzap codes.

My software just enable you to choose what to do when you click on the "volume up" button of the remote (and all other buttons).

Basically with the default Streamzap software you can only choose some actions for Red / Green / Yellow and Blue buttons globally. Whereas with my software you can choose what each buttons on the remote do (globally or for one application / task).

Though in the Streamzap SDK I read that you can use the receiver as a universal IR receiver (meaning you can use any remote with the receiver and map an action for this new "raw" code). However this require a streamzap driver that is not available for download on the Streamzap site).

So my software is more a Girder replacement for the Streamzap (but much simpler to use I guess).

Regards,
Stéphane.

[willgill]

Before I read your last line, I was already thinking.. this sounds like a Girder replacement. IMO, the StreamZap remote just doesn't have enough options for even a novice SageTV user.

After I bought Girder, I dove in making my own customizations. I've made the StreamZap very powerful with Girder. It sounds like anyone could do the same with your program.

The obvious limitation with StreamZap is the limited number of buttons. I made one of the colored buttons a mode cycling button. Pressing the cycling button changes the mode of all buttons from TV mode to DVD mode to Mouse mode. You know which mode your in from on screen display messages from Girder.

If you could make your program fairly easy to customize to do something similar, I'd say you've got a winner. On-Screen display would just be icing on the cake.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by willgill

I made one of the colored buttons a mode cycling button. Pressing the cycling button changes the mode of all buttons from TV mode to DVD mode to Mouse mode. You know which mode your in from on screen display messages from Girder.

I'm curious, why do you need to remap all your keys for DVD Mode?

Also I'm not a big fan of the "Cycling" button, mainly because the remote will not show you in what mode it is (and you can't keep an on-screen display forever). So I was thinking of a "Multipress" option instead: you press the key one time it will do the first action assigned to it, a second time (within a timeout) it will do the second action and so on (with on-screen display by the time your press the key and the time it will carry the action).

On-Screen display would just be icing on the cake.

For now, I have enabled an on-screen display for volume change; provided you use the integrated volume action of my utility (it controls the master volume and you are able to choose the increment, you can also set the volume to an absolute value in this case the on-screen display is not displayed: this is useful for instance if when you press the "Red" button you want to start SageTV and set the volume to 30%).

So basically now all I have to do is the key mapping UI and the mini OSD menu.

Note: Mouse mode is not possible. At least when you run the utility all Streamzap default features are disabled. So I would have to create a "Mouse mode" of my own and from what I have already seen it doesn't work very well when you use a universal remote to replace the Streamzap.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[willgill]

I have the DVD mode because when watching a DVD I wanted to map Title Menu, Root menu and some other keys.

I certainly wouldn't be opposed to a double-click environment on the Streamzap.

I rarely use Mouse mode so if that's not possible, I don't think I'd miss it. I have a BTC wireless keyboard if I need to do something in Windows. I bet I need mouse-mode or the keyboard about once a month or less. The Streamzap handles most tasks.

[StephaneM]

Well, I have released a first version of the Streamzap replacement software.

You can read about it in its dedicated thread.

Regards,
Stéphane.