New MCE Remote Software

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Justintoxicated

What I have is a "computer" activity that will turn on the TV, my Receiver, change TV to DVI and Receiver to Analog Direct, and also provides access to media center button functions with a couple of over-rides (control sound on receiver for instance instead of within sage) Anyways I think I have an overly complicated yet simple sytem. It is definately what was confusing me.

I do the same thing as you do (except I use a Streamzap instead of MCE Remote) and I created a "Watch TV" activity to launch SageTV directly, and a "Computer" activity to just sit at the desktop.

[Justintoxicated]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

I do the same thing as you do (except I use a Streamzap instead of MCE Remote) and I created a "Watch TV" activity to launch SageTV directly, and a "Computer" activity to just sit at the desktop.

Yea a little different approach I'm using "watch TV" to use my cable box directly since I can't seem to get it to work through the computer..Stupid thing is takeing up my last HD input on my computer(can't hookup a HD/Blueray player now)

So anyways my computer activity works great, I just made a custom button command to lauch sage on demand rather than an entire new activity.

[Justintoxicated]

StephaneM, I am h aving a problem with your software.

When running the Lm Remote, my esc key no longer works on my keyboard! Any Ideas?

As of right now I can't use the software as that is a big problem with using my PC for other things.

[StephaneM]

Hello,

Originally Posted by Justintoxicated

When running the Lm Remote, my esc key no longer works on my keyboard! Any Ideas?

Yes, the "ESC" key is the "Clear" button on the remote. On the default profile nothing is assigned to this button. So to resolve the problem :

* remove the blank "KeyStroke" action
* add a "PressKey" action, with the Virtual Key Code "Escape"

This will resolve the problem. If you want to totally disable the "Clear" button as well as the "Ok" button for the default profile, then click on the "Setup Remote" button in the main Window and uncheck "Enable customization of the Ok button in the default profile."

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Justintoxicated]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Hello,

Yes, the "ESC" key is the "Clear" button on the remote. On the default profile nothing is assigned to this button. So to resolve the problem :

* remove the blank "KeyStroke" action
* add a "PressKey" action, with the Virtual Key Code "Escape"

This will resolve the problem. If you want to totally disable the "Clear" button as well as the "Ok" button for the default profile, then click on the "Setup Remote" button in the main Window and uncheck "Enable customization of the Ok button in the default profile."

Regards,
Stéphane.

Stephane, I could not really follow the explanation but the fix worked. Why would the escape key on the keyboard not work just because it is assigned to the remote?

Thanks though ! BTW Why would I want to disable the OK button? Is it going to cause a similar problem? Is there a way to know which buttons do what by default so I can fix anymore problems before they occure?

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Justintoxicated

I could not really follow the explanation but the fix worked. Why would the escape key on the keyboard not work just because it is assigned to the remote?

The MCE Remote is for some buttons a keyboard and for some buttons a HID device.

In order for my application to customize the remote, without messing with your system or remote drivers, it must listen to:

* the keyboard input
* the HID input

When listening to the keyboard, my software don't know if the key press comes from the remote or the keyboard. So for the MCE remote buttons : arrows, numbers, Ok (enter), clear (escape), Volume Up, Volume Down, Stop, Back, Prev Track, Next Track, the key press is blocked by my application and translated to the action(s) in the active remote profile.

BTW Why would I want to disable the OK button? Is it going to cause a similar problem?

You can disable Ok, Numbers, Arrows for the default profile only. This way, when you are using an application that doesn't have a dedicated profile, this application will receive keyboard input just as if my application wasn't installed. You can use this option if you notice some slugginess when using your keyboard.

Note: the "Clear" button, is the only key that wasn't assigned a default action in the default profile, all other usual keyboard keys are assigned a default action.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[phelme]

Hey Stephane,

I'm trying to use LM Remote KeyMap 3.2, but it is crashing on my fairly regularly. I've enclosed some of the info from the crashes below. I have both .NetFramework 1.1 & 2.0 and their updates installed.

I have another question though, can LM R K support sending a '-' (dash)? DirecTV receivers need it to get to HD subchannels. I've tried using the test channel feature but it crashes LM R K when putting in the '-'.

thanks!


-----


.NET Runtime 2.0 Error

Event ID 5000

EventType clr20r3, P1 lm remote keymap.exe, P2 3.2.2859.169, P3 47266742, P4 mscorlib, P5 2.0.0.0, P6 461eee3d, P7 8bc, P8 22, P9 system.argumentoutofrange, P10 NIL.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

0000: 63 00 6c 00 72 00 32 00 c.l.r.2.
0008: 30 00 72 00 33 00 2c 00 0.r.3.,.
0010: 20 00 6c 00 6d 00 20 00 .l.m. .
0018: 72 00 65 00 6d 00 6f 00 r.e.m.o.
0020: 74 00 65 00 20 00 6b 00 t.e. .k.
0028: 65 00 79 00 6d 00 61 00 e.y.m.a.
0030: 70 00 2e 00 65 00 78 00 p...e.x.
0038: 65 00 2c 00 20 00 33 00 e.,. .3.
0040: 2e 00 32 00 2e 00 32 00 ..2...2.
0048: 38 00 35 00 39 00 2e 00 8.5.9...
0050: 31 00 36 00 39 00 2c 00 1.6.9.,.
0058: 20 00 34 00 37 00 32 00 .4.7.2.
0060: 36 00 36 00 37 00 34 00 6.6.7.4.
0068: 32 00 2c 00 20 00 6d 00 2.,. .m.
0070: 73 00 63 00 6f 00 72 00 s.c.o.r.
0078: 6c 00 69 00 62 00 2c 00 l.i.b.,.
0080: 20 00 32 00 2e 00 30 00 .2...0.
0088: 2e 00 30 00 2e 00 30 00 ..0...0.
0090: 2c 00 20 00 34 00 36 00 ,. .4.6.
0098: 31 00 65 00 65 00 65 00 1.e.e.e.
00a0: 33 00 64 00 2c 00 20 00 3.d.,. .
00a8: 38 00 62 00 63 00 2c 00 8.b.c.,.
00b0: 20 00 32 00 32 00 2c 00 .2.2.,.
00b8: 20 00 73 00 79 00 73 00 .s.y.s.
00c0: 74 00 65 00 6d 00 2e 00 t.e.m...
00c8: 61 00 72 00 67 00 75 00 a.r.g.u.
00d0: 6d 00 65 00 6e 00 74 00 m.e.n.t.
00d8: 6f 00 75 00 74 00 6f 00 o.u.t.o.
00e0: 66 00 72 00 61 00 6e 00 f.r.a.n.
00e8: 67 00 65 00 20 00 4e 00 g.e. .N.
00f0: 49 00 4c 00 0d 00 0a 00 I.L.....

[StephaneM]

Hello,

Originally Posted by phelme

I'm trying to use LM Remote KeyMap 3.2, but it is
crashing on my fairly regularly.

Does it crash when you are doing something specifically or just at random times? Does LM Remote KeyMap tells you there was an "unexpected error and needed to close"?

I have another question though, can LM R K support sending a '-' (dash)? DirecTV receivers need it to get to HD subchannels. I've tried using the test channel feature but it crashes LM R K when putting in the '-'.

I have not tested the dash in the test channel change feature (but normally I expect a number) so in here it can crash.

However the channel change system is very well capable of handling the dash. Now with SageTV there is a problem : SageTV through the tuning plugin is only sending numbers, so with SageTV this is a no go (I'll ask SageTV dev to see if something can be done here).

Regards,
Stéphane.

[phelme]

It usually starts to crash immediately upon trying the 3rd or 4th blast. I have had one crash too when no blast was attempted. I get the standard "an unexpected error occurred in the app, want to send a report to MS?" dialog box.

Yes, I've heard from the Sage folks that '-' is not supported in the one-shot plugins (I see you are now on that thread too ). IMO that's now a problem if DirecTV continues to expand upon their subchannel lineup. I think they have 4 or 5 already.

FYI. HIP doesn't support dashes either through its command line interface, but the author is now thinking of updating it to handle them too.

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Hello,

Does it crash when you are doing something specifically or just at random times? Does LM Remote KeyMap tells you there was an "unexpected error and needed to close"?

I have not tested the dash in the test channel change feature (but normally I expect a number) so in here it can crash.

However the channel change system is very well capable of handling the dash. Now with SageTV there is a problem : SageTV through the tuning plugin is only sending numbers, so with SageTV this is a no go (I'll ask SageTV dev to see if something can be done here).

Regards,
Stéphane.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by phelme

It usually starts to crash immediately upon trying the 3rd or 4th blast. I have had one crash too when no blast was attempted. I get the standard "an unexpected error occurred in the app, want to send a report to MS?" dialog box.

In this case tell me what OS and blaster you are using and send me all files contained in the config directory C:\Documents And Settings\All Users\Application Data\LM Remote KeyMap or C:\ProgramData\LM Gestion\LM Remote KeyMap zipped at lmgestion@hotmail.com

Yes, I've heard from the Sage folks that '-' is not supported in the one-shot plugins (I see you are now on that thread too ). IMO that's now a problem if DirecTV continues to expand upon their subchannel lineup. I think they have 4 or 5 already.

I checked and the "Test channel change" feature can accept anything, so the dash should work. However with SageTV you'll not be able to use that feature.

FYI. HIP doesn't support dashes either through its command line interface, but the author is now thinking of updating it to handle them too.

I don't have any command line available but you can use COM if you want, here is a VBScript sample :

Dim oChannelChanger
Set oChannelChanger = WScript.CreateObject("LMRemoteKeyMap.ChannelChanger")

WScript.Echo oChannelChanger.DeviceName("5c357b700c6f41c7845e37a4cb660282")

Call oChannelChanger.ChannelChange("5c357b700c6f41c7845e37a4cb660282","55")

you have to substitute the device Id "5c357b700c6f41c7845e37a4cb660282" by one of the devices id you defined in LM Remote KeyMap (can be found in the devices.xml file within config directory)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[metzz71]

i get an error every time. two different machines with two different mce blasters with two different set of "Learned" codes. program has encountered an error and needs to close. I am trying to use Sage with MCE blaster and Dish Network STB's.

"LM Remote KeyMap has experienced an unexpected error (Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection. Parameter name: startIndex) and need to close, please contact our support team through our web site."

[StephaneM]

Hi,

Originally Posted by metzz71

i get an error every time. two different machines with two different mce blasters with two different set of "Learned" codes. program has encountered an error and needs to close.

Be sure to learn both "Code 1" and "Code 2". If you don't the application will crash. "Code 1" and "Code 2" are required because some remotes use debounce codes (if you are confident that yours is not, you can copy/paste Code 1 into Code 2)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Khristopher]

Is it possible to use your software with multiple MCE Blasters? I've currently got two digital cable boxes being controlled by my MCE Remote/Blasters. My HTPC has four tuners in total so I'm looking at adding two more digital boxes. Can I get away with plugging in an additional MCE Receiver and mapping it's blasters, or will I have to look towards an USB-UIRT solution instead for the remaining two boxes?

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Khristopher

Is it possible to use your software with multiple MCE Blasters?

No sorry, I only support one blaster (either MCE or USB-UIRT). I'll have something to fill your need, but it will be a long time before it get released (this will be nothing like LM Remote KeyMap but a full IR automation software)

My HTPC has four tuners in total so I'm looking at adding two more digital boxes.

If the four boxes are not the same model (or do support alternat code set), you can get away with only one blaster (you can even make it so that one pairs of boxes works with one IR code set, and the other pair with another set). Then it's just a matter of correctly putting the IR bugs in front of two receivers.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Khristopher]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

If the four boxes are not the same model (or do support alternat code set), you can get away with only one blaster (you can even make it so that one pairs of boxes works with one IR code set, and the other pair with another set). Then it's just a matter of correctly putting the IR bugs in front of two receivers.

Unfortunately all 4 boxes work off the same IR signals (They're all Motorola boxes).......nice idea though.

Any other ideas on how to handle 4 boxes? The only other way I can think of is to setup a 2nd Sage server (as a network encoder) with 2 Digital boxes on each machine running off the associated MCE blaster. I'd rather not have to do this, but unless I can control 4 from one machine, I'm not sure if I'll have another choice.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Khristopher

Any other ideas on how to handle 4 boxes?

Yup, the USB-UIRT is a good options as SageTV knows how to use it without any third party plugins. So you'll use my software for the MCE Blaster and let SageTV use the USB-UIRT.

Are you running Vista or XP? (I ask because I can see if I may be able to support more than one MCE blaster on Vista, but I can't on XP)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Khristopher]

So I can get away with using the MCE Blaster and your software for 2 boxes, and then buy a USB-UIRT which Sage supports natively for the other 2.....nice!

Can Sage handle more than 1 USB-UIRT, or essentially the same limitation as on the MCE Remote Blaster?

I'm running Sage under Win XP.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Khristopher

Can Sage handle more than 1 USB-UIRT

In theory, I think the USB-UIRT driver supports it, but I would say SageTV may not use this feature (I know I don't for instance).

[Opus4]

The USB-UIRT section of the Information Resources for Remotes, Receivers, and IR Blasters contains a link to instructions for using multiple USB-UIRTs.

- Andy

[Khristopher]

Thanks Andy! I even looked at that page while I was setting up my MCE IR Blasters.