How to use PowerDVD Ultra using SageTV

[chrishallowell]

How do you incorporate PowerDVD into SageTV?

I want to be able to select a "Play HD-DVD/Blu-ray" from SageTV's main menu and have control over PowerDVD Ultra with an IR remote. And then be able to get back to SageTV.

This way?
1. Start/SetFocus to PowerDVD Ultra from SageTV(SageMC) main menu?
2. Have EventGhost send the remotes IR commands to PowerDVD Ultra?
3. When a specific IR code comes into EventGhost, SetFocus back to SageTV.

How is EventGhost suppose to know that the user selected the "Play HD-DVD" selection in SageTV? (IE: How do I pass control from SageTV to Eventghost's event?)

Thanks,
Chris

[CollinR]

Use the dynamic menus plugin and EventGhost's command line interface. You will want to use the -n switch and have the network reciever plugin installed. I know this sounds odd but if you are running as a service you will have difficulties dealing with the local context. Using the -n (network sender CLI) you can easily bypass all that using the loopback interface.


Also you can use the system plugin to find PDVD is running or not. If it's running make PDVD exclusive, if it's not make SageTV exclusive.

EDIT:

Also have the -n command you send to EG start PowerDVD so it's all inside one menu item.

[bialio]

This is how I do it :

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...8&postcount=13

btl.

[CollinR]

Oh thats soo true! I forgot that you aren't tring to do this from an extender. It'll work as discribed but it's much easier to do locally then from an MVP.

You will need the USBUIRT, Tasks and SageTV plugins installed in EventGhost.



You should see items like this when you start PowerDVD.

Task.Activated.PowerDVD

You can use that to trigger when to put your remote into PowerDVD exclusive mode.

Task.Destroyed.PowerDVD

That can be used to trigger when to put it back into SageTV mode.

This takes no buttons on your remote at all.

It somewhat depends on how you wish to start PowerDVD, if you want it started from a button press on the remote. You will need to trap that IR with the USBUIRT plugin.

I don't actually use EG for incoming IR but the short of it is new macro the event will be from the USBUIRT plugin and the IR code will either be requested or displayed in the log in the left pane. You can drag items from the left pane to use them as triggers or conditions for your macros.

Install the plugin and go point the remote at the USBUIRT and press it a few times. Get close to the USBUIRT the red LED on the front will flash when recieved.

In the log it will look like this:

USB_UIRT.431F014151F5

Use that as the trigger for your macro and have it launch PowerDVD and go to a PowerDVD exclusive mode. You can use the

Task.Destroyed.PowerDVD

To bring SageTV back as in the first example.



I launch everything from inside the menus using Niel's killer dynamic menus plugin. This way everything still works from any MVP in the house, open DVD drive or power off MVP.

[chrishallowell]

Can anyone tell me where I can find the SageTV plugin for EventGhost? EventGhost's site lists that plug in but I can't find the place to download it.

Thanks.

[CollinR]

Download and run this:
http://www.eventghost.org/downloads/...172_Update.exe


EDIT:
Optionally you may wish to download a full version, I am not sure if the update scripts are incremental or not.

All recent betas are available:
http://www.eventghost.org/downloads/

SageTV plugin has been around a long time I am suprised it is not included in the EG release. Once you update you will find many new plugins.

[chrishallowell]

Thanks! I'll try this when I get home.
Edit: Thanks everyone! I'm well on my way. Any pros or cons of IR capture from EventGhost vs SageTV when controlling SageTV? I'm thinking EventGhost might be better as you can easily delete IR within the GUI where as SageTV you have to go into a properties file and find the one you want to delete. Any thoughts?

Starting PowerDVD Ultra:
1. User clicks on Menu in SageTV (Use EventGhost's command line to trigger event.)
OR
2. User inserts a disk in G(LG HD-DVD / Blu-ray Combo drive) drive (Event is triggered: Task.CloseDrive.G)
Actions: Open PowerDVD Ultra, find window, SetFocus on PowerDVD window, emulate keystroke Z (full screen), Exclusive on PowerDVD

Stopping PowerDVD Ultra:
1. User clicks 'Exit' on the IR remote control (IR Code)
OR
2. User removes a disk in G(LG HD-DVD / Blu-ray Combo drive) drive (Event is triggered: Task.OpenDrive.G)
Actions: Close PowerDVD Ultra, find SageTV window, setfocus on SageTV window, Exclusive on SageTV (Won't be needed if SageTV houses the IR codes)

Thanks,
Chris

[scat]

Originally Posted by CollinR

Use the dynamic menus plugin and EventGhost's command line interface. You will want to use the -n switch and have the network reciever plugin installed. I know this sounds odd but if you are running as a service you will have difficulties dealing with the local context. Using the -n (network sender CLI) you can easily bypass all that using the loopback interface.


Also you can use the system plugin to find PDVD is running or not. If it's running make PDVD exclusive, if it's not make SageTV exclusive.

EDIT:

Also have the -n command you send to EG start PowerDVD so it's all inside one menu item.

CollinR

Please provide detailed information on how you are doing this.

Are you running a batch file from the dynamic menus?

Currently my EventGhost is setup like this:
Switch to mode: SageTV
has the ir code from my remote to start Sage
and also
Switch to mode: CyberLink PowerDVD
has the ir code from my remote to start PowerDVD

you can view it in my attached EventGhost file.

Thanks
Scat