Windows 7 image for Foxconn a3700

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

MCE remotes ARE basically keyboards.

Plus, you can use it as an MCE remote, or a HID device which makes it great for programs like EventGhost and Girder.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Plus, you can use it as an MCE remote, or a HID device which makes it great for programs like EventGhost and Girder.

I was implying that the devices he had that were acting like keyboards, are because that IS how they act. They are HID keyboard devices, they just have a few 'special keys' that most programs don't listen to.

[drewg]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

I was implying that the devices he had that were acting like keyboards, are because that IS how they act. They are HID keyboard devices, they just have a few 'special keys' that most programs don't listen to.

I have two not-MCE remotes.

The first one came with an old Dvico tuner card, and I used it with MythTV in linux for years. In Windows, it required special Dvico drivers that are not available (AFAIK) for 64-bit OSes. In linux, it was rare enough that it always had terrible lirc support, and the last time I tried to use it, I got the impression that it was dropped completely. On the upside, the remote itself was quite nice. Comfortable in the hand, and easy to find ff/rew/skip buttons.

The second one was the weird "its a keyboard" thing that I got when I was experimenting with my last attempt at a PC Sage Client (Intel Atom + Nvidia ION board) when I wanted to replace my HD100 (just before HD300 came out). I think it was just a generic HID device, and so it no special drivers. It did not work "right" with MCE, and I think it spoke a different IR codes than a real MCE remote, since my harmony, programmed as an MCE remote, would not talk to it.. I could never make it work right with Sage. I tried various programs to remap things, and made a mess of it. After this, I gave up & bought an HD300 when they came out.

So whenever I think about setting up PC client, I think "oh hell, I've got to figure out windows remotes..".

BTW, I'm still curious: Will an MCE remote wake this Foxconn a3700 box from sleep? That's one of the things that irritated me about the ION is that neither of my "remotes" would wake it from S3 sleep, so I had to get off my lazy butt and hit a button to wake it up.

Drew

[Fuzzy]

I see no reason to NOT use a USB-UIRT for a PC-Client control. The ability to use any remote is just one of the many benefits of it over cheap MCE receivers. Others are the ability to also transmit IR, so you can use it to power on and off TV and AVR automatically, and the ability to wake the computer on certain keypresses.

[panteragstk]

It should, I don't use sleep so I wouldn't know.

[panteragstk]

I've been looking and can't find anywhere that will let me host this image. Any suggestions? I'd like to have room for two images. They are around 7gb each.

[Fuzzy]

At that capacity, it may have to be shared via a torrent or something. That would, of course, depend on the small community here to commit to seeding it. Shouldn't be that hard though... everyone here already has a server running 24/7...

[darcilicious]

I'm up for torrenting, my upload speed is around 25mb/s...

[Fuzzy]

Yeah, I've got no problem seeding a torrent for it (even though I'm unlikely to use it). The .torrent file could be attached to the first email in this thread, or you could throw it up on dropbox or something.

[panteragstk]

Torrent added. I've only got 5mb up so be patient. Hope this works out for you guys that end up using it.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Torrent added. I've only got 5mb up so be patient. Hope this works out for you guys that end up using it.

Starting it up...

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Torrent added. I've only got 5mb up so be patient. Hope this works out for you guys that end up using it.

Is that for the a3700 one, or the generic one??? I'll download and host too, as soon as I get home.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

Is that for the a3700 one, or the generic one??? I'll download and host too, as soon as I get home.

Just the a3700. I'll generalize the image when I get home and post the second torrent.

[darcilicious]

Torrenting now...

[TwistedMelon]

Just an update regarding remotes and receivers.

1. MCE remotes are IR based devices sending out a Microsoft/Philips RC-6 protocol. They have absolutely nothing in common with keyboards. Every universal remote being sold today (and the majority over the past 10+ years) can send MCE/RC6 commands. There are other protocols allowed for MCE/WMC remotes, like SMK's QP.

The Microsoft Media Center Keyboard uses a different protocol called MCIR-2 but should work with the same (standard-only) receivers/transceivers.

Do yourself a favor and use a universal remote so you can control all your devices at once.

2. Receivers written to the published MS spec are not anything like keyboard emulators. They are not generic HID devices nor keyboard devices with just a few extensions. The MS IR receiver and transceiver driver is built into Windows Vista and newer and real spec-built WMC/MCE receivers can send detailed IR timing (raw IR) that can be decoded by software - optionally supporting a second built-in photodetector that is capable of close range (inches) frequency-accurate learning, and optionally blasting via emitters. They must be able to wake the computer from S3 sleep and operate in a low-power (100mA) mode.

There are many non-standard receivers that are not compliant with the spec from a hardware/firmware perspective that require their own drivers. If a receiver requires a driver to be installed, the hardware is not MCE/WMC compliant and will rely on that driver to provide an abstraction layer. They will usually use remotes that send out completely different codes that are not standard MCE. They may even use completely different protocols and/or be completely proprietary. These receivers usually can't be used with any other remotes. They don't include additional photodetector for detailed learning, they most often don't have any kind of blasting support. Standard MCE/WMC remote and universal remotes sending out the standard code sets will usually NOT work with these devices at all. Some of their proprietary remotes will work with standard MCE/WMC receivers if they're using RC6. These other receivers may do all their work in firmware and only send out HID (keyboard or other) codes to the host OS. If you want a versatile receiver that can be used with pretty much everything, you do not want one of these non-standard products.

I happen to sell transceivers as part of my Mac business. They are 100% to-spec compatible with MCE/WMC and work in Windows Vista and 7 without any additional software and immediately work in SageTV when you pick the MCE option. They also work with XBMC, Linux, JRiver, Event Ghost, IRServer Suite, Girder, HiP, etc. Depending on the software being used, they can work with any remote sending IR from 31-60kHz, with the sweat spot at 38kHz in any protocol. The built-in Windows driver only accepts a few protocols, including their RC6. Sage will only use the Windows commands, I don't believe they include software to read IR data directly from the receiver and therefore can't learn an arbitrary remote. Girder and other software can however.

They're tiny, only 2" square and about 1/2" thick. Removable USB cable.

[ChaOConnor]

Trying to seed, but I'm not picking up any peers to even get the initial download.

[drewg]

Originally Posted by TwistedMelon

Just an update regarding remotes and receivers

Awesome information. I wound up ordering an MCE remote off Amazon. I actually checked your web site before ordering the other receiver from Amazon, but was left with the impression that the products you sell are Mac only... You really should add the above information to some kind of section on your site & mention prominently that your device will function as an MCE IR receiver on Windows.

Drew

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by ChaOConnor

Trying to seed, but I'm not picking up any peers to even get the initial download.

Not sure why, a few people have downloaded it from me so I know it's working. Nobody is downloading right now, but that may not mean anything.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by TwistedMelon

Just an update regarding remotes and receivers.

Thanks for that. I love the MCE remotes, but don't like the fact that 99.9% seem to be IR only. I have 2 RF remotes (one gyration which no longer exists, one keyspan which is of much lower quality) and would love to get another. Both are compatible with the ehome driver and work well with eventghost. Do you know of any other than the ones I mentioned?

[ChaOConnor]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Not sure why, a few people have downloaded it from me so I know it's working. Nobody is downloading right now, but that may not mean anything.

Got it, working now. Had to do with my VPN. Disabled it for now. Thanks!