Using Windows MCE remote with SageTV

[benb]

I've been using the Windows MCE remote with regular WinXP and Sage. I use Girdir as middle-ware to map the remote buttons to keystrokes for Sage functions. Once the IR driver is installed, there are quite a few keys on the MCE remote that seem to be hard-wired to Windows functions. For example, the green "start MCE" button triggers the start menu. I can not figure out how to decouple these keys from Windows so I can use Girdir to redefine them. Does anyone know how to do this? I read on some other posts that a few people out there were using the MCE remote so I'm guessing someone has figured this out.

Thanks,
benb

[Wheemer]

does girder actually support the ir receive that comes with the MCE remotes? Is it only cetain ones?

Last I thought it didn't work, appreciate the info. And I'm curious to see if there is a solution to your problem.

[pcuoco]

I recently bought a refurbed Gateway FMC-901 (love that case) with built-in IR and an MCE remote to use as a client machine. Using the MCE plug-in from the Girder site I'm able to receive almost all of the IR commands from the MCE-remote except for the green button, the arrows, enter, and the numbers. Sage 2.2.2 automatically recognizes the arrows, enter, and the transport buttons anyway so it hasn't been a big deal. I was able to map the menu button to the main menu in Sage, the guide button to Sage's guide, livetv button to Sage's liveTV. and the info button to Sage's Info, without a problem. So you should be able to make it work.

Good luck.

[benb]

I am also using the MCE remote plug-in for Girdir. The reason the green button, enter, arrow & number keys work is because they are automatically supported by windowsXP (not sage). Because they work at the winXP level, you don't have to map them to sage functions. They work like a keyboard.

However, if you want to get more functionality, like:
...use the green button for the main sage menu
...have number keys use alpha characters on subsequent presses
...apply any alternate functions to keys under specific circumstances

...you need to be able to decouple these functions from XP. As it stands now, Girdir can't even "learn" the code because (I assume) XP intercepts it and never deliveres the data to girdir. I dug around in the registry to see if I could find an easy way to "break" these functions in XP, but had no luck. If anyone figures this out, please let me know.

benb

[silkshadow]

This has been posted here multiple times but I guess its time for a refresher . The green button is mapped to the left 'windows' key. All you have to do to get it working is remap the left windows key to something else (like F12 for example) then use the command section of SageTV to make F12 the home comand. You can do this with any of the keyboard remapping programs out there. I used Keytweak (no link off hand but Google should find it) because its free but its not the only option if you want to remap a bunch of keys.

Heres the link to what the buttons do on a MCE remote:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...te_control.asp

[benb]

Thanks SilkShadow. I searched the forums extensively for this kind of thing and found nothing... not sure how I missed it.
ben

[Outvit]

http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...2798#post82798

The question I posted there...does anyone know where to get this darn remote?

[Morgan111]

You can get the 2005 remote at newegg here:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...100-851&depa=1

You can optionally program the volume button to control your TV set volume and the TV power button to your TV power code.

This remote has been perfect for me, however after upgrading to XP SP2 the green button does not seem to be mapped as before. I was able to use HotKeyboard to map it to the HOME key for the Sage main menu before the SP2. If anybody has luck with XP SP2 (not MCE) please let me know.

[blade]

Is there a guide somewhere explaining how to get the MCE remote to work with XP home edition? I've looked and can't find one. When I try to install it windows tells me it can't find the software for the device.

Someone from another forum told me to reinstall windows with the remote hooked up and it would work. I did that and of course it still didn't install the remote.

I read something else that was talking about extracting a cab file and replacing some files and such but the details seemed a bit sketchy to me.

Oh and I have the remote from newegg that was posted above.

[SHS]

MCE Remote with MCE USB device only work under MCE OS

[heffe2001]

Originally Posted by SHS

MCE Remote with MCE USB device only work under MCE OS

That's not entirely true. It works fine for me under XP PRO SP1 on the machine we're running one on, haven't upgraded that machine to SP2 yet, so we'll see if it works after that.

The BLASTER won't work with anything but MCE, but the receiver works fine.

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by heffe2001

That's not entirely true. It works fine for me under XP PRO SP1 on the machine we're running one on, haven't upgraded that machine to SP2 yet, so we'll see if it works after that.

The BLASTER won't work with anything but MCE, but the receiver works fine.

I'm buying the Phillips MCE Remote...can you explain to me how exactly you got it to work?

[salsbst]

I believe Outvit is planning to use a USB-UIRT? If so, the question of which features of the MCE transceiver do or don't work is moot.

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by salsbst

I believe Outvit is planning to use a USB-UIRT? If so, the question of which features of the MCE transceiver do or don't work is moot.

Well. I think what was recommended is that the USB-UIRT interface with my digital cable box and that I use the Phillips MCE Remote's reciever to send signals to my computer. This should work out of the box, no?

[salsbst]

I'm not sure why that would have been recommended. If you have a USB-UIRT, you don't need the MCE transceiver. In fact, I have three MCE transceivers in a box in my closet and was thinking of putting them on Ebay, but I couldn't figure out why anyone would want them.

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by salsbst

I'm not sure why that would have been recommended. If you have a USB-UIRT, you don't need the MCE transceiver. In fact, I have three MCE transceivers in a box in my closet and was thinking of putting them on Ebay, but I couldn't figure out why anyone would want them.

Hmm. Well I have a few questions. I tried to PM you but it says you exceeded your quota.

[salsbst]

Please go ahead and ask them here so that the exchange is available for others to see -- unless the questions are of a personal nature (in which case don't ask them at all!)

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by salsbst

Please go ahead and ask them here so that the exchange is available for others to see -- unless the questions are of a personal nature (in which case don't ask them at all!)

I was told to use the reciever included with the remote...for the remote. And the USB-UIRT for my cable box. If I have to point my remote at the USB-UIRT it wont be able to control my cable box... How did you get them to work?

Oh and the reason I tried to PM you is because I thought you'd logged off.

[salsbst]

[quote]
I was told to use the reciever included with the remote...for the remote. And the USB-UIRT for my cable box.[quote]While that would work, I don't think there is any reason to run both of them, unless the the cable box is so far away from your viewing area that IR signal power drops below the required level when transmitted over an emitter cable.

If I have to point my remote at the USB-UIRT it wont be able to control my cable box... How did you get them to work?

Well, the USB-UIRT is fully capable of being both a transmitter and receiver. If you're worried about the directionality, two points:
a) the USB-UIRT emits a very strong signal and many people have found that it doesn't need to point directly at the device that it is transmitting to;
b) you can use emitter cables (which happen to come with the MCE remote) with the USB-UIRT. These cables have a little sticky red thing on the end. Affix it to your cable box right where the IR signal is received and put black tape over the area for maximum accuracy/reliability. The other end of this cable plugs into the USB-UIRT.

Oh and the reason I tried to PM you is because I thought you'd logged off.

Not a problem, but I'm no more likely to read my PMs than I am to read threads such as this one to which I am subscribed.

Keep asking questions if you have them.

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by salsbst

Well, the USB-UIRT is fully capable of being both a transmitter and receiver. If you're worried about the directionality, two points:
a) the USB-UIRT emits a very strong signal and many people have found that it doesn't need to point directly at the device that it is transmitting to;
b) you can use emitter cables (which happen to come with the MCE remote) with the USB-UIRT. These cables have a little sticky red thing on the end. Affix it to your cable box right where the IR signal is received and put black tape over the area for maximum accuracy/reliability. The other end of this cable plugs into the USB-UIRT.

How do I use the "emitter cables?"

Is there a port for them on the USB-UIRT?

Will this work out of the box if I do that setup? How would I set it up?

I assume since you have the Phillips MCE Remote working...many of them -- that it works without issue. Is anythig extra needed to make the setup work?