WinLIRC as a channel changer

[gbvj]

Markbb1,
I installed winlirc as a service and it works fine. Thank you and rheslip for providing the script. Actually I also built a serial transmitter posted by Rheslip.

Thanks.
V

[gbvj]

I can't see the attached Ir.zip file.

Thanks.

V

[dneprrider]

I have re-attached the missing IR.zip file mentioned in this thread. I have also upgraded to a PVR150 card with build in IR blaster, so I no longer use the winLIRC channel changer.

I have tried to answer your questions and added the steps to setup the IR transmitter.


A few things are needed. You may already have these but others may find it useful.

WINLIRC - http://WINLIRC.sourceforge.net/ install into c:\winlirc directory

Your Satellite receiver Remote Control configuration file - http://lirc.sourceforge.net/remotes/
(Look and see if your remote control is listed. If not try a similar config file! If none is available I cannot help.)

Note: In this example the satellite box will be the Bell “ExpressVu 3100” (The 3100 remote control config files work for the ExpressVu 2700)
Therefore use this remote config file http://lirc.sourceforge.net/remotes/expressvu/SAT_3100

All the files and pictures are contained in the attached IR.zip file.


How goes the channel changing through GBPVR?

I have been using my java telnet transmit code over the past month with great success from GBPVR. I have had to tweak the timings to get it right. I found a pause of 1.3s between the IR channel digits work best for my setup.


Today I received an ESI-9680, ran WinLIRC and nothing seems to work. I have the Bell 2700 and 3100 sat boxes and neither of them appear to work with ESI-9680 (I am using the 3100 config file)?

The 3100.cf file works for both the 2700 & 3100 Bell ExpressVu boxes. I have both here and tested them.

I am not sure if it is the ESI-9680 or something I am doing?

As for the Jeteye (ESI-9680) it appears this is not setup correctly yet.
Make sure you have it attached to the proper COM port configured in the WINLIRC configuration. See image 1.jpg for my settings.

I tried to run the serial port watcher you noted above and it will not work as long as WinLIRC is running?

Yes this is true. If the serial port is in use by one application it is locked to all others. I think I only looked at the data being sent to the com port.

How can I watch the serial port if I can't have the watcher and WinLIRC running at the same time?

From the WinLIRC main screen you can test the settings to see if WINLIRC is working with you external device. See 2.jpg

Pick your remote model in the remote widow i.e. 3100

The code window shows the different commands the remote can send. The picture shows POWER - this code turns on/off the satellite box. Point the jeteye at the satellite box.
Other commands are available i.e channels numbers, up/down etc. Try them out.

Try playing with the different codes and click the Send Code button. If WINLIRC is working then the WINLIRC round icon in the task bar turns BLUE when sending the remote code.

NOTE: If WinLIRC is not working at this stage then it won't work from GBPVR either.

I found that I had to place the jeteye close to the satellite receiver IR window to get it to work, 3 or 4 feet away was good. It worked intermittently at longer distances.

Try these steps and get it working up to this point. Then you will know that WINLIRC, and the jeyeye IR module are working.


Is the java app finished and ready for posting?
I guess I can put it out for others to try. I cannot support it, but I am sure someone here could if they wanted too. It is pretty simple to make changes if you have downloaded the free Java Development Kit from Sun.

JAVA Coding and running
There are a few things required for the app to work. As it is a java app and not a windows executable you may need to have the Java development kit (JDK) on your machine if you wish to change the java app. You also need the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) to run the final java .jar file. These are free from Sun but is a bit of a download. I also cannot support issues with this. Lots of good info on Google/Sun about this.

I am using for the JRE - j2re-1_4_2_08-windows-i586-p.exe
(download the latest from SUN)

I found it a bit of a procedure to take raw java code and compile it to work in windows, never having worked with java before.

How to turn java code into something useful:
Read on to see the process of how to modify and compile your own version. Or simply skip to the end and use the attached final zipped .jar file.

The uncompiled java app code is shown below I called it WinClient.java
(Copy into a text file called WinClient.java and edit to change the timing delays if required)
This file is then complied using a java complier at the dos prompt
(javac WinClass.java) thus creating a file called WinClient.class
Then this WinClient.class file needs to be made into a java windows executable .jar file.
For this I used the Java Launcher program. A free download from http://www.syncedit.com/download_javalauncher.html
See 4.jpg on the settings to make the .jar file.


Using the app in GBPVR
To use this app you also need to modify the registry settings created by the WinLIRC to use the telnet capability. i.e. add the correct winlirc telnet port, and telnet password. Use the same port and password values as shown here, or to simplify the procedure click on LIRC.reg in the zip file to quickly add this to your registry, do so at own risk. I will not be held responsible if this messes up your machine.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\LIRC]
"port"="COM1"
"sense"=dword:00000002
"animax"=dword:00000000
"transmittertype"=dword:00000002
"conf"="C:\\winLIRC\\SAT_3100.cf"
"speed"=dword:00002580
"devicetype"=dword:00000000
"notrayicon"=dword:00000000
"virtpulse"=dword:0000012c
"tcp_port"=dword:0000223d
"password"="SEND_ONCE"


What did you set the channel changer in the GBPVR config file to?

See 3.jpg for my GBPVR settings.
Here are the arguments passed to the java code.

Parameters: x.x.x.x 3100 {channel} 4
Where x.x.x.x = IP where WinLIRC is located
3100 = LIRC remote control config model number, which is 3100 in my case.
{channel}- this is how GBPVR sends out the channel number to switch to
4 = # of IR repeats. 4 works good for my receiver.


Note:
If you want to change the timing code change the timing pause between channel digits in the java app WinClient.java modify the value in Thread.sleep(1300) where the 1300 are units in ms.
I found that 1.3s worked good for my setup.
Hope this helps.

[JBYoung]

IR.ZIP is gone?

J