Trying to figure out what each button corresponds to on MCE remote

[drewkaree]

I've got version 2 of the MCE remote, and I'm trying to figure out a few things.

The channel up/down buttons (#1) are non-functioning. I can change this with the up and down buttons (#1 also) on the remote, but I'd prefer to ALSO be able to use the Channel buttons so the wife can more easily use (and remember) what all the buttons on the remote do.

The volume up/down buttons (#2) are also non-functioning. This one isn't a big deal, but if I could get them to work, super. If not, I'd like to know it's not possible just for peace of mind.

Lastly, these buttons are the real reason I'm posting. I can use the << and >> buttons (#3) with no problems, however, they only skip forward a few seconds at a time. Is this the normal behavior for them?

Since they only skip forward a few seconds, I figured the |< and >| buttons (#4) would be the "skip ahead a bunch more" buttons. Those 2 buttons don't work AT ALL. I REALLY want the ability to skip forward more than just a few seconds at a time, perhaps 30 or 60 seconds or more. Are these 2 buttons supported, or have I tinkered with something and mussed it all up?

Is this something I have to set right in irremote.ini or via some other method, and is there some way to tell what the keyboard command is for each button I press on the remote? I know when testing a keyboard matrix that there are programs available to tell what equals what. Is there an identical (or similar) program to figure out what the remote is sending as a command?

Sorry for all the questions in one posting and the possible confusion :o

[ricklous]

theres a few things you can check to dig a little deeper...

C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\KeyMappings should help you, the utility sendkeys.exe will tell you what command is being received by your PC when you press one of the buttons on the remote, and the keymapping xmls will tell you what keys GBPVR will respond to for each screen.

also, have you set the remote type to 'MCE Remote'? if so, the remote should really work 'out of the box' with GBPVR, especially for the buttons you are having problems with. on the volume buttons, have you attempted to teach the remote your TV volume? if not, then it should simply affect system volume in the same was as right-clicking on the volume icon and shuffling the slider up and down, and this should be regardless of what program you are using....

[marm]

The channel #1 and volume #2 I use to controll my TV and the buttons around the OK button I use to controll my GBPVR software. The << and >> are set in the setup to only skip so many seconds. The problem with the skip is Sub messed something up in the new release and posted a patch, it is called GBPVR skip.zip. If you can not find it let me know and I will post it.

[drewkaree]

C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\KeyMappings should help you, the utility sendkeys.exe will tell you what command is being received by your PC when you press one of the buttons on the remote, and the keymapping xmls will tell you what keys GBPVR will respond to for each screen.

Thanks on those tips there. Even if the patch works, I'd still like to know these things (it's a mental defect in me, I think ) and I'd also like to see if I can change the PC button's mappings or comment it out so it won't "standby" or "hibernate" the PC. The wife pointed out after she accidentally hid it that she needed the password that the BootIntoGBPVR method I use, which is a big spoiler (to me).

*edit* There's a big rewrite of BootIntoGBPVR you might want to look at with the machine you're building for your aunt & uncle!

Also, have you set the remote type to 'MCE Remote'?.....on the volume buttons, have you attempted to teach the remote your TV volume?

As far as I know, this remote doesn't have the "teach" function. I believe that's for one of the newer versions of the MCE remote. I got this barebones, so no manual, and Microsoft seems to think info about this thing should be treated like info on how to make an incendiary device or something I did set it to MCE remote and verified it when having problems with the remote suddently not working. I believe the patch should fix this and will post the results.

The problem with the skip is Sub messed something up in the new release and posted a patch, it is called GBPVR skip.zip.

It didn't even dawn on me that what I was talking about was the "skip" button! I've always just called them "forward" and "fast forward"!

Thanks for the tip, I've found the file. I've also gotta take a look at the button mapping for #1 and #2 and see if there's something wonky there. I'll report back on the results of both.

Thanks guys!

[ricklous]

its actually already 'deployed' as it were, been meaning to update my sig for months. I dont think i would ever have done it without finding GBPVR. Everything else makes too many assumptions about the user. I like how GBPVR assumes a certain tech level from the person configuring it, but assumes no level from someone who might actually use it...

Im meaning one day if i ever get chance maybe possibly someday, to write a project page on it as it was a very interesting challege to build the system and think of all the pitfalls before deploying it, as once it was given to them it would be running without keyboard/mouse and behind a dialup connection so the machine pretty much had to look after itself 99% of the time. My uncle didnt even know what a mouse was two years ago, and my aunt was of the typical office worker level. anything outside of turning on, using MS office and email, and turning off, and she is pretty lost.

your standby/password issues were one of the things i had to get ironed out. The solutions seem to work...i use TweakXP to autologin into the GBPVR account on startup, with a GBPVR shortcut in the startup group, and unticked the 'ask for password when resuming' option which is in either the screensaver or power options, i cant remember which. Also, HIP opened up a hell of a lot of options with using the remote. Take a look at the HIP Guide on the wiki for the writeup. to avoid the accidental hibernation with the PC button on the MCE remote, i used HIP to tag the PC button with a command to run a really usefull little AutoIt script that someone posted to the forum. it behaves differently depending on what state your PVR is in. in standby/hibernate, it turns the PC on (this is default behaviour anyway, nothing to do with the script). If looged into the desktop without GBPVR loaded, the PC button loads GBPVR and if GBPVR is already loaded, the PC button switches to the 'System' screen allowing you to the select one of the power options from there. Very useful and WAF-enhancing! it was posted a while back, but im sure if you searched for AutoIt you should find it. possibly several months back. maybe 6 or 7...?

As for the teach function, i know what you mean. i did find a pdf with instructions on how to do stuff, but if i cant find it again, hip allows you to teach your PC your extra remote and use the IR transmitters of the MCE remote to control a amp/tv/STB. i had it putting the TV to standby and resuming the TV when the PVR went to sleep and woke up...

[drewkaree]

Well, it seems as if I've got a bad remote. The channel buttons and volume buttons don't even send a signal. Pressing them doesn't show any red light indicating the signal is being received - I've re-installed the drivers for it, tried both the rollup1 and 2, attempted to use the alternate driver (the one for HIP or Girder use), no dice. In fact, the default behavior is to have the keypad light up when a button is pressed, and they go out WHILE I'm pressing the volume or channel. Oh, and I've also tried the "take the batteries out" and "short the terminals" ideas. No dice.

I guess I can deal with this for now, but it just sucks that there's no dang driver officially available for the OEM versions of these remotes.

The only thing I'd like to do is switch the PC power button to utilize the Sleep timer of my TV remote, but I'm not certain all the effort is worth it for a single button since everything else works. If there were some way to redirect the green button.......

your standby/password issues were one of the things i had to get ironed out. The solutions seem to work...i use TweakXP to autologin into the GBPVR account on startup, with a GBPVR shortcut in the startup group, and unticked the 'ask for password when resuming' option which is in either the screensaver or power options, i cant remember which.

I'll take a look at that fix. If you can remember (or documented what you did somewhere) all the specifics, add it to the Wiki. Right now I'm working on creating a Windows Theme to be able to condense several steps, but it's proving way more trouble than it's worth for what little it would accomplish.

I found the PDF manual and I'm contemplating adding it to the Wiki or simply posting it somewhere here - I think it's almost a requirement to have stuck SOMEWHERE around here, no?

I'll be looking into that AutoIT too. For some reason, I've got it in my head that utilizing HIP might get the volume and/or channel buttons working. Mebbe it's just me wanting to tinker with more crap