Asrock ION 330HT

[MrC]

Hi

I am trying to get EventGhost working with the built in ir receiver in the Asrock ION 330HT and am failing miserably.

I am running Windows 7 Ultimate and EventGhost 0.3.7.r1194.

On first installation when pressing the remote buttons it moves the selection in EventGhost but no events appear in the log. After installing the MCE and disabling HID the remote no longer moves anything in EventGhost but there is still nothing in the event log. I have also tried the alternative Vista/Win7 plugin with the same result.

Device manager reports the ir receiver as a Nuvoton W836x7HG CIR Device and the remote is an MCE remote.

Does EventGhost support this receiver or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks
MrC

[stottle]

You are trying the right things. The MceRemote and MceRemote_Vista both use an ID (or GUID) to search for the MCE receiver. My guess is that your internal IR receiver has a custom setup that uses a different ID. However, I've got an internal IR sensor on one box that shows up as a COM1 device that needed a custom plugin, so it could be that as well.

Unfortunately it is hard to test/debug against hardware that the developer doesn't own. I think we need some tools included with EG that will list HID/COM/USB devices that an end-user can run to help troubleshoot. But none of that exists at the moment. And that makes it extremely difficult to help you.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Sorry,
Brett

[bangis]

I was just about to write you Brett, noticed the great work on the MCE/Win7 plugin...

Diving into my first HTPC with the ASRock 330HT (from an HDX and Popcorn Hour NMT - much simpler but of course HTPC's much more flexible). Kinda disappointed on the remote side though, since I'm having the same problems getting it to work with EventGhost or IR Server Suite. The box is very new so I guess not that many users yet, will just keep monitoring the threads to see if somebody figures this out. Happy to test stuff if you need help

[JXWNL]

have same problem here, but got it working for 90%

disable your mce plugin and

enable keyboard plugin
enable generic HID and choose the correct HID for your remote (multiple tries for me)

now only 5 buttons are not recognized (4 buttons above the coloured ones and the power button)

good luck

[Melloware]

Here are detailed instructions how to get your AsRock ION to work with Intelliremote.

http://forum.melloware.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8098

It may be of some help to EG users...

[mklement]

@JXWNL: Thanks for getting me started; I have now figured out how to get ALL buttons working in EventGhost, with the sole exception of the Power button, on my Windows 7 32-bit machine:

- If enabled, disable the MCE plug-in.

- Support for the remote-control buttons must be enabled via *2* instances of the 'Generic HID' plug-in under the Autostart node.
Ôûí The buttons on the remote control fall into 3 groups, of which 2 must each be represented by an instance of the 'Generic HID' plug-in with the matching device selected; the third group comprises buttons that simply generate standard keyboard events, such as the number buttons; if you want to remap those - which, however, will then apply to connected keyboards equally - you can use the 'Keyboard' plug-in. The only button that cannot be customized is the Power button: it invariably suspends the system instantly (even when "%systemroot%\ehome\ehTray.exe" is renamed, which prevents other default actions while WMC is not active).

For each of the two groups of buttons that require an instance of the 'Generic HID' plug-in (see below), proceed as follows:
* Pick any button from the group to use for testing.
* Add an instance of the 'Generic HID' plug-in to the Autostart node, and, in its configuration dialog, try one device after the other (sadly, this is a process of trial and error, as the entries are non-descript and there are multiple ones with the same name; note that additional columns are scrolled out of view, such as vendor information, which, however, may have non-descript entries, too), until pressing the test button generates an event in the Log pane named "HID.Button.{n}", where {n} is a 1-3 digit integer (note that an HID device that generates events named 'HID.Button.{n1}+{n2}+{n3}' (multiple numbers) does NOT work, since a given button on the remote doesn't consistently produce the same event).
NOTE: Put the focus AWAY from the EventGhost window when testing buttons, as certain button presses apparently crash EventGhost (as of v0.3..r1436).

Ôûí The button groups are:
* Group 1: transport-control, volume, channel buttons [on my machine it matches the *2nd* device, named "@hidserv.inf,%hid_device_system_consumer%;HID-compliant consumer control device", Vendor ID 1118]
* Group 2: source buttons, colored buttons, zoom button [on my machine it matches the *3rd* device, named "@input.inf,%hid_device%,HID-compliant device", Vendor ID 1118]
* Group 3: buttons that generate standard keyboard events [no 'Generic HID' plug-in needed]: number keys, arrow keys, ...

I have a table of the remote-control buttons and their corresponding EventGhost event names, which I can post, if there's interest.

[Westmania]

Could you please?

[mklement]

Voilà; formatting's not great (is there table support that I'm not aware of?), but I hope it'll do.

- Map of buttons and event names

Note:
- Unfortunately, events cannot be renamed in EventGhost.
- Buttons are listed by and large row by row (some are grouped by related functionality), from left to right.
- 'Keyboard.*' events will only show if the 'Keyboard' plug-in is loaded; note that the "#" and "*" buttons generate 3 events, as you would get if you typed those characters manually.

Code: Select all

Button name = EventGhost name
------------------------------
Zoom	=	HID.Button.38
Power	=	-
Recorded TV	=	HID.Button.71
Guide (TV-programming guide)	=	HID.Button.141
Live TV	=	HID.Button.36
DVD Menu (Movie Library)	=	HID.Button.35
Record	=	HID.Button.178
Play	=	HID.Button.176
Pause	=	HID.Button.177
Stop	=	HID.Button.183
Fast Forward	=	HID.Button.179
Rewind	=	HID.Button.180
Skip Back	=	HID.Button.182
Skip Forward	=	HID.Button.181
Left	=	Keyboard.Left
Up	=	Keyboard.Up
Right	=	Keyboard.Right
Down	=	Keyboard.Down
OK	=	Keyboard.Return
Volume Up	=	HID.Button.233
Volume Down	=	HID.Button.234
Start (WMC main menu)	=	HID.Button.12
Channel Up	=	HID.Button.156
Channel Down	=	HID.Button.157
Back	=	HID.Button.548
More (Info)	=	HID.Button.521
0 .. 9	=	Keyboard.0 .. Keyboard.9
*	=	Keyboard.LShift
		Keyboard.LShift+8
		Keyboard.8
#	=	Keyboard.LShift
		Keyboard.LShift+3
		Keyboard.3
Clear	=	Keyboard.Escape
Enter	=	Keyboard.Return
Radio (FM tuner)	=	HID.Button.79
Music	=	HID.Button.70
Pictures (Photos)	=	HID.Button.72
Videos (video library)	=	HID.Button.73
Red	=	HID.Button.90
Green	=	HID.Button.91
Yellow	=	HID.Button.92
Blue	=	HID.Button.93
Teletext	=	HID.Button.89

[Westmania]

Thanks. I'm now on holiday and will test next weekend. Would be nice though if in the mean time someone would make a plugin specifically for the Asrock 330-HT remote (i.e. Nuvoton W836x7HG CIR Device) ))

[fanoI]

I've followed this instruction and now the remote almost work and can command Mediaportal in backgroung

The problem is that now my keyboard is not really functional anymore! Cursor UP, Down, RETURN (!) and so on WANT to command Mediaportal NOT the application that has focus!

There is no way to filter out key-presses from the remote only NOT from Keyboard?
I've tried to use "Emulate Keystroke" but in this way MP should have focus... and it's pretty unusable for me (knowing the tendency Windows has to steal focus automatically can became very tedious!)... and then I can use the internal MP system I WANT command app without focus on it and it's for this I'm trying (unsuccessfully) to use eventghost...

Thanks for your help,
fanoI

[mklement]

Strange - I have no explanation for what you describe. On my system, only the Windows Media Center-related buttons control MP even when it does not have the focus.

> There is no way to filter out key-presses from the remote only NOT from Keyboard?

I don't think so; seems to me that what the keyboard-emulating remote-control buttons produce is indistinguishable from actual keystrokes.

> .. and then I can use the internal MP system I WANT command app without focus on it and it's for this I'm trying (unsuccessfully) to use eventghost...

I don't understand what you're trying to say here.

I wonder if your symptom is really related to adding the 'Generic HID' and perhaps the 'Keyboard' plugins. I would disable them and see if your keyboard still misbehaves.

[fanoI]

Strange - I have no explanation for what you describe. On my system, only the Windows Media Center-related buttons control MP even when it does not have the focus.

> There is no way to filter out key-presses from the remote only NOT from Keyboard?


I don't think so; seems to me that what the keyboard-emulating remote-control buttons produce is indistinguishable from actual keystrokes.

This remote presents itself as a composite devices, right? Some key are real remote keys (PLAY, STOP, etc) and some (the navigation ones) are keyboard keys: that is if I press UP on the remote I've keyboard UP on the eventghost log windows as If I press "UP" on the keyboard...

You say that your "navigation", enter and etc retain their functionality? Maybe the problem is that my keyboard is a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard... so navigation of it and the remote ones are the same

> .. and then I can use the internal MP system I WANT command app without focus on it and it's for this I'm trying (unsuccessfully) to use eventghost...

I don't understand what you're trying to say here.

Sorry English is not my native language
I'll try to explain better...
I use my PC as a HTPC an PC system so, sometimes I don't want to use it as a Mediacenter, but Mediaportal is on in the secondary screen (on the primary is the normal windows desktop)... then I want to see a show press a key on the remote and nothing the focus is on Firefox! So I've to jump down from bed use the mouse to put the focus on and then I can use Mediaportal... but suddenly Windows decide than something interesting happens and steal the focus... so I've to use the mouse to "retain" it again...
(I know more simple I can use the "Green button" starting Mediaportal trick, if the app is running it gives focus only... but it is annoying in the same way!)
Eventghost solved this brilliantly but as a punishment my keyboard lost functionality

I wonder if your symptom is really related to adding the 'Generic HID' and perhaps the 'Keyboard' plugins. I would disable them and see if your keyboard still misbehaves.

Yes if I disable 'Keyboard' plugin the keyboard retain its functionality but the navigation button of the remote not work anymore... but you're using the Keyboard plugin as said in this thread or there is a more "robust" solution you're using?

fanoI

[mklement]

This remote presents itself as a composite devices, right? Some key are real remote keys (PLAY, STOP, etc) and some (the navigation ones) are keyboard keys: that is if I press UP on the remote I've keyboard UP on the eventghost log windows as If I press "UP" on the keyboard...

Correct.

You say that your "navigation", enter and etc retain their functionality? Maybe the problem is that my keyboard is a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard... so navigation of it and the remote ones are the same

I know very little about the MS Multimedia keyboard, but I'd be surprised if standard keys such as the arrow keys worked any differently than on regular keyboards.

So I've to jump down from bed use the mouse to put the focus on and then I can use Mediaportal... but suddenly Windows decide than something interesting happens and steal the focus...(...)(I know more simple I can use the "Green button" starting Mediaportal trick, if the app is running it gives focus only... but it is annoying in the same way!)

So, given that you can use the "Green" button to put focus back on MP, why do you ever need to climb out of bed?
Just to be clear: you CAN get the native "Green" button functionality plus the other WMC-related buttons (jump to 'My Pictures', ...) even in combination with EventGhost: In MediaPortal's configuration app., activate MCE remote-control support in category 'Remote'.
Here's what I found in my notes:
"Some buttons (Start (Windows orb), DVD, Video, Music, ) are processed by WMC and MediaPortal even when those app are not focused. In the case of WMC "%systemroot%\ehome\ehTray.exe" even *starts* WMC on demand, so renaming that file solves that problem (on Vista or higher, requires taking ownership first)."
(The price you pay is that those WMC-related keys then ALWAYS control MP, without your being able to give them different meaning in other applications.)

Yes if I disable 'Keyboard' plugin the keyboard retain its functionality but the navigation button of the remote not work anymore... but you're using the Keyboard plugin as said in this thread or there is a more "robust" solution you're using?

That is strange. The keyboard-emulating buttons on my remote (arrow keys, Enter, ...) work REGARDLESS of whether the Keyboard plug-in is loaded or not. The only reason to use the Keyboard plug-in is if you want to REDEFINE what certain keyboard events do - but note that this redefinition then applies equally to the relevant buttons on your remote control and your normal keyboard - you won't be able to tell the sources apart.

[fanoI]

The green button is already mapped to starting Mediaportal but not give focus if it is already running (but I've found a script to do this in this same forum I've to find it again)... the problem is that or for my cause (I was using Firefox and suddenly decide to play a movie) or for its cause (I don't know an annoying update message of Firefox that put the focus ON it) the focus is steal I've to press that KEY again and again and again

It is for that that I've remapped all keys and the navigation too, in this way all KEYS works besides Mediaportal is focused or not! But now navigation keys not works in all other APPS on the REAL keyboard

There is no solution then? A "native" remote plugin can't solve this problem? There is no way to recognize what is the keyboard sending the event?
It seems VERY strange to me... well the Microsoft genius had thought why someone want to connect 2 keyboards?

[mklement]

There IS a way to distinguish between normal key events and those generated by the remote control, but there may be obstacles:

If you add another instance of the 'Generic HID' plug-in to EG's Autostart node, and try the various device names (in my case, it is the 1st in the list), you'll find one that generates "HID{n1}+{n2}+{n3}..." (many numbers) events even for those remote-control buttons that generate standard keyboard events.

Here's the catch: a given button, pressed repeatedly, produces DIFFERENT events every time it is pressed, although the number of different events seems limited (I've seen up to four in my brief experiments).

That said, you can experiment, and find the full set of possible events for each relevant remote-control button, and create macro actions based on all events in the set. If the set is limited and unique to each button, you can make it work - although it is cumbersome.

Also, be aware that this will still generate the standard keyboard events in the system, and whatever application happens to be in the foreground will receive them.

[The following is getting off-topic, so I'll keep it short. If you need more help - within reason - you can PM me.
Alternatively, you can try to tackle the problem from a different angle: prevent other applications in your system from stealing the focus, e.g. with the "LockForegroundWindow" (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... S.85).aspx) Windows API function, which you could call immediately after activating the MP window.
Disclaimer: I have not tried this, so I can't guarantee that it will work. Also, this locking may have a timeout, which you'd have to deal with: look for "SPI_GETFOREGROUNDLOCKTIMEOUT" on page http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... S.85).aspx
]