MCE remote and Dish Network 5.3 IR Remote on Windows 7

[neo117]

Ok, I have an XBMC setup on windows 7 (retail version, not a beta or pre release)
I am using an MCE remote reciever, and have tried this with 2 different models of MCE recievers, an older one and a newer model.
The problem i have is this: the MCE reciever logged all my remote presses fine, with several different remote controls, but did not respond to some other remote controls i had. the important one is the Dish Network 5.3 IR remote. so after some diggin, i found a fix for the MCE / Windows 7 remote combo (i forget the exact fix, but i think it was the extra service with elevated priveleges?) at any rate, once i applied the fix, it now sees the remote key presses on my dish remote.

the problem now, is that the same key press will register a different value each time.
so, for example, if i hit the "up" button, it registers 5:03:43 PM MceRemote.Unknown.15FFFFFFF07FFFFFFC5FFFFFFF57FFFFFED4 and if i hit the same button again, it will register a different value, such as
5:04:28 PM MceRemote.Unknown.15FFFFFFF57FFFFFFD5FFFFFFF47FFFFFFD4
5:04:29 PM MceRemote.Unknown.15FD7FF75D7F5FFDD75FD7FF75C7F5FFDD70
5:04:30 PM MceRemote.Unknown.15FD7FF75D7F5FFDD71FD7FF75D7F5FBDD74
5:04:31 PM MceRemote.Unknown.15FD7FF75D7F5FFDD75FD7FF75D7F5FFDD70
5:04:31 PM MceRemote.Unknown.15FD7FB75D7F5FFDD61FD7FF75D7F5FFDD74
5:04:32 PM MceRemote.Unknown.14FD7FF75D7F5FFDD65E97FF75D7F0FFD974
5:04:32 PM MceRemote.Unknown.57F5FFDD75F97FF75C7F5FFDD74
5:04:33 PM MceRemote.Unknown.15FD7EB75D7F5FFDD75FD7BF75D7F5FFDD74

but as you can see, never the same value twice. now i have an old RS232 IR reciever from a packard bell remote (hey....i did say it was old) that i plugged into a windows XP machine and using winlirc it recognizes the dish network remote just fine. I really want to use eventghost because it is working perfectly in my setup, but i really want to have this all work with the MCE remote reciever and not need to add winlirc and complicate things more.

so please someone help! if there is any data that i need to provide, then please tell me and i will do so

Thanks!

[neo117]

nobody is having a similar problem? it is not just a dish remote, but a few other random emotes as well. yet some other remotes, such as an escient remote and sonicview remote work fine

[stottle]

winlirc probably uses different decoders than EG does. EG has a handful of decoders (RC5/RC6/Nec/JVC), but I don't think it is a comprehensive list. So your remote is one that there isn't a decoder for. Do you know what config file winlirc is using for it? As for getting different values, that is common - many remotes have "toggle" bits that alternate, and you will get different values depending on how long the button is held. There is always noise on the measured durations. Decoders will account for this, but since there isn't a decoder, the unknown decoder doesn't (I don't think) have any "slop".

What are you trying to do? If you just want more commands in EG, can you use a remote that is recognized?

Brett

[neo117]

Hi Brett,
Thanks for the reply! What i am trying to do, is add an XBMC to my living room. I have it all setup and working using my harmony remote, but what i want to do, is to use the dish remote under the AUX mode to control the XBMC and have event ghost remap the keys.
basically, i want to be able to go from watching dish to watching the XBMC without switching remotes.
yes, i can get a universal remote, but myyoung children like dropping the remote and my wife is used to the dish remote, so i figure eventghost would be perfect for this. I am not sure that the decoder is the problem, i think it is something to do with the MCE reciever and the dish remote combination. I didn't use any config file in win lirc, i just had it learn the keys and it worked fine

winlirc probably uses different decoders than EG does. EG has a handful of decoders (RC5/RC6/Nec/JVC), but I don't think it is a comprehensive list. So your remote is one that there isn't a decoder for. Do you know what config file winlirc is using for it? As for getting different values, that is common - many remotes have "toggle" bits that alternate, and you will get different values depending on how long the button is held. There is always noise on the measured durations. Decoders will account for this, but since there isn't a decoder, the unknown decoder doesn't (I don't think) have any "slop".

What are you trying to do? If you just want more commands in EG, can you use a remote that is recognized?

Brett

[neo117]

oh, and two more pieces of the puzzle:
1) the problem exists whether i use the actual dish remote, or th dish remote codes stored in my harmony remote
2) the same button produces a different result no matter how many times i press it....so it isn't a toggle bit.

[CollinR]

Press and hold the DVD/VCR button on the top of the remote until all the mode lights light up. Key in 500# and then learn the remote, now you will have to switch the remote to DVD/VCR more to control XBMC.

(If 500 isn't a valid try random 3 digit numbers until it takes one. You know code is accepted when the DVD/VCR button blinks 3 times after you hit the #.)


Code list you can use:
http://tech.dishnetwork.com/departmenta ... .shtml#vcr

[neo117]

Press and hold the DVD/VCR button on the top of the remote until all the mode lights light up. Key in 500# and then learn the remote, now you will have to switch the remote to DVD/VCR more to control XBMC.

(If 500 isn't a valid try random 3 digit numbers until it takes one. You know code is accepted when the DVD/VCR button blinks 3 times after you hit the #.)


Code list you can use:
http://tech.dishnetwork.com/departmenta ... .shtml#vcr

yes, that is kind of what i am trying to accomplish, but i want to be able to use most or all of the buttons on the dish remote. a vcr code gets me about 40% of the buttons.

I have some more data too - if i use the vcr code 500 as you suggested, event ghost logs this for the up button (pressed several times in a row):
6:17:18 PM MceRemote.SIRC12.0590
6:17:18 PM MceRemote.Unknown.457FFFFD555FFFFF5557EEFFC54
6:17:19 PM MceRemote.SIRC12.0590
6:17:19 PM MceRemote.Unknown.557FFFF8555FFFFF5457FFBFD44
6:17:20 PM MceRemote.SIRC12.0590
6:17:21 PM MceRemote.Unknown.557EBEBD151FFFFE5557FFFFD54
6:17:22 PM MceRemote.SIRC12.0590
6:17:22 PM MceRemote.Unknown.457FBFFD555FBFFF5457FFFED54
6:17:23 PM MceRemote.SIRC12.0590
6:17:24 PM MceRemote.Unknown.457FFFAD550FEFFE5557FFBFD54
6:17:24 PM MceRemote.SIRC12.0590
6:17:25 PM MceRemote.Unknown.557FFFFC505FFFFE5457FBFFD54
6:17:26 PM MceRemote.SIRC12.0590
6:17:26 PM MceRemote.Unknown.457EFFFD154EFFFF5557FFFFD44

as you can see, it first logs the 590 code, and then a random code follows it.

so the dish remote allows you to program the AUX button to control a second dish reciever, with a different reciever code. (i don't have a second reciver, but doing this would allow me to use every button on the remote, and the signals sent would not interfere with any existing equipment that i have)
so now switching to the aux mode, i get the following codes if i push up several times in a row:

6:16:54 PM MceRemote.Unknown.557FFFFC155FFFFF5557FEFFD54
6:17:00 PM MceRemote.Unknown.15FFF5F5747FFD7D5C1EBF5F5707FFD7D590FFF5F5757BEC3D5D4
6:17:02 PM MceRemote.Unknown.11FFF5B5653FFD7D5D5BFF5B5717FFD7D5C4
6:17:03 PM MceRemote.Unknown.57FFD7D5D5FFF5F5756FFD7D595FF009020
6:17:04 PM MceRemote.Unknown.57FFD7D5C5FFF5F5757FBD7D5D4
6:17:05 PM MceRemote.Unknown.47FFD7D5C1FFF5E5742FFD7D5D4
6:17:06 PM MceRemote.Unknown.47FFD7D481FFE1F4747FF97D5D4
6:17:07 PM MceRemote.Unknown.47FFD7C5C5FFF5B5707FFD7D5D4
6:17:07 PM MceRemote.Unknown.15FFF5E5757FFD7D5D4
6:17:08 PM MceRemote.Unknown.47FFD7C095FBA4F5742EBD7D5D4
6:17:09 PM MceRemote.Unknown.47FE96D085FFF5F5747FFD794D4

as you can see, not a common code in the group.

it i driving me bananas! I would really love to get this to work, as it opens up a lot of possibilities for me. I wonder if it has anything to do with the special windows 7 driver / service. I tried this on XP and the MCE remote won't even log anything from my dish remote, but using the special service found here: http://www.eventghost.org/forum/viewtop ... =mce+vista
maybe my answer is in there somewhere? I don't want to crosspost, but now i am starting to think that where i should be looking?

[neo117]

ok, i have found out the following:
the dish remote uses a 56khz signal. I have been starting to read up on this, and see that many recievers do not support that. the MCE reciever does see the remote, but it does not get the codes properly... could it be that it is just receiving the codes on a different timing?

anyone have anything to add? i have seen others get dish remotes working for various things, but none have a setup like mine, so it is kind of a moot point i think

[MrBaboune]

did you find a solution.