EventGhost and transmitting IR Codes

[ijourneaux]

I am trying to use eventGhost to control the volume on my Reciever. To do that I configured the volume up and volume down commands to send the reciever IR cards using a Hauppauge PVR-150 IR Blaster. WHne I first configured it, everything worked correctly. The next day, the volume up ad down commands nolonger worked. I thought it might be becuase I didn't save the configuratrion. Re configured it so that it worked and made sure I saved the configuration.

Well it is not working again. EventGhost is receiving the code but it is not transmitting the IR codes out to the IR blaster.

Any thoughts? I am using version 0.3.7.r1436.

[stottle]

While I'm not using a hauppage blaster, saving the config has never been a problem for me. What changed between when it worked and when it didn't? You say it is receiver the code but not transmitting. Does it work if you manually run the macro to transmit the IR codes?

Brett

[ijourneaux]

Brett
I don't think it has anything to do with saving the configuration. It looks as if EventGhost loses the ability to transmit the IR codes. I suppose the problem could be with how EventGhost interfaces with the IRBlaster. that causes the problem.

Last night I noticed that the only way to get EventGhost to send the IR codes after it had stopped working was to restart the computer. It was not sufficient to restart EventGhost.

In terms of what might of happened to make it stop working, I can't think of anything. It is working in the evening and wasn't working the next morning.

[ijourneaux]

Ok. This is really odd. It wasn't working yesterday morning but it was working last night. Then it wasn't working this morning again. EventGhost is issing the IR remote event as the icon blicks but the volume on the reveiver is not going up or down. It works with the original remote. It shouldn't be an issue with interference as the IR bud is right on the receivers IR detector.

[camroidv27]

Sadly, I have no advice to offer you, as I am having issues myself with IR transmitting.

I have an older XP MCE remote and blaster hooked up to an XP MCE Sp3 machine. I can learn the IR codes fine from other devices, but when I try to transmit them, nothing happens. I can confirm with a camera that no IR light blinks when I try to transmit an IR code. In looking on the website here it says that the MCE Blaster is not yet supported in terms of IR transmitting, though I've read on a post or two of people where it seems to have worked (unless they have different hardware and didn't say it). Any ideas if/when this will be supported? Would using a different set of drivers be able to help me?

[stottle]

Ok. This is really odd. It wasn't working yesterday morning but it was working last night. Then it wasn't working this morning again. EventGhost is issing the IR remote event as the icon blicks but the volume on the reveiver is not going up or down. It works with the original remote. It shouldn't be an issue with interference as the IR bud is right on the receivers IR detector.

Can you isolate whether the problem is with eventghost or the PVR-150? That is, is EG trying the action but the PVR-150 isn't actually doing what it is asked, or if EG isn't even trying the action?

When you have an event that triggers an IR blast, the event should show up in the log, followed by the actions name. That tells me EG is running the action. If this is what you get in the log but the blaster doesn't work, then most likely the PVR-150 is in some state (sleep?) that won't transmit.

If, on the other hand, when you trigger an event you get the event name but not the name of the blast action, then something is wrong with the EG configuration....

The that it didn't work one morning but worked that night implies it is something with the PVR-150, not EG.

Brett

[stottle]

Sadly, I have no advice to offer you, as I am having issues myself with IR transmitting.

I have an older XP MCE remote and blaster hooked up to an XP MCE Sp3 machine. I can learn the IR codes fine from other devices, but when I try to transmit them, nothing happens. I can confirm with a camera that no IR light blinks when I try to transmit an IR code. In looking on the website here it says that the MCE Blaster is not yet supported in terms of IR transmitting, though I've read on a post or two of people where it seems to have worked (unless they have different hardware and didn't say it). Any ideas if/when this will be supported? Would using a different set of drivers be able to help me?

The new Vista/Win7 plugin supports blasting, the older XP plugin (that comes with EG) does not. Can't say if/when it will be added to the XP version. I'm not running XP anymore, so it is not a priority for me. Also, the windows API's that need to be used are completely different between XP and Vista/Win7 so it is not a simple matter of copying code and recompiling, it is a complete rewrite.

Brett

[camroidv27]

Thanks for your information. I didn't realize that much had changed in the way of the MCE remote API between the OSs. I have a copy of Win7 that I can install on the computer (though am reluctant to since I have some older software that I like to run which isn't compatible with Win7) and see if that works.

[ijourneaux]

In my case with XPHome EventGhost always sees the MCE remote command as you can see the icon change on the task bar. After a fresh reboot, every thing always works correctly but it is just a matter of time before it stops transmitting the IR code to the reciever. I need to get a camer out so I can see if it is actually transmitting a code but my guess is no. Given the other comments that indicate IR Blasting is only supported with Vista/Win7, I wonder why it works at all. I am using the Ehome driver for the IR Blaster.

[stottle]

When you have an event that triggers an IR blast, the event should show up in the log, followed by the actions name. That tells me EG is running the action. If this is what you get in the log but the blaster doesn't work, then most likely the PVR-150 is in some state (sleep?) that won't transmit.

If, on the other hand, when you trigger an event you get the event name but not the name of the blast action, then something is wrong with the EG configuration....

I was asking you to take a look at the log, not use a camera to see if anything is blasted. I'm trying to determine if EG is trying to send the action or not.

Brett

[camroidv27]

In my case with XPHome EventGhost always sees the MCE remote command as you can see the icon change on the task bar. After a fresh reboot, every thing always works correctly but it is just a matter of time before it stops transmitting the IR code to the reciever. I need to get a camer out so I can see if it is actually transmitting a code but my guess is no. Given the other comments that indicate IR Blasting is only supported with Vista/Win7, I wonder why it works at all. I am using the Ehome driver for the IR Blaster.

What MCE Remote hardware are you using? Also, what drivers are you using (built in, or replacement)? Lastly, what version of EG are you using? I don't actually have an answer to your question, but seeing that you can transmit IR in XP gives me hope! Now only to figure out what to do to keep it transmitting. If I can re-create your scenario I'll play with it and try my best to figure out what is going on.

[ijourneaux]

Here is the scoop. I am using versio EventGhost 0.3.7.r1436. THe MCE hardware I am using come with an Adaptec AVS-3610 dual tuner with the eHome MCE Driver. I had to go looking for that driver as Windows would not install it by default.

I starting apporaching the problem as an IR interference issue. So I turned off all of the compact flourencent lights in the room and started running test. With the lights off, it refused to work. Not what I expected. Turn the lights on and lo and behold it started to work again.

I am not sure I can explain exactly what was happening but suffice to say, putting a piece of metal tap over the IR Bud fixed my problem!

EventGhost and MCE IR blaster seem to be working fine now. Hopefully it will continue.!

[ijourneaux]

It is really funny. Transmitting the IR code to my reciever works perfectly when the compact flourencent light that is right above the receiver is on but it is not reliable when the light is off <????> I would have thought that the flourecent light would have caused interference. I tried putting a pieve of opaque tape over the IR bud and the IR reciever but it is still unreliable. Perhaps the explaination on the different IR frequencies in one of the other threads is the explanation?

Any thoughts?

[cgmark]

It is really funny. Transmitting the IR code to my reciever works perfectly when the compact flourencent light that is right above the receiver is on but it is not reliable when the light is off <????> I would have thought that the flourecent light would have caused interference. I tried putting a pieve of opaque tape over the IR bud and the IR reciever but it is still unreliable. Perhaps the explaination on the different IR frequencies in one of the other threads is the explanation?

Any thoughts?

Any other sources of light in the room ? What could be happening is the fluorescent light is flooding the room with enough light to block the other light source. The best thing to use for an IR sensor cover is developed film negatives.

Most IR transmitters are really poor in design and do not have a lot of output power. That is why I use one that I made myself that outputs enough power to control a tv at 30ft.

[ijourneaux]

Installing a complete shield over the IR sensor and IR bud seems to have solved mt problem. IN this room there was only 2 compact flourecents and a plasma TV (the useual source of interference problems). My problems were totally unrelated to the plasma this time around.