Adesso ARC-1100 for MediaPortal in XP

[Tesla]

I would like to use this remote for MediaPortal v1.0.2. I think itÔÇÖs also known as an Ortek VRC-1100, Hama MCE, and some other names as clones.

http://www.adesso.com/products_detail.asp?productid=366

http://www.ortek.com/prod_detail.asp?pi ... >>VRC-1100

IÔÇÖm running Windows XP Pro SP3 32-bit (not MCE2005) and EventGhost v0.3.7.r1194.

ItÔÇÖs a Vista remote (also works on MC7) but not a MCE2005 remote. I think the protocol changed from MCE2005 to Vista/7. I tried loading the EG supplied ÔÇ£Microsoft MCE RemoteÔÇØ Plugin into EG AutoStart, but it errors out in log on startup. I think this is because itÔÇÖs a Vista remote, not a MCE (XP-2005) remote. I donÔÇÖt think this applies to me, but should I try this:
http://www.eventghost.org/wiki/MCE_Remote_FAQ

Before I get too far along, I wanted to verify the installation procedure. I installed EG in Windows XP. To use with MediaPortal, I installed 2 of the files into MP and got the Message Plugin working fine. However, there is also a MessagePlugin.hip file that I donÔÇÖt know what to do with since I donÔÇÖt use HIP. Am I correct in assuming itÔÇÖs not needed? (I think I am funneling commands to MP via EG instead of HIP)?

This remote is strange. It has 2 HID parts and also a Keyboard part. In casually playing with it (pressing buttons and watching the EG log screen) I had to load 2 Generic HID Plugins (one for each part) and the Keyboard Plugin to get every key on the remote to display something. I think it will need to be like this:

http://www.eventghost.org/forum/viewtop ... rtal#p6943

Also, the name of the 2 HID parts is the same. ItÔÇÖs a weird symbol (looks like the symbol for pi). But, using the Prefix option, I can see which part is being used.

Of course, I was hoping to find a pre-made Plugin for this remote. I think it and itÔÇÖs clones are becoming fairly popular. It works with Vista/7 Media Center perfectly with no additional drivers or setup (so it will have long term usefulness). I dropped back to XP and MediaPortal because this particular older machine wouldnÔÇÖt handle HD playback properly in MC7. If I can get this to work, IÔÇÖll upload my *.xml file for others to use.

[Tesla]

This is a nice app. Ok, I got most of the keys working, except for ...

The "i" or Information key doesn't send a code because it appears to be the same as the Right Mouse Button.

Play and Pause buttons send the same key code.

Any ideas on those?

EDIT 1:
The "i" key works after all ... you just have to press it twice (once to get the cursor to appear, once for the menu). This mirrors the operation of a real mouse in MP (but slightly moving the mouse first gets the cursor to appear, so then you only right click once).

For Play/Pause, I setup a dual "State Toggle" macro.

EDIT 2:
Still making progress (and learning EG).

I had to setup switching because my Keyboard reassignments were (incorrectly) staying in effect when not running MediaPortal. This is want I wanted anyway ... for everything to work like normal when not in MP. I think it's because I had to modify the Keyboard device and also because I occasionally exit out of MP (to config. something) and need the keyboard. If I stayed in MP 100%, I might not have noticed.

[benogil]

Tesla,

If you can, I would like to get the .xml file, I have the same remote, and am having difficulty.

Thanks,

Ben

[Tesla]

Tesla,

If you can, I would like to get the .xml file, I have the same remote, and am having difficulty.

Thanks,

Ben

Ben,

Well, the good news is that I got it working perfectly with MediaPortal (and figured out "switching" so the keyboard remapping is only in effect while MP is running).

The bad news is that I gave that machine to my brother. Soon after we installed it, he got mad at his Internet Provider and had his Internet turned off (so very unexpectedly, I no longer have network access to this PC). He lives on the other side of town, but the next time I am over there, I will grab it.

[benogil]

Hahaha, when you can, that would be great ( sounds like my younger brother )

Thanks,

Ben

[Tesla]

Hahaha, when you can, that would be great ( sounds like my younger brother )

Thanks,

Ben

Here you go ...

[defender013]

hi tesla,

thank you for sharing this with us. I've been wondering for the longest time that this remote should in fact work with HID (i've read SOOO MANY posts where ppl complain about how it wouldn't work with default MCE plugin but never tried other options).

I'm ordering this remote now and hope all will work out as well.

thanks again!

[Tesla]

hi tesla,

thank you for sharing this with us. I've been wondering for the longest time that this remote should in fact work with HID (i've read SOOO MANY posts where ppl complain about how it wouldn't work with default MCE plugin but never tried other options).

I'm ordering this remote now and hope all will work out as well.

thanks again!

You are welcome.

Here is the (newer) archive I uploaded over at the MediaPortal Forums. The EG config file is the same, but this version also contains a readme file to help new EG users get it setup quickly (and some other info).

Yes, it's a little confusing. But, according to my (limited) experience ... remotes/software/plugins designed specifically for the old MCE (actually means MCE2005/XP) are not neccessarily compatible with Vista (Vista/Win7 Media Center) remotes/software/plugins.

But since I just need a working dependable OS to run MediaPortal on, (low overhead on this older XP machine) this solution works for me.

[Luca Brasi]

Hi Tesla,

I had the auvisio version of this one running here. With Win7x64 I had the same problems.
On my search for a solution I installed EG Beta 4.something. And oh wonder the auvision was
recognized and installed automatecly by EG. It is now handeled by an alternative USB driver.
No more need for Hid and Keyboard Plugins. Works much better!

Luca

[Tesla]

Hi Tesla,

I had the auvisio version of this one running here. With Win7x64 I had the same problems.
On my search for a solution I installed EG Beta 4.something. And oh wonder the auvision was
recognized and installed automatecly by EG. It is now handeled by an alternative USB driver.
No more need for Hid and Keyboard Plugins. Works much better!

Luca

That's good news. A native Plugin for this remote will really help. Thanks developers!

I don't see a 0.4.x version, but I see this one:
EventGhost 0.3.7.r1436, 11.8 MB, Feb 11 2010

So, with remote's new plugin, and the MediaPortal plugin it works without additional key programming?

Let me ask you ... Do the remote's Play and Pause keys work? Also, does the remote's Back button work, and then when you exit MP to Windows, the keyboard's Escape and BackSpace buttons work properly?

[Luca Brasi]

you have to go to http://www.eventghost.org/downloads/ for the beta releases.

So, with remote's new plugin, and the MediaPortal plugin it works without additional key programming?

Yes, you just have to match the actions to the mp macros.

Let me ask you ... Do the remote's Play and Pause keys work?

Don't know that for sure, but I don't think so. I use another receiver for that now.

Also, does the remote's Back button work, and then when you exit MP to Windows, the keyboard's Escape and BackSpace buttons work properly?

Back button is working. And the keyboard is working completely after exit now, thats why I'm so happy about it.

Btw. I had to change the config of the auvisio plugin a little to get the colour buttons working. See attachement.

[Tesla]

Thanks for uploading that new file. I'm sure it will help someone. Those colored keys come in handy in MediaPortal.

Unfortunately, I don't have this remote (or the XP-MP system it's installed on) any more to try new things on. It is, however, fully working and my brother uses it all the time. If I need another remote in the future though, I will surely get another one of these.

I'm still wondering if getting this remote to work on MP is different, depending on whether you are running XP/MCE2005 or Vista/Win7. I say this because (in my testing) I definitely saw some differences between XP/Win7, but that might have just been the Microsoft bundled Media Centers. That is why my upload specifically states the software used and the target system.

As a new EG user, I find it very powerfull. However, as a MP user just looking for a way to get their remote to work ... well, it's pretty hard. I'm afraid some new users will give up before they get their remotes working. It's NOT a fault of the program ... it's just highly configurable and works with just about anything. Anyway, that's why I think it's important for people to keep sharing their .XML config files for certain applications. It helps to make it more turn-key.

There is a .jpg file in my archive that should show enough of how to get play/pause buttons working (toggle state) and to put the ESC/BackSpace buttons back when not in MP (app. switching). Well, at least the way I did it on the software I had installed.

[defender013]

Hi Telsa,

once again I want to say thank you, following your lead, i was able to get the adesso arc to behave MOSTLY as i want to..

my setup is xbmc & KMPlayer. I am however, having a small problem, and I would like to know if you've encountered it as well.

Basically, even when I set EG to intercept certain HID commands, (button 7 and 9 specifically) and bind them to different functionality, I cannot stop the native windows program (KMPlayer in this case) to catch up on the command itself and respond to it first.

So the end result I get in certain situations is that my mediaPlayer responds to the HID first, THEN my EG bound command kicks in.

From what I understand of EG, it does not "intercept" commands per say, simply recognizes them and kicks off another string of events as programmed, is this how you understand it as well? So I believe in my case, unless I can find a way of telling KMPlayer to stop responding to HID commands, I cannot get around this problem.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Many Thanks,
defender013

[Tesla]

Hi Telsa,

once again I want to say thank you, following your lead, i was able to get the adesso arc to behave MOSTLY as i want to..

my setup is xbmc & KMPlayer. I am however, having a small problem, and I would like to know if you've encountered it as well.

Basically, even when I set EG to intercept certain HID commands, (button 7 and 9 specifically) and bind them to different functionality, I cannot stop the native windows program (KMPlayer in this case) to catch up on the command itself and respond to it first.

So the end result I get in certain situations is that my mediaPlayer responds to the HID first, THEN my EG bound command kicks in.

From what I understand of EG, it does not "intercept" commands per say, simply recognizes them and kicks off another string of events as programmed, is this how you understand it as well? So I believe in my case, unless I can find a way of telling KMPlayer to stop responding to HID commands, I cannot get around this problem.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Many Thanks,
defender013

If you haven't already, you might try setting up app-switching (shows in config as "Switch to Mode"). As I remember, that's what controls what apps are controlled by various buttons (when multiple apps are running). That's what I had to do for a similar problem.

[defender013]

Hi tesla,

thank you for your response. i do in fact have context settings, the problem however (and i've confirmed with bartman), is that eventghost cannot actually STOP an HID button. So if some program in the background automatically responds to that button, there is sadly nothing i can do.

however, i found a work around with my current setup. Thanks for the help though! I can now use the adesso arc to happily control everything.