MCE Remote Transmit IR function help

[cassidycaid]

Hi everyone. Awesome software.

I have been banging my head trying to get the Transmit IR function for MCE Remote Plugin to do what I want. At this point I need to ask for help because I am up against a wall.

Using EventGhost 0.3.7r1076
Windows XP MCE version 2008 service pack 3
and an HP MCE remote receiver.

Trying to transmit IR via one of the 2 output ports on the back, and when I send commands to my B&K receiver, it works great... perfectly.
The sharp TV is another story.
I get the feeling that this may be an incompatibility in the IR format perhaps?

I can learn a code (say TV Off) fine into the eventghost action. But the damn TV will not respond to me sending the code. As I said, my B&K receiver responds to any command I throw at it via eventghost.

Both the B&K and the Sharp TV are hooked up to the same amplified IR connecting block that is fed from an output of the MCE remote USB receiver. Does anyone have any idea or should I give up on the MCE unit and get the USB-UIRT?

Thanks

[cassidycaid]

Little bump....

Anyone that perhaps can direct me to somewhere that I can get more information on the abilities/limitations of the MCE USB IR remote and base station?

[gonthorn]

No answer to your question, I actually have another question. I just started using eventghost and I am able to get everything done I am looking for, but I cannot figure out the MCE remote plugin.

Could you explain how you got the MCE plugin to transmit anything via the IR blaster. The MCE plugin seems to only talk about revceiving IR. I have the IR codes for my TV and I would like the blaster to turn the TV on/off via an IR blaster. Basically turning my PC into a simple remote control for my TV.

Im new at this and I dont know the syntax for the transmit event or anything. You mentioned you were able to get it transmitting to you AV receiver, what does that command look like in EG?

Thanks for the help !

[cassidycaid]

I will try to help.

You should be able to add an Action based on the MCE plugin - Transmit IR (it's the only action that the MCE plugin can do).

Assuming you can get that far, there should be a popup window titled 'Action Item Settings' with a data field and a 'Learn IR Code' button just below it; below that will be the 'Test' 'OK' 'Cancel' & 'Apply' buttons.

Let me back up. I have not gotten the MCE unit to transmit via a front blaster (I haven't tried), although there may be one, I'm not sure; instead I have been using one of the 2 IR output ports on the back of the unit (3.5mm mono jacks - like a headphone jack but mono not stereo), by plugging in a standard IR emitter into one of these (I am in the Home Theater installation industry so feel free to ask if you don't understand what I'm talking about and I will try to assplain further). I don't know if the MCE has a front blaster. I do know that it has an IR pickup on the front which is what we will use to learn IR commands.

Continuing, once you have the 'Action Item Settings' window open, the key is the 'Learn IR Code' button highlighting. If you have the remote that you want to learn ready, I have found that you must click on that button once or twice until it is highlighted a dark blue, then shoot your IR command into the front of the MCE unit. The main data field should then fill with a bunch of 2 digit hex values.
Sometimes it may help to click on the data field then click on the 'Learn' button a couple times.

If you get a buch of sensless numbers, you are on the right track and pressing the 'Test' button should transmit the IR code that you just learned out the emitter ports on the back. If there is am IR blaster in the front then I assume it would also be transmitted there as well. I use emitters because they can be spliced to be extended and stuck directly over the IR pickup of devices to be controlled and because they provide a little feedback in the form of a blinky light to let me know that something, at least, is going on. I can link you to the emitters if you need.

We now get to the root of my problem and, unfortunately, I think yours as well. Although I can learn numerous commands into Eventghost, the only one of my components that I've actually gotten to respond to a learned command is my B&K receiver. My Sharp LCD and Motorola cable box, although hooked up to the same IR distribution system, no workee workee.

This is not the time or the place to get into carrier frequencies of IR commands and underlying protocols and frankly, I haven't gotten that straight enough to more then vaguely guess that that is why only one of my devices is responding, but perhaps you will have more success then I.

This is why I've posted here hoping for an IR guru on a budget like me to bless us with knowledge. I fear the limitation is in the hardware.

I hope this makes sense and helps, I'm a couple Guinesses in and basically given up on this avenue.
Good luck.

[sythious]

I Believe we have the same problem... although I wich I would have found your post earlier.

Software = EventGhost 0.3.7.r1462
HTPC = Windows MCE version 2002 service pack 3
HID = MCE remote with ehome USB receiver/emiter with 2 ir out
IR repeater = Cables to go (impact accoustic) 40430 (2ir in/6ir out)
AMplifier = Yamaha HTR-6130
Cable box = Scientific Atlanta explorer 3200
Projector = Optoma SP 7600
Lights = Lutron IR wall plate with remote

this is what I would like to accomplish:

I would like to implement "macros" with multiple IR commands in order to consolidate many functions into one button, on one remote (MCE remote).

ex: one touch "all ON"

This is my setup:

- HTPC (WMCE) is connected to ehome receiver/emitter via USB
- IR2 out of eHome R/E is connected to the IR Repeater block via 3.5mm mono jack
- IR out ports of the IR repeater block are connected to all A/V equipement via 3.5mm mono wires ending with emiter squids placed on the IR receiver windows of each piece of equipement I want to control.
- The IR repeater block also came with its own receiver that I have placed at the other end of the appartment for controling at a distance.

Here are the results of my tests:

- Just using the original remotes through the IR repeaters receiver at the
other end of the appartment, everything works exept for the cable box. I swaped the two IR emiters
from the Amplifier and the cable box and got the same results.

- After having learnt all IR codes with the MCE IR learnig plugin from EG, I started executing
them directly from EG and noticed the following: light codes/no joy ; amplifier codes/no joy ;
cable box/no joy ; projector/all good.

- Then I proceeded to pluging in a very long IR emitter directly to the ehome USB R/E and trying
the equipement one by one. Once again I got the same result as using the original remotes through
the IR repeater (all good exept for the cable box). So I know EG is doing it's job and the learnt codes work.

- after that, just for kicks, I stuck the very long "IR emiter" to the "IR repeater's" receiver, and got the exact same results as when the "eHome R/E" was hard wired to the repeater block.

Questions:

1 - Is this a case of depleted or week IR signals going through to many instruments?
2 - How would I go about boosting the IR signal going trhrough the wire between the eHome
E/R and the repeater block?
3 - Would a "USB UIRT" device work better in this scenario?
4 - unrelated, but why does the IR1 out of the eHome e/R not work with EG?

In so far as my set top box goes, I found references to different types of emiter squids:
(Problem #4: Hypersensitive Equipment
Emitters can over-power the equipments IR sensor. Low power emitters and adjustable output emitters are available for equipment that is overloaded by standard or high power emitters. This is especially true for cable and satellite TV boxes.)
at the folowing link:
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/conne ... stems-work

Hope someone somewhere knows a bit more than we do.
cheers!

[oridanus]

Hi there,

I have the same problem as you guys.
I'm using the plugin : "Microsoft MCE Remote - Vista/Win7" to control equipment with 2 blasters.

bought a new Toshiba LED TV and trying to learn my MCE blasters to turn on and off the TV with no luck.
the plugin learns the IR code , and the blasters "blast" the code, but the TV is not responding to it ( tried to place the blaster in many different locations on the front panel of the TV as well... )

do certain TV sets not supported by those IR blaster?

thanks in advance,

Ori

[sythious]

From what i've gathered, some devices have iR receivers that are quite particular and need different types of emitter such as:
- Low power emitters
- Plasma compatible ir blasters
- Adjustable output emitters
- etc...
Read this article for the ABC's of ir :
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/conne ... stems-work

also, of course, make sure that your setup in EG is correct for your win7 OS.
Read the following thread for more info:
http://www.eventghost.org/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=1789

cheers

[oridanus]

thanks you sythious for the replay.

this is a very interesting article about this subject.
one operational thing which this article gave me is to try to turn off the lights in the room, unfortunately this does not resolve the problem.

one other thing that I'm pretty sure causes the problem is that this new TV uses RF remote instead of IR , and that's why it cannot be controlled via the IR blasters. this is just a guess - didn't find any evidence to this on the manual ( this is Toshiba SL73 TV ).

will try to look for RF blasters set that may solve this problem...

I know that my installation with windows 7 works because I'm using it for about a year , with my old TV set as well with my receiver.

thanks you again,
any other help will be appreciated,
Ori