Microsoft eHome Infrared Transciever

[pse]

I have this device and it is recognised in EG plugin as Microsoft MCE Remote. I want to use this device to control my STB using the STB remote. Is that possible? When i pressed any button on my STB remote, the IR signal blinks but it does not change any channel. Please help, what should I do from here. Thanks

[pse]

I have not seen any help on my subject, may be I should be more detail.

I have the following USB reciver with a remote control. I use this to control my STB using an IR blaster. However, the supplied remote control only has limited function for this purpose. I believe It is more of a MCE remote. My aim is to get the STB remote to work with this device instead of the supplied MCE remote. Is this possible using EG? When any buttons pressed on my STB remote, the IR light blinks, which indicates an interaction. One of theMicrosoft MCE plugin macro learn my STB IR as pronto, is that correct.

Devive Manager recognise this device as:

HID-compliant consumer control device
HID-compliant device
Microsoft eHome Infrared Transciever

I really don't know how to proceed from here. I need help on how to go on from here. Somebody please help. Thank you.

[giantpopples]

Hello !

If I understand correctly, what you want to do is control your STB through Eventghost with the MCE tranciever.

You can do this with eventghost and the provided MCE receiver plugin.

So what you'll have to do is record all the pronto codes for the STB remote that you want to use, link the tranciever to your STB IR : you have 2 jack outbut on the back of the tranciever, if you have a ir input on the back of your stb (like in many HC amp), you simply use a mono jack cable, if you don't you need an IR emitter or "IR-eye", it is a jack cable with a led at the other hand that you stick on the IR LED of your STB.

Then, for each IR signal received from your remote in Eventghost, you make a macro, with a transmit IR action containing the desired pronto code. Note that once you have recorded the pronto codes for your SB, you can use any remote to control it, or even use a webserver to control it

I hope my explanations will help you !

NB: I think Microsoft MediaCenter can control STB by default, using an IR emitter, maybe you can also look that way, it might be easier if you use this software

[pse]

Hello giantpopples,

Yes, that's right. Exactly that's what I wanted to do.
I have a IR blaster cable attached to Vulkano(similiar to Slingbox), pointing at STB for flashing IR codes.

Please tell me what should I do next from here.

1. I add the plugin Microsoft MCE Remote - Vista/Win7
2. Add a folder
3 Add a macro >>click the Transmit IR from the plugin>>Learn IR Code(pronto code)
3a. Press a desired button on my STB remote for it to learn the code >> it fired a string of alpha-numeric codes>>clicked OK
4.
5.

How can I make the recorded pronto codes to interact with STB, this what could be very challenging to me. May be something is already there but I simply don't know the work around. I am sorry if I am asking too much, because Eventghost is new to me.
Thank you.

[giantpopples]

You have almost all you need, at least the most difficult part

Now all you have to do is set an event to fire the transmit ir you created.

Events are visible in the left window, everything that happens in windows that is catchable by a plugin will be seen here.

So, you click on the desired button on your remote, you should see a new event on the left window, starting by "MceRemote.".
You drag and drop this event on top of the transmit action you want and you're set !

Now, everytime you click on that button on the remote, it should fire the associated action

[pse]

When I pressed number 1 on remote, there are four MceRemote events appered on the left. Then went on to click add event on the macro, one of the event appeared automatically below the macro. With just a single macro, I wanted to test but there are no IR fired at STB, even I drag & drop the remaining events. Please tell me if I left out something . Thanks

[giantpopples]

Seems good to me..

You can try with another remote to send the event - one that will only send 1 IR code - or check that the IR emitter is well connected on the back of the tranceiver (port 1 or 2, does not matter), and also check the positioning of the IR eye on the STB. For the last 2 checks, you don't need to use the remote, just click the action and click on the green triangle in the menu to launch it.

[pse]

The IR blaster is connected to place shifting device(Hava or Vulkano). If I use this transciever just as plug n play, it transmits signals thru the place shifting device, but as I have said earlier that the remote control has only limited function. That is the reason I want to use EventGhost to pair with STB remote control since it can capture IR codes as it is called eHome reciever. But the difficult part is getting the codes or IR signals fired. I will send you a pm containing the xml file which I created. If possible please look at it and advice if any mistakes been made. Thanks

[jitterjames]

to test your transmit macro, right click and select "execute item".

if you have an MCE remote you should not be seeing 4 events like Mceremote.Unknown.*****

it should look something like MCEremote.Pause

I wonder if you are confusing

1: the remote used to fire the event (the mce remote)
2: the remote we are trying to emulate with the ir blaster. (the stb remote)

by the way, does STB stand for "set top box"?

also note when learning codes you should be holding the remote that you want to learn from about 2-3 inches form the learning receiver, preferably away from bright lights (sun / TV) or other ir emissions, in order to get a clean read. It may not always work the first time, and varies depending on the remote you are trying to learn from.

[pse]

The mce remote code is captured as what you have stated, that is if number 1 button is pressed, it it showing as MCEremote.Num1. This is not the problem for me. What I want is to use my set top box remote to work with eHome IR Tranciever. Is that possible?

The mce remote shown in the above picture working as plug n play, that is without Eventghost. The problem is only the number buttons and volume are working. Play, pause, etc is not working as plug n play. What I want to do is

1) Use the Eventghost to map the MCEremote.Unknown****** to MCEremote.Num1

or

2) Use Eventghost to capture all the STB remote code(unknown) to emulate mce remote.

Regarding the confusion:

It is the remote trying to emulate with IR blaster.

I want to use Eventghost for:
1) Vulkano/Hava player. The IR blaster is connected to Vulkano/Hava and the player has on screen remote.
2) STB, which is set top box. For this the IR blaster can be connected to the eHome IR tranciever or the Vulkano/Hava player.

Please help me as I am trying desperately to make this work. Thank you.

[jitterjames]

I'm sorry. What you are saying does not make sense to me. I don't know if it is a communication problem, or if what you are trying to do does not make sense. It sounds like a chicken and egg situation. You want to use both remotes to emulate / control each other.

One thing that you may be missing, is that after you install the mceremote vista/win7 plugin, you need to go into the plugin settings and install the service. Then you need to reboot. This will ensure that all MCEremote keys are sent to eventGhost, and no default keyboard emulation is performed when you press buttons on the mceremote.

Once everything is set up and working the way you want, do you want to put the STB remote into storage and use only the mceremote?

[jitterjames]

you can send me your setup via pm if you like. I may be able to understand better after I look at that.

[pse]

May be communication problem or I did not say correctly what I wanted.

Let's forget about mce remote!

I just want to use the STB remote via Eventghost to control my STB. Is that possible?

I just need single solution. Thanks.

Note:
If mce remote can perform all the functions of STB remote, yes, I don't need to use STB remote, but I believe not as the colour buttons and some others are missing in the mce remote.

[jitterjames]

why don't you just control the stb with the stb remote directly? It will be much more reliable.

[jitterjames]

if the STB is hidden away and can't be moved, then you might be better off with a simple IR repeater.