Using Pronto with an MCE receiver

[Don_Paul]

I've built a HTPC with XBMC, and bought a MCE Remote to control this setup - but find it lacking a lot of features. Then, I stumbled upon EventGhost which looks like it does exactly what I need - but I'm struggling to get it to work.

I'm using the latest version of EventGhost with a receiver which I've since then found out to be a 'PC Remote Controller. After installing the plugin for this device, the IR receiver was not recognised. On the forum, I found instructions to modify the Python file with the right device id etc. After that, EventGhost installed a new version of the USB driver for my receiver, even called 'PC Remote'. This looked promising, and I even noticed that IR events where received in the log window. I even managed to get XBMC working with these events - but not dependable. After a standby the events where not received by EventGhost again.

Besides this, what I wanted was to create a lot of custom buttons on my Pronto. I tried sending lots of other codes from other remotes my Pronto, but these were not recognised as events.

So,how to get EventGhost to receive these other codes? I tried lot of other plugins to no avail. I even tried the alternative MCE plugin, which unfortunately does not connect to my IR receiver.

If I can get this setup (Pronto + IR receiver from PC Remote Controller) to work I'm willing to invest more time, but I'm starting to think this is not the best compination. If the problem is my IR receiver, I'll toss it - but, what to get in place of this? Should I get an USB-UIRT, which looks like it is widely supported?

Or can my problems be resolved by the right configuration?

[kkl]

I tried sending lots of other codes from other remotes my Pronto, but these were not recognised as events.

To recognize all events, make sure that the checkbox in the lower left hand corner of the EG window is unchecked.

[Don_Paul]

The checkbox is unchecked, no problem there. It looks like the ir receiver or the driver filters all unknown ir codes, to my untrained eye.

[kkl]

bought a MCE Remote to control this setup
...
since then found out to be a 'PC Remote Controller.

From your description, you don't actually have an MCE Remote. Yours has a bunch of keys for keyboard and mouse emulation, right? I made the mistake of buying one of those and found that it couldn't understand/receive most IR signals other than from its own remote. An MCE remote receiver is one like this: http://www.amazon.com/HP-Windows-Infrar ... 023&sr=8-4. These work well for receiving almost all IR signals in the usual frequencies. You can find these for less than $10 on ebay (e.g. http://www.ebay.com/itm/5070-2584-NEW-H ... 27bdb97d43).

[Don_Paul]

Yours has a bunch of keys for keyboard and mouse emulation, right?

Yes, indeed it does. So, the problem is, as i suspected, in the remote receiver. Not only it does not receive all IR formats, it also is quite undependable in combination with EG.

So, a HP Remote is a valid alternative. Unfortunately, where I live (Netherlands) they are quite hard to get. I've already been looking at two alternatives:

the well-known USB-UIRT, and a new one I had not heard about but who looks quite promising, Flirc. If the HP Remote is as versatile as either of those two, I'll add it to my list.

[mickelin]

The best option is to get a "real" mce receiver or a usb-uirt. I have both and they work beautifully. I also have a "mce compatible" receiver similar to the one you have. Using the keyboard plugin I can pick up the codes, but the problem is that each key generates multiple events. I just trigger on one of them and it works ok.