HP MCE Reciever with Harmony 700 - ugh!

[shackrock]

I bought one of these, based on forum threads here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181040451537?ss ... 1497.l2649

I plugged this into my Windows 7 PC (a shuttle barebones PC), and this was found by windows no problem. That said, I've been having horrid issues with it and EventGhost (using with mediaportal, but that doesn't matter right now). Please see here:

First time, works great. I installed the MCE driver with eventghost. A few hours later, randomly, it stops working. I boot up eventghost and realize the remote is not appearing as random HEX codes when I press a button, not the MCE codes as it should. It's 2 random codes per button-press.

I try to uninstall/install the MCE driver with eventghost, still no luck, same random codes.

I unplug the USB receiver and plug it back into the same port. Same behavior, but now it's 3 random codes. Try again, and it may be 2 random codes. This could go on forever.

If I plug it into a DIFFERENT USB port, it loads up. Then, I can uninstall/install the driver with EventGhost again, and it'll work. This may go on for a few days if I'm lucky, maybe until a restart (seems so completely random). Then the behavior goes back to just as it was before. Restarts sometimes help, sometimes they don't. I only have one USB port that I haven't tried yet..... and it's my last one. PLEASE HELP!

[shackrock]

Nobody else has encountered this? Here's an example, and I'm not fresh out of new USB ports...

Code: Select all

---> Welcome to EventGhost <---
Autostart
   Plugin: MediaPortal
   Plugin: Microsoft MCE Remote - Vista/Win7
Main.OnInit
Main.OnInitAfterBoot
MceRemote.Unknown.2FD5FFFF2A7EBD6C
MceRemote.Unknown.5FA3FFFE5B875F86C0B70
MceRemote.Unknown.2FEBFF5EF872FD30
MceRemote.Unknown.2FD7FF7D2A6EBD6C
MceRemote.Unknown.57AFFFFE5B875B87E8B70
System.Idle
System.UnIdle
MCE_Vista: MceIr pipe is not available, app doesn't seem to be running
    Will continue to try to connect to MceIr
    Message = The system cannot find the file specified.


Service successfully uninstalled
MCE_Vista: Connected to MceIr pipe, started handling IR events
Service successfully installed
MceRemote.Unknown.2FD7FFBB2A7EBD1C

[dermotos]

I use that HP MCE sensor with my harmony 785 remote with zero issues. Pretty much just plug and play.

[KairuByte]

Double check that you don't have any light interference. Light bulbs, candles and especially sunlight can cause interference. I admit candles are not normally the issue, but make sure your receiver is kept out of sunlight.

To test, try using the receiver and remote in the dark. If this turns out to be the issue, all you need to do is re-position the receiver.

[shackrock]

Hey All. I never did find a true fix to this, let me breakdown my experience, which is very repeatable...

• On computer startup, the receiver is plugged in. Everything loads up, including EventGhost.
• I press buttons that usually correspond to MediaPortal actions, and the harmony gives the random codes (left/right/up/down, for example).
• To fix this, I need to unplug the receiver from the USB port, wait for EG to recognize that it's unplugged (it spits out a few "device removed" log lines). Then, I have to plug the USB back in BUT INTO A DIFFERENT PORT. I then wait for EG to recognize the new device, again it spits out a few lines in the log.
• Now, it still won't work yet (pressing buttons on the harmony still spits random codes). So, I now go and uninstall the MCE service (see attachment for plugin screen). Then, install the MCE service. NOW it will work perfect until the computer is shut down again.

  

  The screen where I uninstall/then install the MCE IR service.

If I do anything else besides this, the remote still won't work...and I've tried A LOT of things to narrow this down.

Last thing, and this is almost every time, my computer seems to run a bit slower. If I load up resource monitor, I see this process (see attachment) - constantly using 25%ish CPU.

Resource Monitor showing the process at 25% that I can safely end without any difference in remote functionality.

With this running, or with this ended, the remote will still work after I complete this process. So it's like a random MCE IR process. I have a feeling this is related to my issues, but I have no idea, this is all above my head =).

Needless to say, this is pretty annoying, haha.

So take a look at the attachments, and the logs below, I'll try anything anyone wants me to try to nail this down! Thanks...

Code: Select all

---> Welcome to EventGhost <---
Autostart
   Plugin: MediaPortal
   Plugin: Microsoft MCE Remote - Vista/Win7
Main.OnInit
Main.OnInitAfterBoot
System.Idle
System.DeviceRemoved [u'\\\\?\\DISPLAY#PIO0000#4&a40d97&0&UID52628224#{e6f07b5f-ee97-4a90-b076-33f57bf4eaa7}']
MceRemote.Unknown.A97FFFDCB70
MceRemote.Unknown.2FEBFFFFF87EBD70
MceRemote.Unknown.140FFFF96E1FAFBFC
MceRemote.Unknown.5D7EBFD0707AE370
MceRemote.Unknown.557DDAAAEA8
MceRemote.Unknown.15FABAAB7FDFFFE8
MceRemote.Unknown.5DFFFDAAEA8
MceRemote.Unknown.175ABAAAB557DF58
System.DeviceAttached [u'\\\\?\\DISPLAY#PIO0000#4&a40d97&0&UID52628224#{e6f07b5f-ee97-4a90-b076-33f57bf4eaa7}']
MceRemote.Unknown.27EBFFFF2A7EBD7C
MceRemote.Unknown.5FC3FFFE5B878587E8B70
MceRemote.Unknown.2FE3FFFD7872FD70
MceRemote.Unknown.2FEB7FF32A7EBD7C
MceRemote.Unknown.5FC3EFFE5B878787E8B70
MceRemote.Unknown.40
System.UnIdle
System.DeviceRemoved [u'\\\\?\\USB#VID_1934&PID_5168#88636562727801#{a5dcbf10-6530-11d2-901f-00c04fb951ed}']
System.DeviceRemoved [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col08#2&2884b990&0&0007#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceRemoved [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col07#2&2884b990&0&0006#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceRemoved [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col06#2&2884b990&0&0005#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceRemoved [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col05#2&2884b990&0&0004#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceRemoved [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col04#2&2884b990&0&0003#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceRemoved [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col03#2&2884b990&0&0002#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceRemoved [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col02#2&2884b990&0&0001#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceRemoved [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col01#2&2884b990&0&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceAttached [u'\\\\?\\USB#VID_1934&PID_5168#88636562727801#{a5dcbf10-6530-11d2-901f-00c04fb951ed}']
System.DeviceAttached [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col01#2&2884b990&0&0000#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceAttached [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col02#2&2884b990&0&0001#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceAttached [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col03#2&2884b990&0&0002#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceAttached [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col04#2&2884b990&0&0003#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceAttached [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col05#2&2884b990&0&0004#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceAttached [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col06#2&2884b990&0&0005#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceAttached [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col07#2&2884b990&0&0006#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
System.DeviceAttached [u'\\\\?\\HID#IrDeviceV2&Col08#2&2884b990&0&0007#{4d1e55b2-f16f-11cf-88cb-001111000030}']
MCE_Vista: MceIr pipe is not available, app doesn't seem to be running
    Will continue to try to connect to MceIr
    Message = The system cannot find the file specified.


Service successfully uninstalled
MCE_Vista: Connected to MceIr pipe, started handling IR events
Service successfully installed
MceRemote.Mce.Left
   Cursor Left
      MediaPortal: Cursor Left
System.ClipboardChanged
System.Idle
System.UnIdle

[kkl]

What do you mean, "The harmony gives the random codes"? Why would your Harmony remote be doing anything at all unless you're pushing its buttons?

I believe that KairuByte is on the right track. This appears to be a case of IR interference. Wrap your MCE receiver in completely opaque material so that there is no possibility of any light reaching it. If the Mceremote.Unknown.XXXXX messages stop, then that confirms an external IR source.

Edit: Also, from reading your earlier post, the MCE plug-in will only show MCE commands (instead of hex codes) if your Harmony remote is sending MCE commands. If it's sending commands for any other device, then the Mceremote.Unknown.XXXXX results are expected/normal.

[shackrock]

Sorry, I should be more clear.

I don't get any codes/logs/events UNLESS a button is pressed. What I noted above is that the REMOTE (when pressing a button) gives the random codes, similar to the ones seen in the initial post.

So, there is no interference causing this issue - an event is only logged when a butotn is pressed. I have edited my post above to more clearly show this.

[kkl]

Okay, that clarification helps. So, to repeat, it is normal for the MCE plug-in to report MceRemote.Unknown.XXXX when you send a command from any non-MCE remote. It is only when you use an MCE remote (or universal remote programmed as MCE) that you will see MceRemote.Mce.<Command>.

Are you saying that you get different MceRemote events for the same remote button press?

[shackrock]

Yep.

So, when it's 'not working', I press down on my harmony and get random codes.

After the fix noted above (those few steps), I press down on the harmony and it works perfect (event recognized, mediaportal reacts correctly.

[kkl]

It sure sounds like something is getting corrupted on your PC over time. If you want to continue troubleshooting, I would suggest stripping your PC as much as possible. Definitely disconnect any USB devices that aren't absolutely essential. Close every program other than EG, including Mediaportal. Give it as much as time as you would usually for the problem to start, sending remote commands as you normally would. If the problem doesn't recur, start adding things back one at a time. If you've already done this, sorry... My best guess is that one of your other USB devices is bumping your MCE around and causing problems.