Here's a little back story. If you're not interested please scroll down to the PROBLEM DESCRIPTION section of this post.
My goal is to setup a Windows based HTPC running XMBC build on Inter NUC with Nuvoton CIR / Microsoft eHome IR devices that are build in. I'm running into some annoying issues and I need your help. Issues I'm having are hard to describe, since no matter what I type and how precicely I describe the problem I always end up with the same results in the search engine (yes! I know how to use it)
# BACK STORY
About two years ago I decided to resurrect my old workstation and make it into a home entertainment system. A weekend project. I had a bit of problems at the beginning, but once they were solved everything went smoothly. I was using a home made IR receiver connected to a COM port in my PC (running Windows). The receiver was based on Igor Cesko's design (http://www.cesko.host.sk/girderplugin.htm). I was using an old version of Grider (before it went commercial, I think it was version 3) to interpret the signals. After setting that up (which was pretty easy and straight forward) everything was done and I was enjoying my home made HTPC. I even got into some talks with a local custom-computer-builds-company to build small PC designed to that purpose. The great thing about this setup was it would work with ANY remote. Anything you could throw at it, the little diode would receive. The only thing left to do was to interpret the signal using Grider. I didn't know about EventGhost at the time (and I wish I have).
Now I'm trying to do the same thing with a modern computer (like Intel NUC). I was so happy to learn that it comes with a build in IR receiver. Unfortunately the old setup didn't work. I quickly learned about different protocols, channels, RC6, and other related stuff. I even thought for a second that using my old IR diode would do just fine, but nobody is making COM ports anymore, not to mention it would be a total shame to ignore the build in device.
I've learned that an MCE remote should work out of the box, but first of all I didn't have one just laying around, and second of all, I really wanted to be able to use ANY remote with this setup. After all... it's just a matter of mapping the signals to keystrokes, right? Nope. My guess was that the build in CIR/eHome was getting the signal, but probably ignoring it, because it didn't follow a pattern or some other protocol. I started digging through the forums (these forums and other resources found on the web). All the different solutions I found where pointing me back to the MCE remote. Then I found the Alternative MCE Remote Vista/Win7 that could work with ANY remote. Downloaded it (didn't have to - it comes with the latest EG release). Followed instructions, admin mode and everything. Tried pressing the buttons on my ANY remote with no result in the logs. So I created the action under the Vista/Win7 plugin "Get MCE IR device capability" with result "2 Transmitters (2 attached), does have learn capability". Then tried "Get IR code" action, but it crashes EventGhost every time.
Finally the time came to try those MCE remotes. I got Xbox360 remote, and the new Xbox One Media Remote (which is totally badass!). Of course they didn't work out of the box. Couldn't get them to work with EG, but after the registry trick with CodeSetNum0 set to 0 or 8 suddenly everything started to click. My Xbox360 remote started to act as a keyboard. As I suspected the CIR/eHome was working all along, just didn't "recognize" the signals and didn't know how to interpret them. EventGhost wasn't even needed at this point. Windows comes with predefined keys. That caused two problems - I wasn't able to reprogram the remote to my liking, and I would get Windows Media Center to popup very now and then. As for reprogramming the keys I know there are tools that do that, but that wasn't as important at the time. I've experimented a little and found out that I don't even need the Alternative MCE service nor the plugin, because the build in "Generic HID" was working just fine (with registry trick applied). After having partial success with the Xbox360 remote I tried the Xbox One Media Remote. No luck. Turns out it's not using the RC6 protocol (probably using NEC). So than again I remembered the Alternative MCE Remote Vista/Win7 plugin and service. Still. No luck. Tried different solutions. Winlirc, XBMC plugs, nothing works.
# LONG STORY SHORT
Currently I have Xbox360 remote working with Windows and I don't even need EventGhost, although I know I can use it to remap keys, add complex actions and stuff, which is what I'll eventually do, but first, I'd like to make EventGhost work with my Xbox One Media Remote or ANY other remote.
# PROBLEM DESCRIPTION
- Windows 7 Home Premium, Service Pack 1
- Intel NUC D54250WYKH with infrared sensor that shows up as two devices in the device manager (Nuvoton SIO CIR Device Driver, and Microsoft eHome Infrared Transceiver)
- EventGhost 0.4.1.r1669
- Remotes: Xbox360 Remote (RC6), Xbox One Media Remote, ANY regular TV/stereo remote
# RESULTS
- None of the "non-specific" remotes works in any case althoughEG should register someting in the log via AlternativeMCE service)
- With the CodeSetNum0 registry trick Xbox360 remote works without EG. EG can still capture events, but only via Generic HID plugin. Any dedicated plugins (dedicated Windows MCE or the AlternativeMCE) do not capture the signals.
- AlternativeMCE sometimes generates errors in logs like "C:\Program Files (x86)\EventGhost\plugins\MceRemote_Vista\__init__.py:696: RuntimeWarning: Parent module 'eg.CorePluginModule.MceRemote_Vista' not found while handling absolute import". I've read abhout that. Did install it in a couple of different ways, but it still happens from time to time. Don't know if that's the problem. I also get "MCE_Vista: Connected to MceIr pipe, started handling IR events" and "MceRemote.Connected" so I assume everything is working as it should.
- Generic HID with the registry trick works every time generating logs like "HID.Button.1+128+250+255+255+35+244+15+128+32+128+250+255+255" (not for all buttons though).
- AlternativeMCE seems to install and run fine, although it never logs anything. "Get MCE IR device capability" results with "2 Transmitters (2 attached), does have learn capability". "Get IR code" crashes EventGhost every time. When AlternativeMCE is running along with Generic HID, EG stops logging signals.
- Xbox One Media Remote still not being registered by EG.
# SOURCES FOUND, READ, STUDIED, WITH NO RESULTS
// I've read the entire threads, not just the posts I'm linking too.
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?ti ... pid1651024 (this one gave me hope, but still - no results)
https://communities.intel.com/thread/54728
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1789
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3591
Don't have the rest of the links, but there was a lot of material to read. As you can guess most of the resources were repeating the same thing over and over, or the solution was "get a new remote" or something of that nature. I could also use some general knowledge about IR, channels, remotes, protocols and stuff like that, but preferably only after the problem is solved. I don't want this post to turn into something it was not meant to be, which is a solution to the Xbox One Media Remote working with EG.
# SOLUTION
I think the key here is to get the AlternativeMCE to work properly and log events. After that (from what I've read) ANY remote should work - meaning my Xbox One Media Remote should work too (as "documented" by one of the links above). But that's just my guess. I bet you guys have more experience with this so I'm counting on you.
# IDEAS?
Anyone?