Harmony One, USB-UIRT, XBMC and Event Ghost... Now what?

[Michael]

I have searched the forums but this stuff is still a bit confusing for me. There are a bunch of people with a lot of differing tutorials and 'best ever way to set up' threads... It can be a bit daunting for a newb to say the least. I've been using XBMC for a while now but this is my first time with a remote/IR receiver (I'm used to just using the keyboard).
I've read differing ways to set this up ranging from using the XBMC plugin in EG to not using that and using the MCE plugin instead or just using the keyboard emulation. My best efforts have ended up with the Harmony setup as a Xbox360 remote which yielded less than stellar results such as XBMC only responding to every other key press on the remote and being very very laggy at best. So if anyone can throw a little grace and guidance my way as to a simple and non-laggy way to setup the Logitech Harmony One with USB-UIRT and Event Ghost I would be eternally grateful. Thanks all for reading through this post and I look forward to hear from you guys.

From what I just read some MCE devices have problems with 'toggle functions' which is why up down and left and right etc... only worked with every other press or only on the second press? So what should I set my Harmony remote up as for maximum compatibility?

[mickelin]

Not sure if this helps, but it may be worth a shot. The MCE remote operates with a toggle bit to distinguish between a long key press and two consequtive. In effect, the same key on the remote send one of two different codes, every other time you press it. That's typically why a non-MCE remote doesn't work when you press the same key twice. There is a registry key in Windows that you can set to disable this behaviour and allow two consequtive presses. It is called "enable debounce". Search your registry for this and change every occurance from 1 to 0.

[Michael]

Not sure if this helps, but it may be worth a shot. The MCE remote operates with a toggle bit to distinguish between a long key press and two consequtive. In effect, the same key on the remote send one of two different codes, every other time you press it. That's typically why a non-MCE remote doesn't work when you press the same key twice. There is a registry key in Windows that you can set to disable this behaviour and allow two consequtive presses. It is called "enable debounce". Search your registry for this and change every occurance from 1 to 0.

Thanks for this!
Question though... will this cause the issue where pressing up once will move the selection up twice on the screen etc... essentially one button press would be as if you were pressing it twice? Also would this hinder me from holding down the key to have it keep scrolling in that direction rather than pressing over or up and down several times to go through the menus?

[mickelin]

Couldn't say for sure. Suggest you try it and see what happens. Also, Google MCE+debounce if you want to read more about this.

[dbbd]

If I'm not mistaken, harmony one can be configured to work as any remote you like.
Why do you insist on using it as an MCE remote? If you use EventGhost, configure your remote
as whatever remote you like (one that does not use toggle bits), and it will be very easy
to configure EG for XBMC.

This is how I solved the same issue with my phillips remote. Response time is excellent.
Down with MCE remotes.

BTW, I've set it up for the same software/hw e.g. XBMC, USB-UIRT, using the EG XMBC & usb-uirt plugins.

[Bartman]

You can map the two codes from the USB-UIRT to one with a clear name with a script in the autostart.
I have done this for my setup with Harmony 885 and USB-UIRT. I have posted the script somewhere in the forum. Some codes differ on a second user setup but he has posted the mapping in the same thread.
This makes initial setup a load faster because you only need to assign one event to each macro.

[dbbd]

I have posted the script somewhere in the forum.

Bartman, you have 527 posts in the forums. And "search within the results" does not agree to search "script".
I could not find your mentioned post. Can you post again, or link to the relevant discussion where you posted in the past?

Thanks

[Bartman]

Since i didn't remerebed the name or keywords of the topic i did not find the post either.
I will look in my config, when I am back at my main machine and hopefully I will find the thread or I can post the script.

[CollinR]

I have seen several complaints as to laggy Harmony remotes completely unrealted to EventGhost.

Your every other click is caused by a toggle bit on the device the Harony was setup to control, learn both codes and use both as actions in your macros and the problem will disappear. That or you can Set the Harmony to a device that doesn't use toggles.

PS. I am NOT a Harmony fan but you can search SageTV's forums for users complaining about it's lag. There are some settings you can adjust but most report they don't significantly help. One user suggested playing with the Harmony devices as I guess different devices have different delays that are not setable by the user. Compared to EventGhost that Harmony web config thing makes my blood boil . It's like the AOL of remote controls.

PPS, Bartman I am disappointed in you.

[Livin]

I guessing Michael is the same guy that posted on the XBMC forum?

Just use keyboard emulation and all is fine, as I stated before, learn your codes and you are done. 15 mins tops.

I posted my config a while ago as Bartman's code did not work for me...
http://www.eventghost.org/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=1116

remember to copy/past ONLY the secion <Folder Name="XBMC" Expanded="True">

tweak the buttons to your liking

[Bartman]

I have this script in my autostart folder. Not sure about the commeted lines.
To reduce the lags of the harmony you should reduce the delays in the harmony software. The default is 500ms which makes navigating completly impossible.

Code: Select all

plugin = eg.result
plugin.Map("412E5EF040F1", "Menu")
plugin.Map("412E5FF050F1", "Menu")
plugin.Map("412E5BF050F1", "Guide")
plugin.Map("412E5AF040F1", "Guide")
plugin.Map("4324AAF050F1", "Info")
plugin.Map("4324ABF040F1", "Info")
plugin.Map("412F8CF040F1", "MediaStop")
plugin.Map("412F8DF050F1", "MediaStop")
plugin.Map("412F8EF040F1", "MediaPrevTrack")
plugin.Map("412F8FF050F1", "MediaPrevTrack")
plugin.Map("412F8FF040F1", "MediaNextTrack")
plugin.Map("412F8EF050F1", "MediaNextTrack")
plugin.Map("412E96F040F1", "MediaPlayPause")
plugin.Map("412E97F050F1", "MediaPlayPause")
plugin.Map("43248CF040F1", "MediaPause")
plugin.Map("43248DF050F1", "MediaPause")
plugin.Map("412E96F050F1", "MediaRecord")
plugin.Map("412E97F040F1", "MediaRecord")
plugin.Map("3F2C39F040F1", "MediaRewind")
plugin.Map("3F2C38F050F1", "MediaRewind")
plugin.Map("412E93F050F1", "MediaForward")
plugin.Map("412E92F040F1", "MediaForward")
plugin.Map("4325A1F040F1", "MediaNum1")
plugin.Map("4325A0F050F1", "MediaNum1")
plugin.Map("4323A1F040F1", "MediaNum2")
plugin.Map("4323A0F050F1", "MediaNum2")
plugin.Map("4321A1F040F1", "MediaNum3")
plugin.Map("4321A0F050F1", "MediaNum3")
plugin.Map("4322A2F040F1", "MediaNum4")
plugin.Map("4322A3F050F1", "MediaNum4")
plugin.Map("412EA2F040F1", "MediaNum5")
plugin.Map("412EA3F050F1", "MediaNum5")
plugin.Map("4322A3F040F1", "MediaNum6")
plugin.Map("4322A2F050F1", "MediaNum6")
plugin.Map("4320A3F040F1", "MediaNum7")
plugin.Map("4320A2F050F1", "MediaNum7")
plugin.Map("4324AEF040F1", "MediaNum8")
plugin.Map("4324AFF050F1", "MediaNum8")
plugin.Map("412FAEF040F1", "MediaNum9")
plugin.Map("412FAFF050F1", "MediaNum9")
plugin.Map("450CA1F040F1", "MediaNum0")
plugin.Map("450CA0F050F1", "MediaNum0")
plugin.Map("412FACF050F1", "MediaClear")
plugin.Map("412FADF040F1", "MediaClear")
plugin.Map("412FADF050F1", "MediaEnter")
plugin.Map("412FACF040F1", "MediaEnter")
plugin.Map("3F2C1FF350F1", "MediaRed")
plugin.Map("3F2C1EF340F1", "MediaRed")
plugin.Map("412EC4F340F1", "MediaGreen")
plugin.Map("412EC5F350F1", "MediaGreen")
plugin.Map("3F2C12F340F1", "MediaYellow")
plugin.Map("3F2C13F350F1", "MediaYellow")
plugin.Map("412EC1F350F1", "MediaBlue")
plugin.Map("412EC0F340F1", "MediaBlue")
plugin.Map("43249CF050F1", "VolumeDown")
plugin.Map("43249DF040F1", "VolumeDown")
plugin.Map("412F9CF050F1", "VolumeUp")
plugin.Map("412F9DF040F1", "VolumeUp")
plugin.Map("412F9FF050F1", "ChannelUp")
plugin.Map("412F9EF040F1", "ChannelUp")
plugin.Map("412F9EF050F1", "ChannelDown")
plugin.Map("412F9FF040F1", "ChannelDown")
plugin.Map("4326AAF050F1", "VolumeMute")
plugin.Map("4326ABF040F1", "VolumeMute")
#plugin.Map("412F53F050F1", "ChannelPrev")
#plugin.Map("412F52F040F1", "ChannelPrev")
plugin.Map("432688F050F1", "Up")
plugin.Map("432689F040F1", "Up")
plugin.Map("432488F050F1", "Down")
plugin.Map("432489F040F1", "Down")
plugin.Map("432450F050F1", "Left")
plugin.Map("432451F040F1", "Left")
plugin.Map("412F50F050F1", "Right")
plugin.Map("412F51F040F1", "Right")
plugin.Map("412F53F050F1", "Ok")
plugin.Map("412F52F040F1", "Ok")
plugin.Map("412E6BF350F1", "MyTV")
plugin.Map("412E6AF340F1", "MyTV")
#plugin.Map("412FABF050F1", "Media")
#plugin.Map("412FAAF040F1", "Media")
plugin.Map("412F89F050F1", "Star")
plugin.Map("412F88F040F1", "Star")
plugin.Map("432689F050F1", "NumberInput")
plugin.Map("432688F040F1", "NumberInput")
plugin.Map("412E4DF350F1", "Audio")
plugin.Map("412E4CF340F1", "Audio")
plugin.Map("4326ABF050F1", "PowerToggle")
plugin.Map("4326AAF040F1", "PowerToggle")
plugin.Map("412FABF050F1", "Start")
plugin.Map("412FAAF040F1", "Start")
plugin.Map("412E5CF350F1", "RecTV")
plugin.Map("412E5DF340F1", "RecTV")
plugin.Map("412F52F050F1", "Back")
plugin.Map("412F53F040F1", "Back")
plugin.Map("3F2C5FF040F1", "LiveTV")
plugin.Map("3F2C5EF050F1", "LiveTV")
plugin.Map("412E6AF350F1", "Music")
plugin.Map("412E6BF340F1", "Music")
plugin.Map("412E90F350F1", "Radio")
plugin.Map("412E91F340F1", "Radio")
plugin.Map("3F2C58F340F1", "Videos")
plugin.Map("3F2C59F350F1", "Videos")
plugin.Map("3F2C5FF350F1", "Pictures")
plugin.Map("3F2C5EF340F1", "Pictures")
plugin.Map("412E5AF050F1", "Aspect")
plugin.Map("412E5BF040F1", "Aspect")
plugin.Map("3F2C56F340F1", "Subtitle")
plugin.Map("3F2C57F350F1", "Subtitle")
plugin.Map("3F2C1CF340F1", "Teletext")
plugin.Map("3F2C1DF350F1", "Teletext")

[Hitcher]

Does the Receiving LED blink when you're not using your remote?

I had lag problems caused by interference from my plasma TV. I simply moved USB-UIRT until it stopped flashing and then turned off the LED.