Microsoft eHome Infrared Transciever

[kkl]

Edit: I read back through the thread and now realize that most of what I've written has already been said. Perhaps reading it in a slightly different way will help.

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

It's fairly straightforward to do this, just takes time to learn all of the commands. To make sure the IR blaster part of the configuration is working correctly, learn one of the device (STB) remote buttons first. Create a macro with the MCE plug-in and learn one of your remote's IR commands. Then execute that command with the emitter connected to your STB and see if it works. If it does, you're in business. Now point the remote that you want to use to control the STB at the MCE receiver and press the button that you want to use to trigger the command it just learned. This remote doesn't even need to be the same. It can be almost any IR remote. In the Log pane of EG, you'll see something like "MceRemote.Mce.Num1" (if you use an MCE remote control) or "MceRemote.Unknown.1234ABCD" if you use any random remote. Drag this Event to the top of the macro of the learned IR command. Now, whenever EG receives that IR command you just captured, it will blast the STB IR command you learned. It should look something like this:

[pse]

Tried your method it only worked in the follwoing way:

Captured a few codes on the left, e.g, MceRemote.Mce.Pause using mce remote
Created a macro and learned IR code using STB remote
Dragged the MceRemote.Mce.Pause on top of the learned code
Executed with green button, it works.
But, using the STB remote aiming at mce reciever it don't work, any other IR remote also don't work.
Using mce remote aiming at mce reciever works.

However, my aim is to get STB remote (or other remotes)to work on the reciever.

I have crossed the biggest hurdle, please tell me if I have left out something on the EG.

kkl, thanl you very much for your help.

[kkl]

The macro isn't triggering with your STB remote because you've only setup events from your MCE remote. I can tell from your earlier post that the MCE receiver is seeing your STB remote keypresses.



Just as you've done there, point your STB remote at the MCE receiver and press the desired button. You'll see an "MceRemote.Unknown.#####" event in the left-hand log pane. Drag that entry to the top of the macro that has the STB IR code Action you want to execute. When the EG macro sees your STB remote keypress (Event), it will cause the macro to execute and the MCE IR blaster Action will execute. You've had all of the individual parts work, you just need to put them together. What you might not be understanding is that you need to "learn" your STB remote buttons twice (Event and Action) - (1) actually learn them for the IR blaster Action and (2) setting up the "trigger" (Event) from the log pane.

[pse]

Yes, initial confusion was about pressing the same remote twice for different purpose. Your detailed explanations helped me and now it is working the way have described. But, the STB remote sends four Events on a single press, then it can be executed by a single click on the green button. As for the STB remote I need to press several times in order to change channels. However, other IR remotes is sending only single Event and need to press only once. It is strange!

I am still trying to get any one of four Events to go along with the Action.

I have a Vulkano/Hava set up elsewhere and using the player I can watch contents virtually anywhere. My set up is I have connected the PC to TV so that I need not to be in front of computer all the time. For changing channels, the player has on screen remote. The mce remote works only for changing channels, that is without Eventghost. Can EG control such player with all the fuctions, since mce remote can do partial work?

[kkl]

Sounds like you have the process down, now it's just a reliability issue. You should be able to tell what part is failing by watching the Log pane. When the STB doesn't respond, does the log show that the macro triggered? If the macro ran but the STB didn't respond, then it is a problem with the IR blaster (Action). Obviously, make sure that your emitter is aligned properly. Some devices are very picky about the IR signal. I have one device that I had to learn keys a dozen times until I could tell which code was the best. It still isn't 100%. Learn your remote key over and over again. Paste the Pronto codes into Notepad and compare them to find the most consistent code. That is probably the one you want to use. If you have the Pronto codes for your remote from another source, you might be able to use those.

If the problem is getting the macro to trigger (Event), try sending your remote keys over and over. Try short presses. Try long presses. Eventually you should be able to narrow the entries down to a reliable one that you can use as the Event.

I have to ask, if you're only using EG to extend your original STB remote, why not just use a remote control extender? It would be much simpler. The other thing you need to be aware of is that you aren't required to use your STB remote to get all of the functions. If the problem is the STB IR codes, you could use almost ANY IR remote including the universal remotes and just remap the buttons. There's nothing stopping you from making the "Input" button on a different remote trigger the "Menu" function on your STB. This is where the power of EG really comes in handy.

[DaveK2]

Hi jitterjames,

I'm confused - in this thread you seem to believe the MCE remote should work, however the EG documentation says under supported receivers: "Microsoft MCE Remote (receiving only, transmitting IR will be supported in the future)". I have installed an HP media center transceiver, which device manager sees as "ehome Infrared Receiver", created an EG Transmit IR macro, and trained it using "Learn IR Code". The event shows up as MceRemote.7881 during training, and the Action window shows a page of hex data. However, when I Test it, nothing happens. The HP box has two transmitter jacks, I have the transmitter plugged into jack 1, and a video camera (in IR night mode) pointed at the transmitter, but get no light out of the transmitter.

Is the documentation out of date and the MCE transmitter should work in EG version 0.4.1.r1544, or is no MCE transmitter output the expected result?

[jitterjames]

yes sending and receiving work fine for me with my ehome receiver that I got from newegg a few years ago. I think it should work for your hp as well.

Here is the main thread for the plugin:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1789&hilit=mce+vista

when you are learning codes make sure you are holding the remote about 2 inches from the transceiver window. If you have an lcd tv this may throw off a lot of infrared interference so ideally turn the tv off or get as far from it as possible. Avoid bright lights and sunlight etc.

if you are not seeing anything from the emitter with your camera then I guess that could mean a lot of things. Maybe your hp transceiver is somehow not compatible with this plugin, or your emiter is broken etc, but remember the strength of the signal from the emitter is much weaker than on a remote since it is designed to be attached to the receiver on the device.

If at all possible try to get the pronto codes and paste them in, instead of learning. You are more likely to get exactly the right code, and won't need to move the transceiver away from ir interference for learning. I was able to find excellent codes for my samsung lcd tv at remote central. The other advantage to finding these codes is that you may get codes that are not on the remote such as discrete codes for "on" and "off" as opposed to "power toggle", a code to switch to a particular input. (e.g. hdmi 3)

On my ehome it seems to transmit on both jacks 1 and 2. You should try jack 2 just in case there is a problem with jack 1.