XBMC2 (JSON-RPC) or Event Client (XBMC EventServer )?

[sammarbella]

This is my first post in this forum so i expect to don't ask for obvious information already posted here.

I plan to use a Harmony remote and FLIRC to control XBMC through EventGhost.

XBMC will be executing on secondary monitor and it will always be out of focus.

I can't use the regular HID plugin as it use the keyboard plugin i want to avoid because i want to use my keyboard with focused programs in other monitors.

So i must use a plugin who get the remote presses without using the keyboard plugin so i think about the generic HID plugin because it doesn't use the keyboard plugin.

I saw this post in the generic HID thread who get my attention:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=571&p=31553&hilit=flirc#p31553

[quote="yaworski"]Hi,

I'm using EventGhost with Flirc receiver. If someone doesn't know what it is then it is a keyboard emulator that can record IR codes from remotes and assign them to specific keys.

Everybody knows that keyboards cannot be supported by Generic HID plugin. But some time ago Flirc got new firmware with media keys support. Media keys are sent with different HID usage table number and are not threated by the Windows in the same way as normal keys. They don't show up in EventGhost when using Keyboard plugin as they are not intercepted by the HID keyboard filter driver. And here comes the Generic HID plugin to the rescue. It gets events from Flirc sent from table 12 where the media keys are defined as <Some prefix>.Button.<Decimal for HID button code>. Everything so far so good.

----------------------------------------------------
quote]

I need to send remote button presses to XBMC via JSON-RCP or EventClient because using the ip path the focus state of XBMC is irrelevant.

My idea is to use this full path:

Harmony>FLIRC>Generic HID plugin>Eventghost>XBMC2 plugin (JSON-RCP) or EventClient addon in XBMC>XBMC

Is my plan viable?

Somebody has did it with success?


P.S.: I still need to disable the detection of keystroke in XBMC in order to be able to use the keyboard in other progreams without effect in XBMC but i'm looking a solution for that on KODI forums.

[jonib]

My idea is to use this full path:

Harmony>FLIRC>Generic HID plugin>Eventghost>XBMC2 plugin (JSON-RCP) or EventClient addon in XBMC>XBMC

Sending button presses will work fine with the XBMC2 plugin even if XBMC is not in focus (You don't need JSON-RPC just to send buttons). EventClient plugin is old and only works to get events from older versions of XBMC.
The other stuff I can't comment on.

P.S.: I still need to disable the detection of keystroke in XBMC in order to be able to use the keyboard in other progreams without effect in XBMC but i'm looking a solution for that on KODI forums.

As long as XBMC is not in focus this shouldn't be a problem.

If you have any more XBMC(Kodi) related questions post them in the XBMC2 support thread.

jonib

[sammarbella]

Sending button presses will work fine with the XBMC2 plugin even if XBMC is not in focus (You don't need JSON-RPC just to send buttons).

P.S.: I still need to disable the detection of keystroke in XBMC in order to be able to use the keyboard in other progreams without effect in XBMC but i'm looking a solution for that on KODI forums.

As long as XBMC is not in focus this shouldn't be a problem.

If you have any more XBMC(Kodi) related questions post them in the XBMC2 support thread.

jonib

I thought in JSON-RPC protocol because it doesn't send regular key ids to XBMC and to avoid keyboard inputs if accidentally XBMC get focus.

If i found a way to deactive XBMC/KODI keystrokes detection it will completely solves the focus and keyboard problem.

[jonib]

I thought in JSON-RPC protocol because it doesn't send regular key ids to XBMC and to avoid keyboard inputs if accidentally XBMC get focus.

Almost all actions that you send from XBMC2 is independent from the keyboard, so shouldn't be a problem. They are all sent over the network.

If i found a way to deactive XBMC/KODI keystrokes detection it will completely solves the focus and keyboard problem.

XBMC defines all input (I believe) using Keymaps, you should be able to remove any keyboard control there. I have not tried to disable keyboard control but don't see why it wouldn't work.

Edit: You should have pointed to your post in XBMCs forum, so I didn't have to post redundant info. XBMC2 uses the XBMCs EventServer for normal actions.

jonib

[sammarbella]

Thank you very much for your valuable information.

I'll try the remote setup with a cheap Phillips RC6 and XBMC2 as you point me before i buy Harmony.

Maybe I could save money and reuse its usb receiver with the Harmony because the FLIRC could cost me only 15 dollars but 50 in transport ( I never trust non tracked packages)!

I posted at the Kodi forums for a specific Kodi configuration problem and nobody replied so I don't that I broken any kind of netiquette.

[jonib]

Thank you very much for your valuable information.

I'll try the remote setup with a cheap Phillips RC6 and XBMC2 as you point me before i buy Harmony.

Sure.

Maybe I could save money and reuse its usb receiver with the Harmony because the FLIRC could cost me only 15 dollars but 50 in transport ( I never trust non tracked packages)!

Don't know but saving money is nice.

I posted at the Kodi forums for a specific Kodi configuration problem and nobody replied so I don't that I broken any kind of netiquette.

Nothing broken (I think) but it's a good idea if you post about the same problem in different places with different info, its good to link to the other post. So looking at your XBMC post I see you knew about Keymaps I could have given you a more specific answer (possibly).

jonib

[sammarbella]

Nothing broken (I think) but it's a good idea if you post about the same problem in different places with different info, its good to link to the other post. So looking at your XBMC post I see you knew about Keymaps I could have given you a more specific answer (possibly).

jonib

My knowdlege is in fact very little cause i'm struggling right now with the RC6 receiver and the Phillips remote right now.

I have success to setup EventGhost with XBMC2 to send actions to XBMC (up,down,left,right...) but i'm unable to get input from the remote on the log window with MCE plugin and a non stop log of event with the vista/windows 7 version.

I will try other plugins untill i find the light of events.