INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => Media Center 14 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: JimH on June 18, 2009, 04:42:20 pm

Title: NEW -- Remote Relay -- Support for IR Blasters
Post by: JimH on June 18, 2009, 04:42:20 pm
In the next few days MC 14.0.25, we will support IR Receivers and Transmitters.  This will let you control other devices, like receivers and set top boxes.

There is a wiki page (http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/Remote_Relay) that describes this.

Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: Mr ChriZ on June 18, 2009, 05:04:39 pm
Nifty  :D
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: raym on June 18, 2009, 07:42:33 pm
Great feature and great wiki page!
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: jmone on June 18, 2009, 07:50:09 pm
FYI - A classic example of the use for this technology is to integrated the control, playback, and recording of your STB through your MC IF.
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: MrHaugen on June 19, 2009, 01:56:31 am
So the point here is to be able to use normal MCE remotes (as an example), to add commands for external IR equipment? And to learn other buttons normal MC commands? This might be useful indeed. Only thing I'm worried about is that many of this remotes don't have that many buttons you can use to other things. Will there be a way of making commands, buttons or menus to send this "blasts" from the user interface or with commands? Like, turn off Amp when shutting down (running commands from a script), and turn it back on when powering up? Hit a button on the UI to turn on/off the lights maby? IR blaster to RF extender and full control of electrical components would be cool.
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: raldo on June 19, 2009, 03:10:40 am
I'm worried about is that many of this remotes don't have that many buttons you can use to other things. Will there be a way of making commands, buttons or menus to send this "blasts" from the user interface

I think this is a strange way to go. Making a userfriendly setup which can handle all kinds of equipment is really hard or at least time consuming.

I don't understand why JRiver wants to expose themselves to all the noise that'll probably come out of something like this...

Buy a cheap logitech remote and you're up and running in no time. No fuzz, 99.99% of all devices in the known universe (with an IR interface) are supported by Logitech.
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: MrHaugen on June 19, 2009, 03:24:52 am
I kind of agree. Hope this is not a big project that will take the time off other half finished stuff in MC. On the other hand, there might be things here that prove really useful for many remote users. Just not totally aware of the possibilities yet though.

Will this let me program one of those Video, Music and TV buttons that don't work on my MCE remote to actually do the things I want? By learning them the right command i mean. Is it possible to jump directly to Video, Music and other stuff in Theater View at all?
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: rpalmer68 on June 19, 2009, 03:53:37 am
By learning them the right command i mean. Is it possible to jump directly to Video, Music and other stuff in Theater View at all?

Yes it is possible, I do it now using /mcc commands but I do it using Girder not MC.

I'll be interested to see where this goes, but I assume it will only be basic learn/transmit of IR commands and no macros/scripting.

Richard
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: Matt on June 19, 2009, 06:19:36 pm
The system we're working on can send a series of commands, program executions, sleeps, etc.  So you can make a single button press do a series of actions.
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: newsposter on June 19, 2009, 06:22:45 pm
any chance you can build in scripting support for Pronto CCF config files?
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: JimH on June 19, 2009, 06:32:39 pm
any chance you can build in scripting support for Pronto CCF config files?
We talked about that very thing this week.  Talk is cheap though.
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: gappie on June 19, 2009, 06:37:06 pm
The system we're working on can send a series of commands, program executions, sleeps, etc.  So you can make a single button press do a series of actions.
your kidding.. now that is nice.. and when it picks up my remote.. would be bye bye to an other program..
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: imugli on June 19, 2009, 07:04:39 pm
Is it possible to jump directly to Video, Music and other stuff in Theater View at all?

I use a USBUIRT and Logitech Harmony 1 to do just this. Press 'Watch a Movie' and it goes to Theater View Video. 'Listen To Digital Music' goes straight to Th.V Music, same with TV. If my TV is off, it will turn it on.

FWIW I kind of agree with Raldo in that a Logitech remote will control pretty much anything you can throw at it and, as I've said control multiple pieces of equipment at the same time.

I CAN see value in the following situation though...

I have a 100 CD player in the server cupboard.
I have MC.
Instead of importing FILES into MC, my CD player has an ID - eg CD PLAYER and I create a library of the CDs in the player.
Instead of showing a local (or network) location for the file, each song is assigned a location on CD PLAYER.
When a track is selected, MC blasts a signal to the CD player to play CD x, Track x.

But again, how many IR command sequences are you guys intending to program so that MC can blast to anything we may throw at it?

BTW, I'm sure this is fantastic for some people, just not sure what the cost / benefit equation is like...

Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: fitbrit on June 21, 2009, 10:16:39 pm
Thank you! THis sounds great.
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: DiiPii on June 22, 2009, 10:38:10 am
suggestion; how about ability to share recorded IR commands (i.e. a database for IR commands by device) - e.g. I have a Denon AVR 3xxx and have mapped out all of the remote commands......[repeat for all of my devices]. might (a) encourage use and (b) save lots of time! I for one would be willing to share.

another suggestion/feature request; could we add schedulers/timers into the blaster function.

do you have native support for the firefly yet...I'm with gappie on being ready to say bye bye to anohter piece of software.

Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: newsposter on June 22, 2009, 11:34:35 am
We talked about that very thing this week.  Talk is cheap though.

Have a look at this (outdated) project:

http://giantlaser.com/tonto/
Title: Re: NEW -- Remote Relay
Post by: JimH on July 03, 2009, 04:49:50 pm
This is now available in MC14.0.25, available on the MC14 board.

Here's the wiki article:
http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/Remote_Relay