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[DocLotus]

I can't find any key combination to return to the previous channel such as bouncing back & forth between let's say channels 2 & 11.

In WMC pressing either the Space bar or the Enter key does the trick.

[DocLotus]

Ideas; anyone?

[Matt]

Doesn't previous track play the last played channel?

Ctrl+L

[DocLotus]

No, it does the same thing as the PgUp key (simply goes to the next lower channel such as 13, 11, 8, 2, etc).

What I want (and all TV software that I have ever used in the past has) is the ability to bounce back & forth between the last two channels that I viewed such as 2 & 11. This needs to be a single key such as the enter or Space bar key.

[Yaobing]

MCC command 10064 (MCC_PLAY_LAST_TV_CHANNEL).

[Matt]

MCC command 10064 (MCC_PLAY_LAST_TV_CHANNEL).

Well there you go!

I wonder if we could make a keyboard shortcut for that one?

[Matt]

The following are available:
Ctrl+B, Ctrl+D, Ctrl+H, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+K

[CountryBumkin]

A KeyBoard shortcut would be nice. I'd suggest Ctrl+B (B for "back").
But even better would be a command on the remote, like the "rewind/back" button. 

[RoderickGI]

MCC command 10064 (MCC_PLAY_LAST_TV_CHANNEL).

That one isn't in the Wiki. In fact, 10061 is the highest command in the Playback section, so there are a few undocumented commands.
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Media_Center_Core_Commands

[Yaobing]

NEW: Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+B for "Previosly played TV channel".

[Yaobing]

That one isn't in the Wiki. In fact, 10061 is the highest command in the Playback section, so there are a few undocumented commands.
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Media_Center_Core_Commands

Updated.

[DocLotus]

Would be better if it were a single key such as the Space bar or Enter key.  This is how WMC does it & is much easier then hunting for two keys.  I use this one so often in WMC that looking for two keys would feel like a step backwards in usability.

[DocLotus]

New command in 21.0.4...

3. NEW: Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+B for "Previosly played TV channel".

This does work but is a two key process. Suggest it be changed to a single key commend.

The ENTER key is listed as ...
Multipurpose: Pauses video playback; toggles display mode for images; plays current items in file list group for audio

The SPACE key is listed as...
Pause (toggle)
As that is the command a lot of other TV software uses for PAUSING suggest we leave it as is.

Suggest that ENTER be changes to...
Multipurpose: Previously played TV channel (toggle); toggles display mode for images; plays current items in file list group for audio

This would result in two improvements...
1: Only a single key would be needed to jump back & forth between the last two channels.
2: Newbies switching from WMC to MCTV would be in more familiar territory (WMC uses the ENTER key for this purpose).

As PAUSE is used by two different keys (Space & Enter) I see no need to duplicate it again on the Enter key which can better be used for the "Previously played TV channel (toggle)".

Once people become familiar with the "Previously played TV channel (toggle)" they will be using it often as it is ideal for watching important news, sports & other events. I use it so often that having to hunt for two keys is a none starter while the ENTER key is very easy to quickly locate.

[RoderickGI]

I suspect that making the Enter key toggle between channels would break many remote controls, which often use Enter and Okay interchangeably. That would require a lot of investigation, which I haven't done.

However, programing a single remote control button to send Ctrl-B is very achievable, and would be the logical approach, from my point of view.

[muzicman0]

I assume this still won't work on a client, correct?

[DocLotus]

However, programing a single remote control button to send Ctrl-B is very achievable, and would be the logical approach, from my point of view.

I've already done just that for one of my mouse keys but would like a single key for the keyboard as that is what I use the most.

Thanks for considering this request  .

[RoderickGI]

I assume this still won't work on a client, correct?

No, it doesn't seem to work. But then number keys don't change channels either.

I don't have a IR receiver on my client, so can't compare remote capabilities between the server and the client. I assume there are quite a few differences.

[DeaneG]

...
However, programing a single remote control button to send Ctrl-B is very achievable, and would be the logical approach, from my point of view.

I've just spent two hours hour trying to do exactly that for my Logitech Harmony One. So far, the best I have found is that the "Microsoft" "Media Center PC" device's "SkipBackward" function is supposed to send Ctrl-B, so I thought I'd use that as my "Last Channel" soft button on the remote. But after programming it this way, all it does is change to the next lower channel number, not revert to the previously viewed channel. It would appear that hoped-for information was incorrect.

Still looking for a way to get my remote to implement this pretty basic TV viewing function.

I did eventually find a way to add a "Zoom" or "Aspect" softkey to my remotes: using Logitech's "Media Center PC" "Microsoft" "MCE Keyboard" device, I can map a softkey to keystroke "a". Logitech's configuration software shows the keystroke as "A"; the command sent must actually be "a" as it works well and MC21 seems to be case sensitive.

Trying to wrest a "production" quality experience from MC21 is challenging, and time-consuming.

[RoderickGI]

Trying to wrest a "production" quality experience from MC21 is challenging, and time-consuming.

I know how you feel. I find MC's remote setup a little confusing, and combined with Logitech's, it can be time consuming.

Here is how you can do it with a Logitech remote and using a Media Center Core command.

1. Set up a new soft button for your Harmony remote on the Logitech site. Position it where you want it in the menu structure, and assign a free key combination to it. I assigned Alt+2.^{Note 1}
2. Save that and update your Harmony remote.
3. Go to MC Options/Remote Control/Commands.
4. Click Add, Select Custom, give your new command a name. I'm using "Previous TV Channel".
5. Click Add Run, enter the Executable Filename = "MCxx.exe" where xx = the version you are running, no quotes. For me, MC21.exe.
6. Enter the Parameters, which is "/mcc 10064", no quotes. This is the Media Center Core Command for switching to the last played TV channel.
7. Click OK to close the "Edit Remote Command " dialogue.
8a. Highlight your new "Previous TV Channel" command. Click "Start Learning", then press the new soft button on your remote so that MC learns the IR command associated with it.
Note: This is where MC warned me that it can already handle, and already uses, ALt+2. I used it anyway, for now.
8b. Click "Learn" to dismiss the warning message, then click "Stop Learning", then OK.

Done.
Now start watching TV. Switch to a second channel. Then press your new soft button, and MC will switch back to the first channel. Press it again and MC will switch back to the second channel. Etc.


Note 1:
I used Alt+2 for this button, but as MC already uses Alt-2 it warned me that it could already handle that command. I will have to find another free key combination to use, if I wish to keep using the standard MC Keyboard Hot-Keys. In fact, I should be able to have the Harmony learn a new button from one of my old remotes that includes a switch to previous channel, use that in my soft button definition, and then have MC learn this IR command for use with this function. There should be no conflict with MC Keyboard_Hot-keys then.

I have a Logitech Harmony 880 remote, and use the "Windows Media Center SE" device profile, rather than the original "MCE Remote" device profile. Frustratingly that profile doesn't include a "Ctrl+B" command. It includes eleven "Ctrl+key" commands, but not "Ctrl+B". Annoying actually. I suspect that if the Harmony could send a Ctrl+B directly that MC would receive that and it wouldn't need to learn the IR command.
Worse, I can't add Logitech's "Media Center PC" "Microsoft" "MCE Keyboard" device to my Harmony 880 remote to see what you are doing. I can't add any "Media Center PC" devices at the moment actually. Either something is wrong with the site, or Logitech's software thinks I have all "Media Center PC" devices already, so I can't add any more. If I could add that device to my Harmony I would have a much larger selection of key combinations I could use.


I don't think your "SkipBackward" function is sending a Ctrl+B. In fact, you shouldn't be using one of the predefined standard MCE functions. You need to use some key combination that hasn't already been assign to a function.

Are you unable to enter the Ctrl+B key combination for a new soft button on the Harmony One? That would be what I tried first if I was able to use the "MCE Keyboard" device.

[DeaneG]

...Are you unable to enter the Ctrl+B key combination for a new soft button on the Harmony One? That would be what I tried first if I was able to use the "MCE Keyboard" device.

Thanks yet again for the detailed advice which I may wind up using. You are correct that I am unable so far to find a way to configure my Harmony One to send a Ctrl-b. The best I can think of it to search for other random AV devices that use a Ctrl-b for some function, then add that device to my remote and map a key to that function. Logitech's MCE Keyboard and Media Center SE devices so not list Ctrl-b as a selectable code.

At one point I had an IR MCE keyboard that I could have pointed at the Harmony to teach it Ctrl-b, but that left the house when I got a shiny new bluetooth keyboard. I am close to trying shouting at the remote as a means of programming it instead.

I wonder if there is a debug Logitech device selection which can send any ASCII character? That would make short work of this remote setup glitch.

Funny thing, while typing this, I realized that Alt-2 may be the same ASCII code as Ctrl-b. [EDIT: incorrect]

I was thinking that if JR's near-term goal is to capture some of the Win10 MCE exodus while the user herd is thick and in motion, then allowing the potential customer's existing MCE remote to work, with substantially no loss of function, would be a worthwhile and necessary step.

[RoderickGI]

I am close to trying shouting at the remote as a means of programming it instead.

  I've tried swearing at mine. Doesn't work.

I wonder if there is a debug Logitech device selection which can send any ASCII character? That would make short work of this remote setup glitch.

I know old programmable remotes just sent ASCII codes, but I'm not sure if that is still the case. There are software utilities that can listen to IR signals and show you what they received. That may help confirm what is being sent.

Funny thing, while typing this, I realized that Alt-2 may be the same ASCII code as Ctrl-b. Maybe I'll try that directly tomorrow.

I don't think they could be the same command code. I'm not sure about the ASCII code. Can't find a reference that tells me clearly what the ASCII codes are for both.

. . . allowing the potential customer's existing MCE remote to work, with substantially no loss of function, . . .

I know my old Topfield remote had a button to return to the previous TV channel, but my MCE remote doesn't have one. I think it is a pretty standard MCE remote. Does yours have such a button?
(The enter button pauses and unpauses whatever is playing.)

[JimH]

...  allowing the potential customer's existing MCE remote to work, with substantially no loss of function, would be a worthwhile and necessary step.

A few years ago, we spent a lot of time on the MC Remotes, testing and making changes.  They should work with MC, without any customization, as well as they do in WMC.

[DeaneG]

@RoderickGI: On MCE, pressing the enter/OK button while watching live TV toggles you back to the previous channel. It does not pause/resume playback.

[DeaneG]

A few years ago, we spent a lot of time on the MC Remotes, testing and making changes.  They should work with MC, without any customization, as well as they do in WMC.

Using an MCE remote on MC21, for live and recorded TV viewing:

1) The skip forward/back buttons are mismapped - they do not trigger skip forward and back.
2) In live TV viewing, the OK button should trigger "Previous channel". It does not.

[RoderickGI]

Well, JRiver wouldn't want to completely copy the interface of another product...

But I agree somewhat about the OK button while playing live TV. I use it all the time now, and it is very convenient. But there is a Pause button on my remote, and I could just use that instead. It always did seem strange that I had three buttons on my remote that did the same thing while playing TV, OK, Enter, and Pause. So I guess it could be possible to change the functionality of the OK button just for live TV playback. But this would be a major change for current users. I have been able to program a soft button on my Harmony, but users with a standard MCE remote can't do that, so there is some merit. It would probably have to be configurable though, so users who liked the current functionality could keep using it, otherwise war may break out.

Likewise with the Skip and Replay (Skip Forward and Skip Back) buttons also acting as Channel Up and Channel Down in TV on a standard MCE remote. The duplication isn't necessary. But then the Left and Right Arrows skip forward and back in all video in MC, so making the Skip and Replay buttons do the same, while perhaps more intuitive, also results in duplication. On my Harmony remote I have three sets of buttons the change the channels up and down; Skip & Replay, Page Up & Page Down, and Channel Up & Channel Down.

However, the original intent of Skip & Replay buttons was to skip forward and backward one chapter when playing DVDs, which now has very limited application, particularly in MC.

There is probably some good reason for a review of some remote control functions, in particular contexts, such as with Live and Time Shifted TV. Remember however, that when playing recorded TV, the last thing you want the OK button to do is change channel, or switch to playing the last TV channel that was played. Currently, even if I have the Standard or Theatre View menus showing, with nothing playing, pressing the "Previous TV Channel' button starts playing TV at the last channel that was played. I really like that, although I just tested it a bit more, and it was a little inconsistent, but mostly worked from anywhere in MC. I also noted that if recorded video was playing, the "Previous TV Channel' button did not switch to playing the last TV Channel. Good.

[DeaneG]

Another hour spent trying to get "Previous channel" Ctrl-b mapped to a Harmony remote softkey, and I can say I succeeded, but it doesn't work.  The summary:

1) Ironically, it turns out that Windows MCE used Ctrl-b as the skip-back key code. So I labeled a Harmony softkey "Last Channel" and assigned the MCE SkipBack code to that key.

2) Pressing my new Last Channel softkey does not cause MC21 to go to the previous channel. It goes to the next lower channel. The Ctrl-b must be getting captured by MC21's remote command filter and remapped.

3) Pressing Ctrl-b on a keyboard does indeed go to the previous channel.

So it would seem that RoderickGI's method of altering MC21's configuration may be the only viable route to getting a "Last Channel" key mapped to a Harmony remote.

[Yaobing]

"Live TV" button on MCE remote brings you to live TV playing the last channel you played.  So it actually can be used as a "Previous channel" button.

[RoderickGI]

So it would seem that RoderickGI's method of altering MC21's configuration may be the only viable route to getting a "Last Channel" key mapped to a Harmony remote.

Well, I think it is the intended way for MC to work, using MMC commands, and once you get your head around how it works, it is easier. I don't like "stealing" a key combination from another function, such as Skip-back, because it tends to come back and bite me later. 

The real shortcoming is the you can't program the Harmony remote using a broader selection of key combinations. The MCE SE list is it. Even when I created a completely custom command for a button in the Harmony setup, I still had to use one of the existing MCE SE commands for the Harmony to send to MC, and then I could tell MC what to do with that command. In the case of the "Previous Channel" function, that is to execute the MC command "MC21.exe /10064".

Of course I can get the Harmony to use new IR commands learned from other IR remotes, but I haven't played with that much yet. The only time I did try that previously. MC wouldn't receive the new IR command. I should do some more testing and share my findings.

"Live TV" button on MCE remote brings you to live TV playing the last channel you played.  So it actually can be used as a "Previous channel" button.

That functionality was broken when I first implemented MC Yaobing. I had to customise the "Live TV" function to execute the MCC command "MCxx.exe /30002,2" which started live TV on channel 2. If you think it should work now, I'll test it again and see.

Previous threads:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=92725.msg638792;topicseen#msg638792
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=82413.msg561896#msg561896

[RoderickGI]

Tested the "Live TV" button using MC defaults for everything, and yes, it does indeed work again.

It starts Live TV and takes you to the most recently played TV Channel. I tested with both a standard MCE remote and my Harmony using the built in "Live TV" command. Both worked, and the previous TV channel was remembered through a reboot of my HTPC.

Even better, if TV is already playing and you press the "Live TV" button, MC switches back to the previous TV channel. So as Yaobing says, the "Live TV" button on a standard MCE remote, or on a Harmony remote, actually works as a "Play Previous TV Channel" button, out of the box. No programing required. No remote commands setup required. Just press the "Live TV" button instead of the OK button, and MC will switch to the previous channel.

Excellent Yaobing. That works better than my work around of starting TV on Channel 2. I didn't understand the implications of your comment;

So it actually can be used as a "Previous channel" button.

when I first read it. But now I do.

The "Live TV" button is the "Previous Channel" button, both when TV isn't playing, and when it is playing. Couldn't ask for better.

[DeaneG]

Yaobing, thanks!  It works!

I think it would be very helpful if there was a brief bit of documentation explaining what key does what function on the remote selected in JRiver Tools->Options->Remote Control.

For example, while the stock MCE remote works well, the key usage is different in JR MC21 from MCE. This led me to spend several hours to figure out how to do last-channel and map remote keys to suit, in an effort to increase MC21's WAF.  If maybe fifteen text bullets in the UI had explained JR's use of the MCE remote keys during my selection of the MCE remote choice in JRiver, it would have saved me (and others) a lot of time and also avoided some unpleasant feelings regarding my choice of software.

A similar but augmented list in the wiki would go a long way too.

Trying to help, you guys have a very nice product that just needs a little polish to smooth the initial experience for newbies migrating from MCE.