MCE Remote & KB - IR Commands change function

[Jack13]

Hi,

I have a problem with Girder 5, which I set up to control various applications with my MCE remote via emulation of keyboard shortcuts. The system works fine, but unfortunately only once. If I start-up the VLC Player (for example) the second time, then the IR remote and keyboard commands are recognised differently and lead to different actions.

Example: Pressing the "1"-button on the remote is first recognised as "31000000" (Event Logger). After some time, the same button is recognised as "3100C000".

This happens with all MCE remote and keyboard commands. The system is messed up, only reboot helps.

Here some information about my system: Origen X15e HTPC with MCE IR remote and keyboard, Windows Media Center Edition 2005 with SP3, MCE services deactivated, Girder 5.0.10 with MCE plugin.

I hope somebody can help in this matter. Girder would be a great tool if this problem can be solved.

Thanks in anticipation
Jack

[NeoMorph]

You have to turn off debounce in the registry apparently...

See here....

http://www.promixis.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17635&highlight=mce+debounce

[Jack13]

Hi NeoMorph,

thanks for your hint. I think it goes into the right direction. However it doesn't solve the problem.

I disabled "debounce" in the registry. The behaviour of the MCE remote control has improved, but my MCE IR keyboard functionality is still messed up as soon as I start Girder. The keyboard seems to switch to a second set of IR commands, which is no longer compatible with Windows. Editing text, starting applications etc. doesn't work anymore. The only solution is to reboot the system.

I made a short test where I started Girder and then pressed the "1"-button on the keybord only once. The following events were logged:
31000000 <down>
3100C000 <up>

Obviously, the switching occurs after the button is pressed down. It is not reversible.

Does anyone have an idea?

Regards
Jack

[NeoMorph]

Ahhhh.... Now I see what you mean... Actually that is working correctly and even happens on the USB keypads I use.

You only need to use the first one as a trigger. "31000000 <down>" means the key was pressed and "31000000 <up>" means the key was released. This is good because you can have a situation where you want to keep transmitting something like volume change until you release the key.

For my USB keypads I just ignore the <up> commands.

[Jack13]

The problem is not the difference between key pressed and key released.
I think my example wasn't fully complete.

What happens after starting Girder is the following:

Log for pressing and releasing the "1"-key (for example) for the first time:
31000000 <down>
3100C000 <up>

All following events are recognised as:
3100C000 <down>
3100C000 <up>

This happens for all keys on the keyboard. Initially, there is a "0" on the 5th digit, which turns into a "C" after the first event. This is not a problem for Girder, because I could simply program Girder to react on the new commands as well. The problem is that Windows interprets these new key codes with the "C" inbetween as some non-printable characters. Typing is not possible anymore. Even the mouse buttons on the keyboard lose their full functionality.

Did you experience something like this before?

Regards
Jack

[NeoMorph]

Well that is certainly strange...

What happens when you turn debounce back on again? Does it alternate between 0 and C again (ie 0 down and C up)?

[Jack13]

I enabled debounce again but the result is the same. It doesn't alternate nor change back to the original key function.

Regards
Jack

[NeoMorph]

You did remember to reboot the machine after the change didn't you?

[Jack13]

Yes, I did.

Regards
Jack

[NeoMorph]

I think we need Rob or Ron to come to the rescue on this...


So RoRo... what do you think is happening here?



p.s. RoRo is now my nickname for the Ron and Rob Support Team ;)

[Rob H]

I'm afraid this is probably one for Ron. Not sure what to suggest.

To clarify, does this happen when VLC has been running for some time, or only if you close it and reopen it?

[Jack13]

It is not connected to a certain application. It also happens when nothing else but Girder is running.

Regards
Jack

[Rob H]

Oh ok, let's see what Ron has to say.

[Ron]

Hmm not sure what is going on. I'm afraid I don't have an MCE keyboard to test against. All my testing was done with a MCE remote.

Not sure if it helps you but the code to that plugin is opensource....

[NeoMorph]

Jack, I have ordered one of these...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Emprex-9039URF-Mce-Wireless-Keyboard-With-Trackball_W0QQitemZ370324303798QQcmdZViewItemQQptZ UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_KeyboardsMice?hash =item56390c6fb6

It apparently is a keyboard and trackball and MCE remote all in one... I'll try and see how it interfaces with Girder and get back to you.

[Jack13]

Hi John,

many thanks for your support. I'm quite eager to see whether you can reproduce the problem.

Best regards
Jack

[NeoMorph]

Well I have got the keyboard now... will try to do the testing tomorrow or Friday.

[NeoMorph]

Well I have been trying to see if I can get the thing to do what you are seeing and I just can't get it to happen.

This is what I get all the time...


Time Date Source Details Payloads
05:19:14:374 2/6/2010 Keyboard 31000000
05:19:14:222 2/6/2010 Keyboard 31000000
05:19:13:614 2/6/2010 Keyboard 31000000
05:19:13:478 2/6/2010 Keyboard 31000000
05:19:12:886 2/6/2010 Keyboard 31000000
05:19:12:726 2/6/2010 Keyboard 31000000
05:19:12:230 2/6/2010 Keyboard 31000000
05:19:12:094 2/6/2010 Keyboard 31000000
05:19:11:190 2/6/2010 Keyboard 31000000


It's doing key up and key down perfectly. Then I looked back and I noticed you are using IR... The keyboard I got uses RF... I have this feeling it is something to do with your IR transmitter/receiver rather than Girder 5. :eek: I also only had Win 7 with MCE to test against.
BTW, did you notice the timestamps... I just had an idea in the middle of the night and tried to see if it worked... didn't unfortunately.

Oh well... BTW, don't get this Emprex keyboard... it sucks. The trackball is sticky as hell and there isn't a scroll wheel (which is something that I rely on a lot it seems these days without realising).

Sorry I couldn't help... I tried though.

[Jack13]

Hi John,

this strange behaviour of my system must somehow be connected to Girder, because all keyboard functions work properly as long as Girder is not started.

But it might as well be influenced by my specific hard- and software setup and I see that it is not possible to identify the cause of the problem as long as it cannot be reproduced.

I really appreciate your efforts and the work you did to solve the problem.
I'll let you know in case I should find out what it was.

Many thanks
Jack

[NeoMorph]

You could always get a new keyboard... it would work then (I have tried two more keyboards and both work OK).

My only guess is the IR receiver is the culprit and not the keyboard itself. All the keyboards I tried were wireless radio ones you see.

Sorry I couldn't track it down...