Mapping Undefined Remote Codes to Commands or Key Strokes

[Mike.Kress]

If this is the wrong forum for this question, please direct me to the correct forum. Thank You.

The system I have is based on the following components:
. ASUS M2N-E Motherboard;
. 4 GB RAM (4 x 1 GB) & AMD 64 X2 Dual-Core 6000 3.0 GHz processor;
. Current/latest drivers from ASUS and nVidia nForce for the motherboard/chipset and adapters;
. Two (2) Hauppauge HVR-2250 tuners;
. 320 GB SATA (boot, backup/restore, and personal partitions) &
. 750 GB (1 partition for recordings & purchased videos);
. Silverstone LC16M Case (with a built-in VFD/IR);
. Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit;
. BeyondTV 4.9 from Snap Stream (for TV recording and play back);
. One-For-All URC-6690 remotes set to MCE.

We (wife and I) want to have a “unified”/single remote for the TV, VCR, and this system, I want to use a One-For-All remote (URC-6690). This remote has the Microsoft MCE codes built into it. One-For-All also added (free of charge) the codes for the iMON PAD remote (as N2037). I installed the iMON-iMEDIAN HD Ver.7.20.0502 (2008-05-01) software and drivers and set it and the remote to MCE. I found that some of the remote keys worked fine but many of the remote control keys generated and invalid/undefined command – in MCE “mode”.

Is it possible to determine the codes that are sent for the remote keys (that are not understood) and map them to command or keyboard “strokes”? If it is possible, could I please get (or be directed to) the instructions on how to do this?

Thanks - Mike

[majstang]

Hi Mike!

A quick check on the capabilitys on that remote gives:

- Full learning capability with upgradeable programming

This should mean your URC6690 6-Device Hybrid Universal Remote
have the possibility to learn every IR-command on every remote out there. Including IMON PAD and MCE Remote. Now which remote did you get with your Silverstone LC16M Case? Learn how to copy the IR-codes from your case remote to your universal remote. Along with your universal remote you should have got some software where you mapp/program your learnt IR-codes to buttons on your universal remote. Do this and you should be golden.

If you encounter any problems not finding any answers for in the manual, use Remote Central to find info. It's a really good site and very useful.

Regards
majstang

[Mike.Kress]

majstang,

Thanks for your reply. Yes the remote is a learning remote. That said, I would prefer to map what is sent by the remote to either commands or keyboard/mouse equivalents for a couple of reasons. They include:

(1) My wife is very sick, weak, and fragile. She has difficulty just walking from her back bed in the living room to the kitchen and family room area (about 30 feet/10 meters). In the kitchen and family room area we have a few different chairs for her. She moves from chair to char as the offer her slightly different postures - as she cannot hold herself well and the different postures help relieve/move the pain. At each location, we have separate remotes saying her from having to move them. It is significant effort just for her to get from chair to chair.

(2) The "learning" option would mean performing this learning process on several remotes. Even though the remote has non-volatile memory to retain settings between battery changes, these things sometimes still lose the programming. When this happens, I would need to try to remember how I configured it.

(3) The main application that Plan to use is either BeyondTV (most likely) or SageTV. Controlling it would likely need different command/keyboard/mouse signalling than Median HD.

The actual message I get in the VFD display is

Not Defined
Command

For those keys, I would like to map them to either commands or keyboard/mouse actions.

I also have some remote key that are

[majstang]

Well, it seems some of your predefined MCE remote IR-commands sent from your universal remote has been corrupted somehow and there is two ways you can go here. 1) Return the remote or try to get some support from the manufacturer. 2) Learn the commands again from the remote you got when purchasing the Silverstone case. I'm sure there's some kind of manual you got with your universal remote describing how to do this. Can not help you any further than that, i'm afraid. As comfort, this is a really timeconsuming task you have in front of you if you are a total newbie, it took me two months and two universal remotes to get everything as i want it and most of the time went to learning basic stuff online.

The "learning" option would mean performing this learning process on several remotes. Even though the remote has non-volatile memory to retain settings between battery changes, these things sometimes still lose the programming. When this happens, I would need to try to remember how I configured it.

Most universal remotes of today has a charger in the shape of a cradle (or something like that) where you put it when not using the unit, keeping the battery fully charged all the time. Batterys today usually are high quality and it will take years before it's time to exchange it. Furthermore if you contrary to expectation will loose the settings, you should not worry, because the software you got with your universal remote (where you mapp buttons to commands) has the settings saved. Updating your remote again with all the settings from you PC application should be easy.

The main application that Plan to use is either BeyondTV (most likely) or SageTV. Controlling it would likely need different command/keyboard/mouse signalling than Median HD.

Yes, you're right! First step here is to look through the choosen applications setup and check which keyboardbuttons or keyboardbutton combinations does what. For example if "Play" is mapped with keyboardbutton "p".
Furtheron take this info to iMON Manager and go to settings -> program commands. Add the program you want to command and assign remotebutton "Play" to keyboardbutton "p" and so on. Easy peasy...:) It's important that you set which type of remote you have in iMON manager also. Maybe this is the reason why some of your predefined MCE command fails when sent from your universal remote. Could be that iMON Manager is set for the iMON PAD and acts up when receiving MCE remote commands. Check this under "Settings" in iMON manager.

Next step is to program your universal remote sending the right keyboardcommands.

Good luck!

Regards
majstang

[Mike.Kress]

My unversal remote is not corrupt. I am having the same issues trying to control BeyondTV using iMON PAD remote. For example, the iMON PAD channel up and down response is "Not Defined Command" in the display - with BeyondTV is the foreground application.


After a little more research, I think what I need is some documentation or information on the iMON Manger setting and configuration. This is not documented in the PDF file that gets install with the iMON software.

Specifically I am looking for:

1. Descriptions and list of valid entries to use in the following fields:
a. Function;
b. Shortcut;
c. RC button name; and
d. RC setup.

2. How does one map the "RC button name" for the button press - so that it could be mapped - in the iMON Manager settings.

3. On a forum, at Snap Stream, someone mentioned that old versions of iMON apparently had a utility that would identify remote control buttons - as they are pressed. With information form this utility AND supporting information form item "1" above, I could generate the mapping for my application. Is this utility still available anywhere?

Thanks,

Mike

[iMON]

Dear All,

I will close this thread NOW. For some reason if you would like to open this thread please send Private message to Me, with reason for why you want to open this thread. You can send Private message by clicking 'iMON->send a private message to iMON' in the Left corner of this Post, below the Date and Time of Post. I will Open the thread for further discussion or take necessary action depending on the nature of your issue.

regards

iMON