[Flirc totally bricked after Firmware upgrade?]

Hi,

today, I had a strange behavior of the Flirc.

After I changed the USB-port of the Flirc, it did not recognize any key presses from my remote. This did even commence, after I changed the port back.

I thought, that the programming might have been erased somehow. So I started the administration program on Linux, which was a rather old version (v1.2.2). I tried to reprogram the Flirc with my saved configuration file, what did not work at all (no error messages, just no result). So I tried to reprogram the keys by hand. The control program said, that the signals where already programmed, so I tried to delete them and reprogram them. First I tried to delete them one by one, what did not work. After I done it, it said that there is no memory left for further keys. So I tried to remove all programming and deleted the whole configuration ... which showed up the same result.

So after these results, I loaded the newest control program from flirc.tv (v1.4.4). I unpacked it and started it.It said, that there is a new firmware. So I said it should install it. After I did it, Several error messages showed up.

When I restarted the control program it always showed, that the firmware was old and said I could install a new one. But every try just had the same result.

When I start the new control program, it always gives these messages now:

Can't load 'test.ini'
[E] fl_product_type(717): unknown or unsupported variant
[E] fl_product_type(717): unknown or unsupported variant

And it asks me every time, if I want to upgrade the firmware. When I don't upgrade, I end in the disconnected state and can do nothing. When I upgrade, it does the upgrade and I can program some keys.

Programming of keys by hand did work (partly), but to reinstall the firmware every time is very annoying. Also it seems that something is wrong, since now I have to press every key on the control that I programmed two times to get one single reaction.

When I try to run the old control program (v1.2.2), I get these messages now:

[D] fl_open_device(130): Firmware v:3.7
[D] determine_iface(59): fw_state: firmware
[D] determine_iface(60): version: 3.7
[E] determine_iface(104): version not supported, loading def: ver1
CheckFirmwareVersion(402): hw version: 3.7
CheckFirmwareVersion(403): emb version: 2.300000
fl_close_device(325): closing device handle

 

As it seems to me now, my flirc has been (partially) altered by the new firmware, but this does not work correctly (since the control program always wants to replace it and the key programming does not work correctly (only every second press works now)).

This change seems to be irreversible, since the new program does not help and the old does even less, since it does not understand my flirc now.

So I fear, that the device is irreversibel broken now.

 

Or is there any method to revert the changes or install some working firmware correctly? My device is a little older (I bought it in the beginning of 2014) but I did not expect to brick it just by using a newer version of the control program!

Any help is appreciated!

Best Regards,

ThePatrick

 

[Please, please: Autorepeat keypresses]

I am using flirc to control a self made media box. I found it really wonderful that I can omit all the hassles of configuration that normally special hardware requires in Linux.

 

Everything is great and the key assignment is super easy with the software, but there is one thing I miss greatly: I am using the control of my old media box and with that it was possible with one long press to navigate a list of titles just holding the key. Meaning the Cursor down or up functionality repeated automatically after a short while.

 

That is a function that not only is available on many remotes, but also keyboards have a autorepeat functionality.

 

Flirc has not, it seems.

 

Since Flirc emulates keystrokes, it is also not possible to emulate this behavior behind flirc in the application.

 

I think, that it really would be a big added value, to have it. You could make it optional for people that don't want the feature. But I don't see, why this feature is not available -- it makes the difference between a medium and a great remote.

 

 

Update: After I read in an other post, that auto repeat should work, I tried an other remote and that worked. But it seems to me, it is very dependent on the actual remote. I also don't understand, why the first remote did not work, since on the own device, autorepeat was no problem.

 

Update2: It now happens with the new remote, that every key autorepeats and it is just to fast for some keys. I tried to disable autorepeat with xset, but did not work. My keyboard gets autorepeat switched off by xset, but flirc is not. It is frustrating .... One remote does not autorepeat, the other to much .... what is going on?