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Harmony Profiles - Flirc Kodi vs. Microsoft Kodi


ashbinder

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Hi all,

I recently purchased a Flirc Gen 2 and have been trying to set it up on a new Windows 10 HTPC with Kodi.  I also have another HTPC, a Zbox, that came with a remote and IR receiver, which is my frame of reference.  I can currently do the following with the Zbox and a Harmony 650 remote:

  • navigate the start menu in Tablet Mode with the 650
  • put the computer to sleep and wake it
  • navigate Kodi
  • The Zbox has a profile in the Harmony database (not sure if that matters).

My hope was that I could replicate the same functions with the Flirc and my new HTPC.  However, I run into the following issues with various Harmony profiles:

  • Microsoft Kodi: can navigate start menu, but missing play, pause, stop, etc. buttons for Kodi.  Will not put the computer to sleep or wake it.
  • Flirc Kodi: cannot navigate start menu, but all buttons mapped properly for Kodi and work once Kodi is launched.  Cannot sleep or wake the computer either.
  • My other issue is that although the Flirc has perfect line of sight to the remote, yet it is either laggy or won't register a remote press at times.  The Flirc itself installed just fine, no driver issues, and the firmware even updated at first boot of the software.

Thoughts from those with more experience than I?  Should I just be trying to find an RC6 receiver...did I misunderstand the features of the Flirc or how it interfaces with the computer?

Thanks for any help!

Edited by ashbinder
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Hi,

Flirc acts as an USB keyboard. You can think about it in terms of a virtual keyboard where you map your remote controller's buttons to specific keyboard keys and key combinations (with modifiers like shift, alt etc).

Regarding the Harmony profiles, the Microsoft Kodi one has nothing to do with Flirc. All the Flirc profiles (Flirc Kodi one included) are provided for a quick start with Flirc. Their support in Flirc is built into the Flirc's firmware and doesn't even require installing Flirc software for them to work out of the box (at least on a standard QWERTY keyboard layout). These profiles provide basic functionality for people that don't want to set up everything themselves and just control their player right away.

On the other hand, you are not required to use those profiles in Harmony. You can use almost any device profile (for example for some TV; almost because some IR protocols are not working that well with Flirc - I always recommend Samsung or LG TV as they often use NEC family protocols) and just use Flirc software to teach Flirc to use that profile. And you can map the remote to keyboard keys any way you like.

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Thanks yawor!  Considering what you've said, I could just take the keys that Harmony has mapped and go back into the firmware and map those that don't work with the keyboard in the Flirc app, correct?

Or would putting in a fake TV remote (like a Samsung or LG) instead and map all the individual Kodi/Windows keys make more sense?

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Okay, so experimenting, I went with the Flirc Kodi profile and also added the Flirc MCE Keyboard as a device, figuring I could assign any key on the keyboard to free keys on the remote.

Then I went into the flirc app to assign the keys.  I was able to assign the tab and esc buttons (Tab was what I was missing to get the arrow navigation into the Start Menu), but for some reason, no matter what key I try, I can't assign the Windows Start button to anything.  It just acts like I didn't press anything when I click the Flirc Windows Start key in the application to try and assign a remote key.  Tried erasing the key on the remote, then assigning, but still no dice...what am I missing?

Thanks!

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The Flirc GUI treats the Windows key as a modifier key, so you can, for example, record a remote button for Win + R, but it won't allow you to assign something directly to the modifier key. For that, you need to use a command line utility called flirc_util.exe. It's where you've installed the Flirc sofware (probably something like c:\program files (x86)\flirc\).

You need open command windows (win + r, enter cmd, and press enter). Then go to the Flirc software folder (cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Flirc") and then you can use flirc_util.exe:

flirc_util.exe record_api 8 0

and press enter. The command will wait for you to press a remote button you want to assign to the Windows key.

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Thanks yawor!  I received the following error when I tried to execute the above command:

[D] lib/libtransport/hid.c hid_send_packet(83): I
Error getting version
device disconnected, can't run command

Odd that it says disconnected, as I can connect through the Flirc GUI just fine.

Thoughts?  I also noticed the new keys I recorded (Esc, Tab) did not stick after I rebooted the computer. 

Edited by ashbinder
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Oh never mind!  The command works!  I had the Flirc GUI open at the same time as the command prompt - guess they can't both connect at the same time!

So the only issue is why the commands don't stay recorded after reboot...and that I can't get the sleep function to work at all (go to sleep or wake up)...thanks for the help!

Edited by ashbinder
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  • 4 weeks later...

Using the same Harmony 650 remote. Can't seem to get suspend/wake working with the remote in Windows 10. My main intention is to bind the suspend / wake function to the Watch TV one button setting present in the 650 remote, so that my computer wakes up together with the TV and audio amp. Any other 650 users who got it working in this way?

The harmony flirc profiles don't seem to have this function. 

 

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