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Using Flirc with Amazon fireTV


tonyski

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flirc_util.exe seems to be the only exe(cutable)-file in the zip-folder. I already tried manually copying simply flirc_util.exe into the Flirc.Directory, but Flirc-GUI told me anyways that I already got the most recent firmware on my FLIRC. o.O

I always seem to get one thing wrong doing a release.

 

Okay, updated, should be there now: 

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almost there: Works exactly like the FTV-Remote-Back Button but if you press it only a little time to long (~0,5s, maybe even shorter) it sends double-key-presses. Tried different inter-key-delay-settings but made no difference.

this is an artifact of the remote. amazon's remote's back button presses one button, a one shot if you will, your remote is sending a regular signal which is a key, pressed, and held.

 

Let me think about what I can do on my end.

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So I'd like to help test this firmware as I have a firetv, but I'm not sure I'm seeing the same issues.  Is everyone that sees an issue using Kodi?  I am still on XBMC Gotham, and actually from my tests it appears to be working.  It could be that I'm testing different functions though.  Can someone share the steps to reproduce the issues they are seeing and we are talking about the back/return button (the button to the left of the home button on the fire tv remote) right?  Is the issue only when playing a media file?

 

I have my device set up with dvr and the recordings seemed to back out one step at a time using the buttons I had previously recorded .  If I'm testing properly and it works in gotham, but not in Kodi that's fine, i'll probably just confirm the new firmware works on gotham then upgrade.

Edited by ImCoKeMaN
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Nice work, Jason. Thanks. As far as I can tell it all works like it's supposed to. The only thing I noticed is that what you are calling the "app menu" button on your image is actually referred to as "Options" on Fire TV.

 

This is all new to me. I just got a Fire TV for Xmas and was surprised to learn that I can't teach the commands to my universal remotes because they're RF instead of IR. So I found this forum, bought a Flirc, and now all is well. Thanks again.

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Nice work, Jason. Thanks. As far as I can tell it all works like it's supposed to. The only thing I noticed is that what you are calling the "app menu" button on your image is actually referred to as "Options" on Fire TV.

 

This is all new to me. I just got a Fire TV for Xmas and was surprised to learn that I can't teach the commands to my universal remotes because they're RF instead of IR. So I found this forum, bought a Flirc, and now all is well. Thanks again.

 

ah, good catch, that'll be in the next release. I updated the text. 

Thanks so much for the kind feedback.

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this is an artifact of the remote. amazon's remote's back button presses one button, a one shot if you will, your remote is sending a regular signal which is a key, pressed, and held.

 

Let me think about what I can do on my end.

I think as a Harmony-user I could try to find a workaround via a macro (when pushing button "back" send signal for time x then pause for time y), but if you want to find a workaround that also works for non-Harmony-users, I won't do that so that I can still serve as a guinea pig and test your hacks. :)

Edited by Koile
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As an experiment program two keys on your remote to execute "return". On the Sony VL Series remotes that I use the component light comes on for a different amount of time for each button. I can also hear a series of clicks indicating that the return command is being sent repeatedly when a button is pushed just once. The number of clicks is greater for the button that keeps the light on longer.

 

So, as Jason said, it's an artifact of the remote itself. But it is strange that it happens with only the return command. Perhaps there's something else going on that needs to be understood.

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I am curious about getting an "exact" list of how you set this up.

 

If I set it up in Harmony as FLIRC/XBMC, I do not get enough buttons (no home, menu, not sure what else).

 

So, I thought, this thing is programmable, and Microsoft/Media Center PC will have all the buttons, so I programmed the Harmony as WMC PC. Sure enough, I have all the buttons and they all work except for the issue described above - pushing the up or down key registers as a double-press. 

 

Oh, this is on version 3.4 RC2

 

EDIT: Got it working! I went back to FLIRC/XBMC in Harmony, then renamed this device Amazon Fire TV. Then, for the screen buttons I assigned Red to Home, and Green to Menu. Then I assigned the Harmony's Exit and Menu button to Red, and the Guide buttons to Green. (is this confusing yet?)  

 

Now, all the buttons work like I want, the buttons assigned on the screen are labeled for WAF (wife acceptance factor), and the Guide, Exit, and Menu buttons all make sense to me. Of course you can assign them any way you want, but this worked for me.

 

Also, I customized the activity to send a "Home" (Red with my mapping) command to the AFTV at the tail of the macro, so that it would power up and be at the home screen.

Edited by RobbieH
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So I got a Harmony 650. I already had a vintage URC MX-500. I also had a generic MCE remote contol.

I have a Flirc and a generic IR reciever that came with the generic MCE remote control.

Obviously, I also have a Fire TV.

 

The difficulty I'm having is in getting the Fire TV to sleep and wake *reliably*. Anyone else having better luck?

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The MCE remote and its provided receiver will wake the Fire. The button in the extreme lower right that looks like a PC and is labeled "Desktop." In theory though, any key should wake it up.

 

Haven't found anything that will put it to sleep reliably yet. Which is kind of surprising since the Fire has a built-in sleep command.

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Wasn't using Xbox launcher just the flirc profile for my harmony and built in profile in the flirc gui. The standard sleep button should work though if you record it to any key in the remote and flirc gui and set it up in the power down settings for your harmony activity

Power on can be other buttons but im not sure if firedTV takes any over. I would try home or menu to wake and see how it works.

Edited by ImCoKeMaN
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I have a Harmony 525 and have set it up using the Flirc -> XBMC profile in the Harmony Software and everything works ok except for the remote seems to be sending 2 commands on occasion when it should only send 1 particularly for the Back command!

 

I have tried the fix that another poster has mentioned here: https://flirc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/202819236 and reduced the setting to 0 but it does not seem to make any difference...

 

Are there any other fixes for this?

 

Also might the Inter Key Delay in the Flirc Software under Advanced help with this as well?

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I have a Harmony 525 and have set it up using the Flirc -> XBMC profile in the Harmony Software and everything works ok except for the remote seems to be sending 2 commands on occasion when it should only send 1 particularly for the Back command!

 

I have tried the fix that another poster has mentioned here: https://flirc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/202819236 and reduced the setting to 0 but it does not seem to make any difference...

 

Are there any other fixes for this?

 

Also might the Inter Key Delay in the Flirc Software under Advanced help with this as well?

If you are on firmware version 3.5, try interkey delay of 6

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I might have my problem figured out. Or at least, this is what's working...

 

I was using the Flirc XBMC power button to put the Fire to sleep, but it was the one that was unreliable. I've now changed it to Flirc's Computer Media Keys power button, and it seems to be working as expected. Which is actually very good for a device with no power/standby button.

 

My Samsung TV and my Yamaha amplifier both only have a single power toggle button. A long time ago, I was able to scrounge the Pronto hex codes for them to create discrete on/off buttons in the MX-500 using a vintage Palm TX and an app called NoviiRemote. I figure it's only a matter of time before someone like Jason figures out the discrete codes to make the Fire sleep/wake more properly. As it is, power toggles so I left it out of my system off macro.

 

I'll  be sending the Harmony back. It's pretty, but I didn't really need it. And MyHarmony keeps hanging up during the sync process. Plus I can punch in a macro on the MX-500 faster than it takes to sync the Harmony when it does work.

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i have this issue with flirc + firetv + harmony 700

 

i need to restart the firetv sometimes (some problems with youtube app are fixed after restarting the firetv)

 

with the firetv remote you can restart the device pressing OK + PLAY buttons for 5 or 6 seconds.

but doing this with the harmony remote + flirc doesnt work. i press OK + PLAY in the harmony remote but the firetv doesnt restart.

 

maybe the IR device cant send two commands at the same time so the firetv doesnt know im trying to restart it??

 

there is a workaround to make this work?

Edited by laope
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