Brand new Flirc & software crashes on launch

[ShoutingMan]

I've got a brand new flirc usb dongle (arrived yesterday). I connected it, downloaded the application, updated the firmware per Flirc's blog, and now the software crashes on launch.

I tried manually updating the firmware as recommended in the sticky note of the firmware forum. That didn't fix it.

http://blog.flirc.tv/library-version-history/

I uninstalled the driver and application completely, rebooted, and reinstalled. That didn't fix it.

My brand new flirc is dead. Is there a fix, or do I just need to return it for a refund and find some other IR receiver?

[yawor]

Hi,

Can you tell us more about your PC? Which Windows version and on what hardware it's running on. Which USB port version/type.

Do you have access to a different PC to which you can connect Flirc instead to check if it's working?

[jason]

I think this is probably a Windows 10 thing, is that what you have? Quite a few of these are popping up and I believe it's recent due to a recent MS update. Let me know. 

[ShoutingMan]

Brand new PC, custom built this weekend. Fresh install of Windows 10 64-bit, upgraded from a clean install of Win7 64-bit Home User. Hardware is Intel Core i5 6500, ASRock H170 Pro4 motherboard with USB3, and a Samsung EVO 850 500GB SSD (and other various pieces).

 

I initially connected the Flirc. Then I found the GUI app download page, installed it. It launched. Then I ran the Force FW Upgrade from the app. That seemed to run, and then the app crashed. Subsequently the app crashes on launch.

I've tried:

* Reinstalling the app

* Uninstalling app and drivers, and then manually updating the drivers from the app's driver directory.

* Running the Zadig approach described in the ZenDesk forum, but the process doesn't match what I see in Windows 10, so I didn't proceed.

 

I haven't tried the installation process I just found, which is to install the GUI first and then plug in the USB dongle.

 

Thanks for the help. Sorry I was "short" in my initial post. Two days of PC build, including 4-6 hours lost on Win7 updater failures...and then get past that to find the Flirc receiver died on installation. I was frustrated :)

Edited May 22, 2016 by ShoutingMan

[ShoutingMan]

Following up: any recommendations for getting Flirc to work in Windows 10?

[yawor]

Until Jason finds out what's happening recently with Windows 10 you would need to get access to another PC with Windows 7 or Linux. I think running those as virtual machine (in VirtualBox for example) would also work after setting USB pass-through for Flirc to be connected to guest machine instead of host.

After that Flirc should work properly in Windows 10 as it doesn't need Flirc software to work (its only required for programming).

[ShoutingMan]

What are the steps to restore the Flirc's functionality in Win7 or Linux?

[ShoutingMan]

How about with a Mac?

[ShoutingMan]

Downloaded the Flirc software to my Mac and connected the Flirc. It said it successfully upgraded the Firmware to v3.8.

 

So are you telling me that I can program it on my Mac and then connect and operate the dongle on my Win10 HTPC?

 

[ShoutingMan]

Flirc is basically operational after updating on a Mac.

After the Flirc app on my Mac updated the Firmware on the Flirc, I cleared the settings. 

I programmed my Logitech Harmony One to control the Flirc using Kodi settings (http://mymediaexperience.com/flirc-remote-control-companion/).

On the Win10 PC I downloaded and reinstalled the Flirc app, launched it, and then plugged in the Flirc. That worked fine. I quit the app.

I ran PowerDVD 16 and have basic control of it with my Harmony One and the Flirc.

[ShoutingMan]

And it's working in the Plex Home Theater app.

[yawor]

That's great :). You don't really need the Flirc software on the target system. As I've mentioned before, you only need Flirc software for programming/configuration. After that Flirc emulates an USB keyboard, so you don't need any extra drivers to control PC or any other device that can be controlled with a keyboard.