Two keypress needed for functions in XBMC [Universal Electronics remote]

[greenep48]

Hi - fresh new user here. Programmed new Flirc with my Universal Electronics remote (Charter cable system) for DVD device and plugged into HTPC running Windows 7 and XBMC. XMBC is set for "remote generates keyboard commands". All the functions work except it takes 2 keypresses for anything to happen. I think this is a Windows issue as I have seen it mentioned on other sites but I can't find how to fix it. Any ideas?

[Chris!]

Hi greenep48,

Your remote may be alternating between sending different packets each press. We've observed this with Microsoft remotes.

Try recording each key press

e.g.

1) record left

2) press left on the remote

3) Repeat again to catch the other packet it sometimes sends.

Does this make sense?

Let us know how it goes

Pleasant regards,

Chris!

[greenep48]

Thanks - that fixed XBMC! However, now it doesn't do anything in Windows Media Play or Windows Media Center. Should I expect it to work in WMC?

[Chris!]

It should work. If we can back track a little:

How are you programming the Flirc (using the full keyboard)?

Does the remote button you assigned to any of the arrows keys work in both XBMC and Windows media center?

For reference:

Windows media center: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ID/windows-vista/Windows-Media-Center-keyboard-shortcuts

XBMC: http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Keyboard

[greenep48]

I programmed mostly from XBMC Controller plus a few full keyboard keys: assigned MENU button to Mm, PAGE+ button to page-up, etc. None of the remote buttons seem to work in Windows.

[Chris!]

Could you open the windows explorer or something that would normally respond to arrow left, arrow right and return/enter.

I'm getting the feeling there is a setting in Windows media center that is causing the issue - but we should narrow it down before I make any assumptions,

Chris!

[greenep48]

Good suggestion - remote works like keyboard in Explorer. I can move up/down file lists, enter to select, etc. We're getting closer.....

[Chris!]

Unfortunately I don't have windows media center so can't properly make any more accurate suggestions, however:

- If it worked before my first suggestion, did you change anything in windows media center?

- Are they're any remote/keyboard settings that need changing?

[greenep48]

I may have found the answer - Windows Media Center uses different keyboard shortcuts for player controls than XBMC: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ID/windows-vista/Windows-Media-Center-keyboard-shortcuts http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Keyboard XBMC is supposed to be able to handle Media Center keyboard shortcuts, but not vice-versa. http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Using_an_MCE_remote_control_in_Windows So maybe if I reprogram the FLIRC to MCE remote controls, it will work for both? I will try this tonight and see what happens.

And just to make things interesting, Windows Media Player uses yet a different set of shortcuts:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Windows-Media-Player-keyboard-shortcuts

[Chris!]

I'll be curious with your finding - the only reason I've been so persistent with the arrow left etc is that i thought those keys did the same in each program.

We'll get there soon :)

[greenep48]

Next chaper - started over and programmed the remote to Windows Media. General controls work in WMC but the player buttons don't work. Executing the published keyboard shortcuts for the player functions works as expected, however. I'll run ShowKey tonight and see what it is putting out for the player buttons before I change to the WMC keyboard shortcuts.

[greenep48]

Problem solved thanks to Showkey! The table below shows the differences between the FLIRC WINDOWS MEDIA console programming (as reported by Showkey) and the MS Windows Media Center keyboard shortcuts. After correcting by direct keyboard programming of the player buttons, the remote works fine in both WMC and XBMC. Maybe the GUI (v0.96) is corrupted ???

BUTTON FLIRC-WM MS-WMC-SHORTCUTS

PLAY CTRL-SHIFT-8 CTRL-SHIFT-P

STOP CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-8 CTRL-SHIFT-S

PAUSE CTRL-8 CTRL-P

REPLAY CTRL-OEM-COMMA CTRL-F

[Chris!]

Hmm, interesting findings. In future i'll be sure to recommend trying to program in the full keyboard if users are having trouble in the future.

Thanks for posting greenep48

[greenep48]

Some of the key sequences reported by Showkey are pretty wierd. Have you published the mapping of the GUI Console buttons (XBMC, Windows Media, etc) to keyboard equivalents?

[Chris!]

I don't think Jason has, i'll ask him to do that as it'll help debug issues.

This is especially relevant as XBMC is changing/changed a keyboard shortcut between dharma and eden (or eden and frodo) - which they were even kind enough to tell us directly (thanks guys!).

I also think the app is long overdue an update but this isn't through Jason's laziness - guy works ridiculously hard.

[greenep48]

Thanks, and thanks to Jason and everyone else supporting FLIRC - it's a great device that certainly fills a need in the HTPC community!