Flirc + URC MX-880

[Compass]

Hi,

Newby, I have an MX-880( that I programmed myself with the CCP software) that I use to control my TV, PS3(via PS3IR-1000), Amp, and will soon be adding a HTPC to the mix, so looking for control options. A user on the unRAID server forum mentioned Flirc and here I am!

HTPC will be XBMC on Win 7.

The URC remote software program(CCP for short) has lots of options for Mircosoft IR codes, including X-Box, XBOX 360, WMC(RC1264103) and lots of others.

So for XBMC I'm presuming I would load the XBOX 360 codes onto my remote, then 'teach' the Flirc those codes.

Anyone using a URC remote?

Advice appreciated,

Cheers

[Chris!]

Hi Compass, welcome to the forums,

Whilst I don't know of anyone with experience using this remote, you don't have to program your remote as an XBox 360 for XBMC as flirc converts remote control presses to keyboard presses so XBMC would only see a keyboard no matter what remote is being used.

Thought this was worth pointing out in case it makes it any easier.

Also, theoretically, if your remote is sending IR then flirc should work with it

Pleasant regards,

Chris!

[digitalb0y]

Yeah, I have a URC remote and it works quite well with flirc. I can (but don't have to) use an Xbox profile on the URC to control my XBMC box. I choose not to though, because I use the Xbox 360 proflie to control my Xbox 360. I don't know how CCP works compared to the way you program a URC RF20, but for what it's worth. on the RF20 I use AUX 001 to control my XBMC box via flirc.

[Compass]

Thanks Gents,

I get it now.

The MX-880 comes with no remote codes loaded on it, it is fully pc programmable, All of the codes for devices are in the CCP program, which you then use to load IR codes onto the remote via usb, meaning if you dont create a device on the remote, pushing a button will do nothing. Unlike the RF-20, which has pre-programmed codes in it.

So after further reading on the forum it seems it wouldn't really matter which device code I load onto the remote, so long as it's not the same as any of my current equipment.

Thanks

[Chris!]

So after further reading on the forum it seems it wouldn't really matter which device code I load onto the remote, so long as it's not the same as any of my current equipment.

Bingo :)

let us know how you get on if you get a Flirc,

Chris!

[digitalb0y]

Yeah, this is almost completely true. Again I can only speak for the RF-20, but not every single device code I put into it works as nicely as the one I ultimately stuck with (the AUX 001 code I mention above is generic and has worked better than other choices for several reasons). But yes, the great thing about Flirc is that it *almost* doesn't matter what remote (or in this case, device code) you use. It sees your button presses regardless of the code you choose, and assigns it to a key press. So like you say, just choose a code that doesn't control anything else in your setup and then see how Flirc responds.

Also, I think it only fair to note, the issues I have with some profiles appear to be limitations of my remote and have nothing to do with Flirc not detecting or correctly interpreting my button presses. It's entirely possible that with your URC you will see none of the issues I have seen with some of the codes I can choose when I setup my remote, and that it truly won't matter which code you choose.

[aperry]

Sorry for digging up an old thread, but I just wanted to say that this worked beautifully with an MX980 and CCP!  After having mildly inconsistent results for several months with Flirc and my MX980, I finally decided to spend some more time troubleshooting it.  Switching to the AUX 001 device really seems to have perfected everything.  Speed is great and the key presses seem 100% consistent even with delay at 0.  I'm using CCP too.

 

Maybe this should be posted somewhere for all URC users.

[openricky]

OK, I have the URC MX-890 and am having a HELL of a time trying to get this to work on my FLIRC + OUYA + XBMC setup.

 

I can program the remote as whatever, sony dvd, panasonic dvd, panasonic tv, generic aux, whatever, but i get the same problems.

 

When navigating the menus (up down left right), i press the direction key once and the selection on screen cycles 2 or 3 times.

 

SO FRUSTRSTING.

 

When I had a Harmony remote, I used the official FLIRC XBMC profile and it worked great. All I want is for this MUCH BETTER remote control to work the same :(

 

Can you other URC users elaborate on your working setups so that I can copy it?

[aperry]

As mentioned above, my 980 is working pretty well with XBMC, but it's on Windows.  I use the "AUX 001" device in CCP and I've found it quite reliable (after trying various other random devices).  Here are my settings:

 

Settings:

  sleep detection: Disabled

  noise canceler:  Disabled

  inter-key delay: 0

  keys recorded:   25

  keys remaining:  144

  memory used:    17%

 

Recorded Keys:

  hash        key

  ---------   ---

  8BBE8A79     left

  FF2313E     up

  BE6A0D7     right

  8FCA1BE0     return

  F324A86     down

  D1DBCD5E     escape

  CD7EB1C7     backspace

  93E71F2F     p

  D19BB516     space

  51749FB8     x

  CD6D4E3E     r

  8FB9B856     f

  4DE6DF6D     ,

  FE1CEB4     .

  D12C39CD     i

  F83B5F4     c

  8F2835A0     pageup

  F906346     pagedown

  8F4A0CF0     t

  F9272DB     tab

 

 

I'm not exactly sure how to troubleshoot this on the Ouya, but one thing you could start with is to put the programmed Flirc dongle into a Windows computer and experiment with Notepad or EventGhost open to see if you get repeated letters when you click the remote buttons.  That would help you understand if it's a problem with the Ouya config, or isolated to the remote/Flirc combo.  If you're see repeated letters in Notepad then you could take a closer look in CCP.  I seem to remember some devices have a "repeats" setting that could be affecting things.  Unfortunately, I don't have it installed on this computer so I'm saying this from memory.

[openricky]

with an interkey delay of 0, are you able to hold down a direction key and scroll through the xbmc interface? or does holding down a direction key only advance the selection once and then stop?

[aperry]

Pretty sure I have read that it's the remote control that needs to send the repeated commands when the button is held down.  So this would require some programming in the URC software so that when the button is held down then it will send repeated commands.  However, to be honest, I haven't tried this.  So mine only advances once no matter how long I hold it down for.  That said, I think I did have this working at some point in the past, possibly when I was using a different hardware profile in the URC software.  However that had other more serious drawbacks which were resolved by using AUX 001. 

 

At some point I'll try to get this working.  For now I've gotten accustomed to using the "page up/down" functions in lists within XBMC.  It's pretty fast that way, even with several hundred movies.

[Max Power]

How can I find the AUX 001 device in CCP?  Sorry, I am a nube at CCP.  If I hit the Database button on the Program tab I can select AUX under IR Data From, and can set the Setup Number to 001 but I don't see any function on the side then.  What am I missing?