One Remote press, continued repeating Flirc commands

[zaphodFlirc]

I realise I'm at risk here, because this topic may sound a lot like the 'delay' and 'repeating keys' issues. However, I really think this is different. And I hope there's help out there!

 

I often (have not yet found the trigger that causes this) have the following: I press my Harmony remote button with an XBMC (Flirc in combination with RaspBMC) command, and then the XBMC goes crazy because it starts receiving repeated commands from the Flirc.

I have checked the harmony: it is NOT sending out multiple commands (you can see the IR signal when looking at it through an iPhone camera). If during these repeated commands I simply pull the flirc out of the raspberry pi, then the repeating stops. I can then control the raspberry pi with the XBMC app. So this suggests it really is the Flirc sending repeated commands to the Raspberry pi, even though it is NOT receiving any repeated commands from the remote (harmony).

 

Does anybody recognize this and better yet: is there a solution?

 

thanks for the help in advance!!

[DirtDiver]

I just wanted to add that I have the exact same problem, except I'm on a Windows machine. Sometimes flirc goes into a loop and sends the same command over and over. I have checked this with applications such as notepad, where I can see all the repeats.

[zaphodFlirc]

so step one is that I'm not fully alone, and I must say that is already a bit of a better feeling  B)

 

now for step two, which is that hopefully somebody has a solution. Firmware? Reset? any other tips?

[jason]

are you both using a harmony?

[zaphodFlirc]

I'm quite convinced it has nothing to do with the harmony, but yes, I indeed have a harmony. The repeating keys only happen through the flirc. The harmony also drives the tv and the dolby set, but I've never had any repeating activities there.

[DirtDiver]

I have a Harmony One and I'm using the PanasoniC TC-P65VT30 profile to control Flirc as per instructions from a post in this forum. The reason why I'm not using the Harmony Flirc profile is because I was unable to program all buttons correctly.

I'm using the 1.1.0 beta firmware.

[zaphodFlirc]

I also have a Harmony One. I used the "Media Center-PC" - "Flirc" device.

 

The problem I have is only as of recent. The only change from before the problems to current (i.e. with the problems) is a new power supply for the raspberry pi that the Flirc is connected to. I have not been able to find any logic as to when the problems start occurring. It seems very random. But is it pretty much every time I try to use it now. Any log files that I can view? Any theories to test? I really hope there is something, because this renders the entire raspbery pi with XBMC useless with the remote..

[Chris!]

The only change from before the problems to current (i.e. with the problems) is a new power supply for the raspberry pi that the Flirc is connected to.

Sounds like the culprit. Not all power supplies are created the same.

 

Jason's explanation:

The power supply amps wont really be the issue, it's the quality. The cheap ones have a lot of noise but the chargers in the phone can compensate. Since there is no filtering on the pi (USB runs at 5.0 Volts), then anything crappy on the main shows up on USB. However, that being said, it will still show up in the OS. It wont perform well.

 

 

 

Here are some other threads that have reported power-supply related raspberry pi problems:

[DirtDiver]

Well, that's not the source of my problems. I'm running a full desktop with Windows. It's most likely a firmware issue with Flirc in combination with Harmony.

[Chris!]

Well, that's not the source of my problems. I'm running a full desktop with Windows. It's most likely a firmware issue with Flirc in combination with Harmony.

Oh yes, sorry I meant to reply to zaphodFlirc. I know Jason has some new firmware coming soon to address some issues, it might have a fix in it for your issue. Hopefully this will be soon or Jason will reply to this thread soon

[zaphodFlirc]

Chris, thanks for the response! The reason I changed power adapter was for exactly that reason! So now I have an adapter that is good for the pi. The one I had previously was not good. So I hope you wont dismiss my problem because of this theory... Any other ideas why it repeats?

[zaphodFlirc]

It seems (unconfirmed for now though) that the "pauze" button might be a reliable trigger of the repeat. I will test  this further this weekend, but maybe this already gives a good hint?

[Chris!]

I've highlighted the thread to Jason.

 

 

@zaphodFlirc: Sorry for getting mixed up with the power supply issue - I should read things more carefully :)

[zaphodFlirc]

so now it seems I've bricked my Flirc. Tried the beta firmware. loaded the new GUI. programmed the flirc with the harmony. XBMC does not register ANY remote commands any more. Tried again, removed all keymappings, programmed them back, nothing. Restored the 1.0 FW with the "older" GUI again. Programmed the basic keys, nothing.

Any ideas on how I can test my flirc somehow? Any ideas on how to get my flirc working again?

[zaphodFlirc]

hmmm... weird.... works again. and again the repeating keys. I thought it had gone, because it worked fine for about 20-30 keypresses (was testing it). And then it went haywire again. Please can Jason help me. The Flirc is useless like this. And without the Flirc, the whole Raspbery pi is useless....

[jason]

hmmm... weird.... works again. and again the repeating keys. I thought it had gone, because it worked fine for about 20-30 keypresses (was testing it). And then it went haywire again. Please can Jason help me. The Flirc is useless like this. And without the Flirc, the whole Raspbery pi is useless....

 

Does this happen on another machine? If you use another remote, does it go away?

Can you post your configuration?

Do the keys only repeat after pressing a remote button?

How quickly are you repeating keys when pressing your remote. This shouldn't be a problem, could need a replacement.

[zaphodFlirc]

Thanks for the questions!

- have not tried flirc on another machine. Would not know what...

- i am trying it now with another remote and so far no problems, though i want to give it a day or two

- repeating does not start spontaneously. Always ony after a remote keypress though not the same one

- not repeating keys at fast speed. Really with about half a second inbetween. Note that the flirc repeat already starts with one keypress

- my config is:

Harmony one remote

Using samsung tv for the flirc. Have also tried with the harmony flirc device. Both have same behaviour

Tried the beta fw, but now back to the 1.0 fw. Same problem with both

So it really seems like a harmony-flirc problem (so far other remote not showing same problems). Note the harmony is not sending out repeat signals (i look at the ir-eye through an iphone camera and see its not repeating).

Is there anything i should be able to see in the raspbmc logfiles? Does flirc have any logfile or debug mode?

[timmeh]

I'm also having this issue. The new firmware seems to have triggered it. Now I get key repeats constantly and it makes the remote unusable.

 

flirc_util can no longer connect to the flirc either, reporting this error on the issue of any command:

Warning: cannot open USB devicedevice disconnected, can't run command
 

Strange because the OS seems to pick it up fine. From dmesg:

usb 1-1.3: new low-speed USB device number 7 using dwc_otg
usb 1-1.3: New USB device found, idVendor=20a0, idProduct=0001
usb 1-1.3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
usb 1-1.3: Product: flirc
usb 1-1.3: Manufacturer: flirc.tv
input: flirc.tv flirc as /devices/platform/bcm2708_usb/usb1/1-1/1-1.3/1-1.3:1.0/input/input4hid-generic 0003:20A0:0001.0005: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.01 Keyboard [flirc.tv flirc] on usb-bcm2708_usb-1.3/input0 


 

 

This is on the raspberry pi also

[jason]

I'm also having this issue. The new firmware seems to have triggered it. Now I get key repeats constantly and it makes the remote unusable.

flirc_util can no longer connect to the flirc either, reporting this error on the issue of any command:

Warning: cannot open USB devicedevice disconnected, can't run command

Strange because the OS seems to pick it up fine. From dmesg:

usb 1-1.3: new low-speed USB device number 7 using dwc_otgusb 1-1.3: New USB device found, idVendor=20a0, idProduct=0001usb 1-1.3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0usb 1-1.3: Product: flircusb 1-1.3: Manufacturer: flirc.tvinput: flirc.tv flirc as /devices/platform/bcm2708_usb/usb1/1-1/1-1.3/1-1.3:1.0/input/input4hid-generic 0003:20A0:0001.0005: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.01 Keyboard [flirc.tv flirc] on usb-bcm2708_usb-1.3/input0

This is on the raspberry pi also

This looks fine. I'll push an update soon that hopefully addresses this.

@timmeh, are you using harmony too? The harmony flirc profile?

Which harmony do you have?

[timmeh]

This looks fine. I'll push an update soon that hopefully addresses this.

@timmeh, are you using harmony too? The harmony flirc profile?

Which harmony do you have?

 

Yep I'm using a harmony 650 I believe, with the harmony flirc profile.

 

If it's the matter of changing the inter-key delay on the flirc and harmony remote what should teh adjustments be. I've tried pretty much everything I can find on the matter and nothing seems to work. Plus the flirc_util issue makes it doubly hard to resolve.

[zaphodFlirc]

Hi Jason & Chris, do you have any updates on this issue? I've been using 2 remotes now for a while. The Harmony kept giving the same problems, so Im using a separate remote now for the Flirx/RasbPi/XBMC. This is quite a nuisance, and I really want to program the Harmony to work. Are you updating firmware for the resolution? Any ideas please?

[Chris!]

Not yet - the reason the new firmware hasn't gone stable yet is because of this issue - Jason is working on it but as it's an issue that he can't easily re-create, it's taking additional time (and we have full time jobs).

 

Jason is working on it though.

[jason]

I'm trying to get one more thing into the GUI, almost there.

[timmeh]

Not yet - the reason the new firmware hasn't gone stable yet is because of this issue - Jason is working on it but as it's an issue that he can't easily re-create, it's taking additional time (and we have full time jobs).

 

Jason is working on it though.

 

1. Get a harmony remote, configured to use the flirc device provide as part of the XBMC activity

2. Use xbmc with it

3. Switch harmony activities and xbmc idle for a few hours

4. Change activity back to xbmc and you should have the key repeat issue.

 

Also, for the record I bought a recommended Raspberry Pi power supply (5V 2A) and I still get the key repeat issue. No other devices plugged into the Pi. I also had this problem when I used XBMC with a desktop PC.

[rtessenear]

I can confirm this is a Harmony\FLIRC issue. 

I have a Harmony 900 and if I use the Default Panasonic or Samsung remote to configure Key mappings.  I get fast key switching, or what appears to be multiple button pushes using these remote templates.  I did not have this issue with my configuration until changing it to what was recommended here.  So I reverted my Harmony configuration back to use the Plex device.   Media Center PC\Plex\Plex Player.  This device works without issue 100%.  The only downside to this is it does use same signal codes as the Apple TV.  So yes the recommended devices here may not conflict with other equipment; however they also cause this strange anomaly.  Using the Plex Player as the default device from Harmony and configuring that per the XBMC keyboard commands works great.  Sorry for the sloppy write up.  Need to sleep....

 

My media center goes through:

 

1. Runco XP-OPAL65 for display

2. Pioneer Elite receiver  HDMI

3. Homemade HTPC