How do hold a key in a macro

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 2:37 pm

I would like to simulate holding a key in a macro with a URC-8820 extender and a panasonic protocol.

How do I hold a key for over 3 seconds. I do not see anything as such in the extender.

jeajea · Post by **jeajea** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 4:34 pm

If the 8820 extender works the same as the 8820N extender it will send the
last function (button) in the macro for as long you hold down the button that invoked the macro.

Note that only the last function can be “held”.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 4:06 am

Jim is right, the only key that is held is the final key.

I expect it is a power key, that is the key that normally needs to be held. If it really needs to be held, and not just given time to work, then you need to rearrange your macro.

If you can't arrange your macro so that the final key is the key that needs to be held, then you get into some more complex solutions.

The device combiner might be a solution.
If the signal that needs to be sent is
a) built in (somewhere),
b) uses a simple executor
then the device combiner can specify how many repeats to send.

Lastly, the most complex solution would be to create a special upgrade with a CUSTOM PROTOCOL, that holds that key for the selected time. Then a keymove is set up to point at that key in the special upgrade, and that keymove can be used in the macro.

In JP1 land, when there is a will, there is a way!

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 1:01 pm

Thanks Jim, the last key is held in the macro and it is working.
The key was the surround key on a Pana TV to access a service menu.
I also need to do another macro but this time the key has to be held down for 5 seconds in the beginning of the macro.

vickyg2003, what is this device combiner? How does it work?

Post by **vickyg2003** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 1:27 pm

I'm a little murkey on the details.

A device combiner was originally created before we had combo codes. It allows us to combine different types of signals into one device upgrade.

If I recall correctly, (I am very murky here)

In rmir, add a device.
Change the protocol to device combiner.
Then specify the PIDS and fixed data.
The PID must be built in to the remote.
The EFC type must be three digit type. IE. 00111 is a 3 digit efc.
It works with some PIDS, not others.

So you need to know if the remote has a simple PID that shoots the signal, and will work with repeats.

You can probably dig most of the information out of the LookupTool.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 8:31 am

Great info! I did a test with the device combiner and it works. Unfortunately I can only select up to 15 repeats in the duration column of RMIR. I need more repeats, 56 repeats which is like holding the menu button for 5 seconds.

I'm glad to know about the device combiner that I may use for another remote at home though.

jeajea · Post by **jeajea** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 9:51 am

Do you actually need to send the command for five seconds?
My TV cannot accept any commands for about 9.5 seconds after it is first
powered on. I use a 9.5 second pause in the macro that turns the TV on so
that the remaining commands are accepted by the TV.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 10:16 am

Carl wrote:Great info! I did a test with the device combiner and it works. Unfortunately I can only select up to 15 repeats in the duration column of RMIR

.
15 repeats, probably means the device combiner uses one nibble of hex to specify the repeat duration.

I need more repeats, 56 repeats which is like holding the menu button for 5 seconds.

Is this something that really needs to be automated? I can't imagine something that you use regularly needing 56 repeats.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 2:31 pm

Well, it would have been great to have one button to do it all because the remote is used by many technicians. I wanted to keep it simple to access the service menu of all our different devices. It's not a big deal, at this point, it is more a challenge for me to get it done.

I will also have more devices that require the key to be held for a couple of seconds.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 5:59 pm

Depending on what type of signal it is, perhaps 4 keys with the 15 repeats might do it

Understanding what signals look like is an important part of jp1ing

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 7:26 pm

Depending on what type of signal it is, perhaps 4 keys with the 15 repeats might do it

I have tried it in a macro but it makes the menu disappears and the whole sequence to make the service menu appears is wasted.

Understanding what signals look like is an important part of jp1ing

I have the irwidget, so I can look at the signal but I'm still unsure how to make it repeat that long.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 6:50 pm

When you look at the signal through the widget you can see the pause between key presses in the macro. There is a macrospeed adjustment in the extender. Perhaps adjusting that might fool the device into thinking those full frame repeats are all one signal.