Windows Media Center Edition remote control

[bercy46]

Hi,

I'm not sure I understand what I can really do with JP1, and if it can solve my problem.

I'm building a Windows Media Center Edition audio/video distribution system for my home.

The Media Center PC will be located in my basement, next to my projector and screen.

[For those of you who don't know what Media Center is, it's a central access point for all your audio/video/photo/TV content. Basically, you store all your content on the PC's hard disk, connect your cable or satellite box to it via a TV-tuner card, and you can then choose what content you want to see from the Media Center application that's displayed on your TV screen]

Now, the Microsoft remote control that comes with MCE is great, except I don't think that it can learn other remotes' functions. Therefore, if I have for example remote-controllable light dimmers, I'd still need to use the dimmer's remote to dim the lights.

So, I'm thinking of buying a universal remote, and make it learn all of the MCE's remote functions, as well as the dimmer's, and probably also my home theater receiver's.

But what if I don't actually have the MCE remote ? Is this where JP1 comes in ?

In other words, is there a file somewhere on the net that contains all of the "specs" for the MCE remote, and is JP1 the way to actually "send" this information into my universal remote (through some software package on a PC) ?

If so, where can I find the MCE's codes/specs file ?

Thanks so much.

[gfb107]

There's a device upgrade file here: Upgrade for the Windows MCE

[johnsfine]

1) You probably shouldn't use learning to program a universal remote to operate the MCE. There is something called a "toggle bit" in the MCE signals that prevent any command from being used twice in a row when it was programmed by learning. There is a registry setting on the PC to gid rid of that feature. But it is better to use JP1 to make your universal remote send the signals correctly.

2) There are already upgrade files posted for the MCE, including duplicating all the signals from the MCE remotes of whoever posted those files. Probably your MCE remote is the same, so you could install one of those upgrades by JP1 without any extra research.

3) The MCE has a file on the PC side in which you can define extra actions to be performed in response to extra commands that a JP1 remote can be programmed to send (beyond those the original remote had). I found those descriptions very confusing (since I've never used an MCE). If you understand what to do on the PC side, the JP1 side of adding extra commands is trivial.

4) With a OneForAll remote without JP1, you could learn MCE commands from the MCE remote and you could disable the toggle bit checking in the registry so those learned commands could work twice in a row. But the OneForAll remotes have limited learning memory, so you'd probably run out of total learning capacity (for all devices) before learning all the MCE signals (and have nothing for any other device). Programmed as a JP1 upgrade, the MCE uses a different section of the remote's memory, so it doesn't use up any learning capacity, and it's compact enough that you'd still have enough upgrade capacity left for a reasonable mix of other devices.

5) In the unlikely chance that your MCE remote has functions missing from the remotes of those who posted upgrades AND you can't figure out how to read the PC file that tells which IR command goes with which function, you could use the learning ability of the JP1 remote (if you got a learning model) to record the signal from the MCE remote, then use JP1 to decode it and add it to the upgrade (so it would work when used twice in a row).

[Mark Pierson]

There is a Windows Media Center upgrade file available, so you should be able to use that with a JP1 remote.

[jon_armstrong]

It's not clear from your description is whether you are building your own computer using an OEM version of MCE 2005, or buying one already assembled.

The point being, that you will need an IR receiver that your PC (and the OS) recognizes. The pre-assembled MediaCenter PC's that I have seen come with an IR receiver and a remote, too.

[bercy46]

I'm building one myself, and so I'd buy the IR receiver separately. I know it comes in a bundle with the Microsoft remote, but maybe I can buy the IR receiver alone ?

[Steveo369]

I haven't seen the receiver available seperately online. At this time, you're probably better off purchasing the full-blown Microsoft remote and verifying that everything you want to accomplish on that computer is do-able with the original remote. Then use JP1 to program a universal remote with the MCE upgrade and test it/modify it to do what you want...

Otherwise you'll not know if the issue is with the programmed remote or not. You need a baseline to check first.

You can find the remote + receiver online for approximately $40 shipped.

To directly answer your question. Yes, there is an MCE code, and yes, there's a good chance it will work. See comments above.

I'm doing the same thing, and actually have had good luck with my Dell Media center remote (not quite the same as the windows media center remote) but it doesn't control 100% of the functions it needs to due to Dell's limitations. I've already ordered a new Microsoft Windows MCE remote to try, but will most likely just verify that it works and then program my 8811 with the appropriate codes.

If you do find the receiver online for significantly cheaper than $40, please let me know. I did some light searching and price comparison looking for it, as that was pretty much all I needed. Also, I don't think just 'any' IR receiver will work with WinXPMCE properly. You might get something like a USB UIRT to work with Girder and emulate functions or keyboard commands. Ultimately, this might even be more powerful than the dumbed down winMCE remote, but will almost certainly require more setup time and work to get going.

[Zyll]

3) The MCE has a file on the PC side in which you can define extra actions to be performed in response to extra commands that a JP1 remote can be programmed to send (beyond those the original remote had). I found those descriptions very confusing (since I've never used an MCE). If you understand what to do on the PC side, the JP1 side of adding extra commands is trivial.

johnesfine, you noted that there was a way to specify "extra actions" but I haven't been able to track this down on either the MS development site or the community forums (AVS, xpMCE, Green Button). Could you please point me in the right direction to find something about this?
Thanks.....

[johnsfine]

I hope someone else can answer that. I forget which threads I saw that in, and didn't understand it too well even when I saw it.

[The Robman]

For an example of a post where someone found additional functions that are not on the original remote read this, and from later on in the same thread this post tells you how you can turn off the toggle bit on your PC itself.

I can't think of any good search engine words to try and find a post that details the other item that John mentioned.

[Zyll]

Rob and John, thanks for looking. I'm fine with the remote side - the upgrade file / toggle protocol seem to work without a problem and so I can set it all up. The idea of being able to (simply) add new shortcut mappings on the PC side is interesting and could be very helpful - if I find the configuration data I'll post a link. I've done some poking around in the registry and mce files to see if I can find it - knowing that it exists is more than half the battle!

Thanks to you both for all of your work on JP1 - I'm not sure that my system could be operated by the rest of my family without it

Marshal

[juluri]

There is a Windows Media Center upgrade file available, so you should be able to use that with a JP1 remote.

THis upgrade is to be read in KM or IR?

[Capn Trips]

There is a Windows Media Center upgrade file available, so you should be able to use that with a JP1 remote.

THis upgrade is to be read in KM or IR?

It costs you nothing to try either, but in this case, you can pretty much tell by inspection of the file that it's a KM file, so
(1) if you try to open it in IR, you will just get an error that does no damage, so you exit and try KM,
(2) if you try to open it in KM, ti will open fine;
(3) if you try to open it with RM, it should ALSO open fine.

[juluri]

There is a Windows Media Center upgrade file available, so you should be able to use that with a JP1 remote.

THis upgrade is to be read in KM or IR?

It costs you nothing to try either, but in this case, you can pretty much tell by inspection of the file that it's a KM file, so
(1) if you try to open it in IR, you will just get an error that does no damage, so you exit and try KM,
(2) if you try to open it in KM, ti will open fine;
(3) if you try to open it with RM, it should ALSO open fine.

Thanx for the info. Will check it out over the weekend