Most intuitive device macro setup?

[todd_i]

I set up a JP1 remote for my parents, which controls all of their equipment from a single remote. This includes macros for system Power ON/OFF, and Macros to change all inputs for DVD/Tivo/Audio/etc.

The remote I'm using is the URC-6131 DVR Remote, and I set the macros to be triggered by the set / shift key. So, set + DVD sets the Stereo and TV to DVD inputs and puts the remote in DVD mode.


My Mom picked it up pretty quickly, but my Dad never got the hang of it. And, when other family members and grandkids stop by, nobody "gets" it.


Any other suggestions for how to set up macros, so that they are more obvious? Back when I originally set it up, I didn't see any other way that the remote supported.

Are these possible?
- Double Click device button for Macro.
- Hold Down device button for 1sec to trigger Macro.


Would these be more confusing?
- Don't use 'set' button, just assign Macro to device button. People hardly ever use the device button when not wanting that mode.


Any other methods that have worked well for others?

[gfb107]

I think the most intuitive is to put the macros directly on the device buttons.

In order to do that with the URC-6131, you'll need to install the extender.

[Capn Trips]

I have used the device buttons for this "forever". I usually set up LKPs on them. You would likely have to use the extender to do this.

I have a short press (basically a "tap") of each device button switch the remote into that device mode (sends no signals of any sort).

A long press (>.5 sec.) sends a macro that (1) sends Discrete ON signals to every component required, (2) selects the correct inputs on the TV, AMP, and Switcher, and (3) sets the remote to operate the selected component (with Vol buttons on the Amp, PIP buttons on the TV, and all other buttons on the active device).

Power is similarly set up with an LKP.

Short tap of Power is the "naked" Power toggle function for the active device.

Long press of Power shuts down everything with discrete OFF signals.

WAF (and KAF) has been pretty high, except when my ToadTog devices get out of synch, then everybody freaks out, but that is thankfully rare.

[Evan_s]

Hold button down might be possible. If there is an extender for that remote you can definitely do it. Usually called LKP or long key press. Might be able to get it by it's self as an upgrade with out an extender but not sure about that and it probably depends on the remote.

Don't know about double click.

If you have all the actions needed setup for each device, IE VPT setup correctly, any other key's like zoom mode for the tv etc then I can easily see a normal press running your macro that sets and switches everything and a alternate press, shift press or LKP, being the just switch to controlling this device option being the most intuitive way to set things up.

[bobshults2]

I set mine up so a regular short key press of a device button initiates a macro to power on devices, select inputs, and leave remote in proper mode for the particular device. This is simple for wife and others. I then use a SET + device key if necessary to switch the remote to control a device without sending the macro. Convenient when I need to control a device without changing power/input/etc settings. No family member or guest needs to even know about SET button or long versus short presses. I, of course, use an extender to do this.

[vickyg2003]

I vote for the LKP on the device buttons for device setup. I recently did that to my remotes and my family all picked it up immediately.

Also another thing that really helps my guest users, is I did keymoves for the SAT/on off button that turns off the TV and leaves the set top box on all the time. That really helped.

[todd_i]

Thanks for all the responses. There are some really good ideas there.

I need to do some testing and see what's possible with and without extenders. I've not used extenders in the past, so that will be a new effort.

[unclemiltie]

I've opted for the very simple solution of putting the macros directly on the device keys and using the (shift)set-device for the individual control.

That way, when someone walks into the room and says "how do I play a DVD" the answer is "press the DVD button.

I also use the 6131 with the extender and it works very well. (my house is not taking the switch to 9960 all that well and continues to like the 6131)

I konw that lots of people here don't like the solution of having the short/single press of the device buttons having the macros but I've found that the wife and kids understand this much more.

(and yes, ToadTog will be your biggest issues as they don't quite get it that the remote is keeping track of the on/off state of the components and how to re-sync)

[todd_i]

Well, my first test was less than stellar. I tried assigning the macros directly to the device and power keys, and none of them work. Apparently with the standard firmware the remote does not allow that (as others mentioned here.. but I tried it to make sure).

I guess I'll have to figure out how to setup an extender..

[todd_i]

I installed the extender, and it appears to be working.. It just takes a while to get used to the device selection (O_PVR, T_TV, etc.)


But, for mapping the Power key, I'm missing a logical leap..

Assigning macro to Power seems like a global operation (no matter what device mode the remote is in, the macro runs when I hit Power). But, then each device has its own power IR signal. So, when I assign a Power macro, how do I tell it to send the device's power command? If I use "Power" in the macro, it appears to call the power macro again.. creating an infinite loop.

I searched the forum, but didn't find an answer to this, although I would guess it's a common problem.

[vickyg2003]

I'm not quite sure what you are doing with a macro on the power key, but have you looked at Device Specific Macros (DSM)? These and LKP s can really make things intuitive.

[Capn Trips]

What do you want "Power" to do?

If you want it to control a particular device's "Power" signal, then assign no macro.

If you want it to turn off EVERYTHING, then create a macro on "Power" than sends discrete "OFF" signals to everything.

If you want it to do BOTH, then you need to decide how you want to do it.

Short vs. Long keypress, Single vs. Double Keypress, Perhaps a Device Specific Macro to turn off ONLY the active device plus a few others (say the TV and Receiver).

Tell us what you want "Power" to do, and we can provide you some hints.

[todd_i]

Thanks for the responses. I'm trying to re-assign macros for complete system power to the Power button (i.e. turn on/off the TV, DVD Player, and Stereo with one keypress).

I found info on how to do it in the extender's README

Cloaking with Shift:
--------------------

If you want to define a macro for a key (such as Power) but also use that
key as defined by the setup code (probably in that macro) the trick is to
use the shifted version of the key. For this to work, you must not define
a KeyMove for the shifted key (in the current device index) nor define a
macro for it. Then put shift-Power inside the Power macro. When the
extender fails to find a KeyMove or macro for shift-Power, it looks in the
setup code for a definition of Power and finds the one that you couldn't
access directly because the macro is in the way.

So, I think I can solve the Power-macro issue. Now, I have to go back to the device macros.. I thought they were working, but the macros are not sending the right commands. Apparently they got screwed up in upgrading my config to the extender..

[unclemiltie]

The 6131 is an odd beast when it comes to extenders. One of the reasons is that the advance code format (keymoves, macros, etc) is different between the unextended and extended remote. (this is in the readme)

The reason is that the extenders implemented the old format and the people at UEI decided to change it, so the extender writer got to make the decision of if they should rewrite the code and do the new format or leave it the same and do the old format. Whoever wrote the 6131 extender chose to use the old format.

What does this mean to you? Any advance codes (keymoves or macros) that were in the remote before aren't compatible with the remote once it's extended. You'll have to re-do them all. (unfortunately)


AS for power, you already discovered the solution to stop the "infinite loop" on power. The extenders allow you to "shift cloak" a key and re-use it in a macro and keymove by not defining something on the shifted version of the key and then using the shifted version in your macros and keymoves. This is quite convenient for precisely what you are trying to do. So your power macro should have

x_dev,Shift-power,X-Dev,Shift-power,X-Dev, Shift-power, etc

to turn off all of the things in your configuration (X-dev is X_TV, X_CBL, etc)


-bill

[todd_i]

Thanks for all the info!

After some testing this weekend, I managed to get the remote working well with the extender.

I assigned macros to the device keys, so changing system modes no longer requires the shift key..

I also assigned a macro with power toggles to the Power button, and that works well. I left my discrete On / Off macros assigned to Shift + Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down, in case there is a problem with the toggled power. But, it seems like that won't be needed.

The only potential confusion I see is in resetting the remote and starting the extender. But, I guess there is no way around that.