Using RM, RemoteMaster, to create a device upgrade

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Installing RemoteMaster

1. Find the remotemaster from the forums/downloads tools/main area
2. Unzip the RemoteMaster file

   

   Figure 3-16

3. Download the RM Images

   

4. Unzip the remote maps and images.
5. Download the runtime or the development tool kit from sun.com

Read the ReadMe.HTML file.
Run the setup file to set the registry settings.
You are now ready to run!.

The first time you run RemoteMaster, you will get this error message.


You will have to specify where your RDFs are.

Figure 3-17

Use the screen in Figure 3-17 to navigate to your RDF folder.

To load an existing file, select File -> Open from the menu. You can open RemoteMaster upgrades, or Keymap-Master upgrades. Keymap-Master updates have a .txt extension. RemoteMaster files have an .rmdu extension. RemoteMaster can read both types of files, but its output is limited to .rmdu files. See figure 3-18.

Figure 3-18

Whether starting an upgrade from scratch or using one of the Upgrades you found at the JP1 you must change the remote to match your remote model.

You will need to assign your upgrade a 4-digit setup code. You are absolutely free to use any setup code number that you like, in the range 0000 through 2047. If you use a number that is already defined in the remote's built in code library, you will override that number, which means you will no longer be able to use the built in code, but you won't get an error message or any other notification.

For that reason, we generally advise that you use numbers that are more obviously your own and that don't override built in numbers, such as 2000, 2001, 2002, etc - but it's your choice.

The Layout Tab

On a new upgrade, you must select a device type to determine which layout you are going to use.

If you look at the {Layout} tab you'll see a picture of your remote. The keys that are highlighted with yellow are the keys that will be available for the device upgrade without using keymoves. The highlighted keys will vary depending on the selected device type.

This TV code is going to be operating an alarm clock. You are free to use whatever type of device you want. Picking certain device types may affect your volume punch through or your transport punch through, and if you have an LCD screen on your remote it may be confusing to your users to see TV displayed for your alarm clock, but the device type does not affect the signal in any way.

You can create your own upgrade from learned signals. In this first example we are creating an upgrade to control an alarm clock.

I've learned all the signals into my remote. They all were NEC2 protocols with a Device code 186. I fill in the protocol and device numbers from my learned code on the Setup Screen and then moved on to the function screen where I set up a list of all the functions that were on my original remote.


Figure 3-22

At the bottom of the screen there are buttons that help you organize your functions. These buttons are used as follows.

New	Add a new empty function line. If no function is currently selected, the new function will be added at the bottom. If a function is selected, the new function will be inserted above the selected function. This can also be accomplished by using the context menu. Just right click where you want to add the new function, and select New.
Delete	Delete the currently selected function(s). Functions that have been assigned to buttons cannot be deleted. You can select multiple functions. This can also be accomplished using the context menu. Simply right-click on the function you want to delete and select Delete. If the function you right-clicked on is one of many selected functions, all the functions will be deleted.
Clean Up	Deletes all functions that don't have an assigned OBC/EFC/HEX .
Move up	Move the selected function one position up the list. This can also be accomplished by dragging the function number. Only one function can be moved at a time.
Move down	Move the selected function one position down the list. This can also be accomplished by dragging the function number. Only one function can be moved at a time.
Copy	Copy the contents of the selected cells to the clipboard. This can also be accomplished using the context menu, by right-clicking on a group of selected cells and selecting Copy.
Paste	Paste the contents of the clipboard into the selected cell. This can also be accomplished using the context menu, by right-clicking on the cell in which you want to pasted, and selecting Paste. This can be useful for copying columns of information from KM to RM..

After you create a list of functions you need to assign them to a button on your remote. This is accomplished on the button screen, show here or on the layout screen show above if you prefer the graphical inerface.

Figure 3-23

Button labels that appear in red have not been assigned a function. Available Functions that appear in red have not been assigned to a button. Buttons that have an asterisk (*) after the name will be assigned using keymoves, as these buttons are not part of the device type layout. Functions assigned in the shift column will be assigned a function using keymoves too. These functions can be accessed using the [Setup] key. There are a 4 ways to get the functions assigned to the button.

1. Click the [Auto assign] button to get some functions automatically assigned. The ones that get assigned automatically are the ones where you used the default function names and there's an equivalent button on your JP1 remote for that function. You are under no obligation to accept these default assignments.
2. Drag-n-drop a function onto the desired button
3. Click on a button (It will he outlined in white), then double-click the desired function.
4. Click on a button, then double-click the button and then click on the function from the functions popup.

Once you have assigned all your buttons,

1. switch over to the {Output Tab} screen.
2. Copy the device upgrade with the [Copy] button.
3. Switch over to the IR application.
4. Switch to the {Device Tab} screen in IR.
5. Press the [Add] button and paste your upgrade.
6. Press [Ctrl]+[V] to paste the upgrade into the upgrade screen.
7. Press the [OK] button.

Remote Master	IR
Figure 3-24

Sometimes things are a little more complex.

When I needed to create an upgrade for my Sony DVD recorder the learned signals revealed 3 different device sub-device combinations of the Sony20 protocol. When trying to figure out how to handle this I found that Keymap-Master's help was more helpful to me, because it grouped the help by family, instead of showing the individual codes.

With remote master I needed to know to scroll through all the Sony protocols until I came up with this Sony protocol which would allow me to combine up to 4 Sony 20 devices

Sony Combo (12/15/20):

This combo protocol allows you to combine as many Sony12 and Sony15 codes as you like with up to 4 Sony20 codes. You enter the 4 Sony20 sub-device numbers on the Setup panel.

On the Functions panel, you enter the codes for the functions in OBC format as usual. Then you select the desired protocol for the function. Next enter the desired device number. If you enter a device number greater than 31, the protocol will be changed to Sony15, as it is the only one that supports values greater than 31. For Sony12 and Sony15, the Sub-device column must have the value "none". For Sony20 functions, select the desired sub-device number.

Figure 3-25

Once you have assigned your functions to buttons,

1. switch over to the {Output Tab} screen.
2. Copy the device upgrade with the [Copy] button.
3. Switch over to the IR application.
4. Switch to the {Device Tab} screen in IR.
5. Press the [Add] button and paste your upgrade.
6. Press [Ctrl]+[V] to paste the upgrade into the upgrade screen.
7. Press the [OK] button.

Remote Master	IR
Figure 3-26

You will see that this device upgrade also requires a protocol upgrade.

1. Switch over to the {Output Tab} screen of RemoteMaster.
2. Copy the protocol upgrade with the [Copy] button located directly above the protocol box.
3. Switch over to the IR application.
4. Switch to the {Protocol Tab} screen in IR.
5. Click the [Add] button and paste your protocol upgrade.
6. Press [Ctrl]+[V] to paste the upgrade into the upgrade screen.
7. Click the [OK] button.

Remote Master	IR
Figure 3-27

Make sure to save your upgrade.

From the menu select File -> Save and provide a name to your upgrade. The file will be saved as an .rmdu file.