[kermyb123]

I just installed service pack 1 on my vista ultimate machine and now have a few issues... First off IR Server doesn't seem to be oppressing media center functions when I use the remove (it will load media canter over over XBMC). I'm also getting a skip issues - press to the left and i get two left presses..

Seems to be due to service pack 1 - any input?

[CrashMonkey]

I have actually stopped using the original MS remote...I am now using my MX-810 remote: http://www.universalremote.com/product_d...?model=128
I still use the MS receiver... which of course is the important part as far as XBMC goes.

Will the MS receiver work with a Harmony remote?

[CrashMonkey]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/...images_allIs this the correct MS remote?

[mrt2]

Anyone know if this would work on the logitech harmony one remote?

[Hitcher]

Anyone know if this would work on the logitech harmony one remote?

Yes it does but I switched over to using EventGhost and a USB-UIRT because it felt 'laggy'.

[mrt2]

Is it as easy as just installing and then use like the MCE receiver is or is there some setup and configuration involved?

[mrt2]

Hitcher how easy or hard was it to get it up and running with USB-UIRT and event Ghost?

[Hitcher]

Piece of cake.

Install USB-UIRT drivers
Install EventGhost - select USB-UIRT and XBMC plugins
Press a button on remote and drag it to the relevant XBMC command

[chad_]

Hey TechLife, thanks for the Info. Your remote configuration works great. I wanted a little more functionality from the Start button than just opening XBMC because of an issue I had with standby so I elaborated on your design. I figured others may want the same from their Start button so I thought I would share.

When I resume from standby on my HTPC the XBMC window resumes minimized. The first time this happened I pressed the Start button again which just opened a second instance of XBMC. My HTPC is not powerful enough to run two instances of XBMC so I decided to find a fix. I wrote a simple script that is called by Translator when the Start button is pressed instead of the xbmc executable. The script allows the Start button to have three functions within XBMC instead of just one.

Here are the three things the Start button can do now.

• Start XBMC from scratch
  
• If XBMC is running but minimized, it will activate the window
  
• If XBMC is running and maximized, the Start button will act as a "Home" button bringing the user back to the home screen
  

The script was created with AutoIt so it is very easy to modify. I compiled the script into an exe file for portability but unfortunately the script won't maximize a minimized XBMC window without first having the AutoIt script software installed. Below is the script:


If ProcessExists("xbmc.exe") Then
If WinActive("[TITLE:XBMC]") Then
Send("{HOME}")
Else
WinActivate("[TITLE:XBMC]")
EndIf
Else
ShellExecute("C:\Program Files\XBMC\XBMC.exe", "-fs -p", "C:\Program Files\XBMC", "open")
EndIf


The script first checks to see if the process xbmc.exe exists. If it does exist, it then checks to see if the XBMC titled window is active. If it is not active it will activate it. If it is active, it will send the "Home" key. If xbmc.exe is not running, the script will run it similar to how Translator runs it when you press the button. To get the home screen functionality to work, I had to edit the keymap.xml file and change the value XBMC.ActivateWindow(Home) under the keyboard heading from browser_home to home. (The button Browser_Home minimized XBMC and opened my default browser to its home page)

If you would like the same Start button functionality on your XBMC PC, follow these steps.

1. Install and compile the script to an exe file.
   
   - Install the AutoIt V3 software available from here.
   
   - Copy the script text from above into notepad and save it as startbutton.au3 or something similar.
   
   - Right click the startbutton.au3 file and select "Compile Script". After it finishes a file named startbutton.exe should appear in the same directory as the script.
   
   - Copy startbutton.exe to the C:\Program Files\XBMC directory or somewhere convenient.
   
   
   
2. Configure Translator
   
   - Open translator, select the command that was entered earlier and click "Delete".
   
   - Click "New", press the Start button on the remote, click the browse button next to the Application box, browse to the directory where the startbutton.exe file was saved and select it.
   
   - Leave the defaults and select "Set" to create the code.
   
   - Click "Ok" to close the new command dialog box and "OK" again to close Translator.
   
   
   
3. Edit the keymap.xml file
   
   - Browse to C:\Program Files\XBMC\system, right click the keymap.xml file and select "edit". Change the line under "Keyboard" from <browser_home>XBMC.ActivateWindow(Home)</browser_home> to read like this: <home>XBMC.ActivateWindow(Home)</home> and save the file.
   
   
   
4. Test the remote to see if it behaves as expected.
   
   - The Start button should now open XBMC, maximized a minimized XBMC window, and go back to the home screen.
   

Not sure if anyone cares, but this can be done natively using VBScript really easily. AutoIt is just extra overhead.

Here's the VBScript:

Code:

sProcessName = "XBMC.exe"

sComputer = "."

Set oWmi = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
   & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & sComputer & "\root\cimv2")

Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

Set colProcessList = oWmi.ExecQuery _
  ("Select * from Win32_Process Where Name = '" & sProcessName & "'")

If colProcessList.Count = 0 Then
  oShell.Run "c:\Progra~1\XBMC\XBMC.exe -fs -p", 1, False
Else
  success = oShell.appactivate("XBMC Media Center")
  if success then oShell.sendkeys "%{F4}"
End If

If you put that in a text file, and change the file extension from "txt" to "vbs", double clicking or running the file will do the same thing as the previous poster's thread. I hope someone finds this helpful, and that I haven't duplicated information that has already been posted.

~c

[Hitcher]

Not sure if anyone cares, but this can be done natively using VBScript really easily. AutoIt is just extra overhead.

Here's the VBScript:

Code:

sProcessName = "XBMC.exe"

sComputer = "."

Set oWmi = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
   & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & sComputer & "\root\cimv2")

Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

Set colProcessList = oWmi.ExecQuery _
  ("Select * from Win32_Process Where Name = '" & sProcessName & "'")

If colProcessList.Count = 0 Then
  oShell.Run "c:\Progra~1\XBMC\XBMC.exe -fs -p", 1, False
Else
  success = oShell.appactivate("XBMC Media Center")
  if success then oShell.sendkeys "%{F4}"
End If

If you put that in a text file, and change the file extension from "txt" to "vbs", double clicking or running the file will do the same thing as the previous poster's thread. I hope someone finds this helpful, and that I haven't duplicated information that has already been posted.

~c

Cool, I give it try tonight.

[xanadu1979]

Not sure if anyone cares, but this can be done natively using VBScript really easily. AutoIt is just extra overhead.

Here's the VBScript:

Code:

sProcessName = "XBMC.exe"

sComputer = "."

Set oWmi = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
   & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & sComputer & "\root\cimv2")

Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

Set colProcessList = oWmi.ExecQuery _
  ("Select * from Win32_Process Where Name = '" & sProcessName & "'")

If colProcessList.Count = 0 Then
  oShell.Run "c:\Progra~1\XBMC\XBMC.exe -fs -p", 1, False
Else
  success = oShell.appactivate("XBMC Media Center")
  if success then oShell.sendkeys "%{F4}"
End If

If you put that in a text file, and change the file extension from "txt" to "vbs", double clicking or running the file will do the same thing as the previous poster's thread. I hope someone finds this helpful, and that I haven't duplicated information that has already been posted.

~c

Thanks, the script works great.

One thing is bugging me though. Why does the script sending Alt+F4 make XBMC go back to the home screen. But if I hit Alt+F4 on my keyboard, the application closes.

[everlong]

Excellent thread!

But one thing, I got everything up working, with both Logitech Harmony 885 and MCE remote. But there is one trouble with them, when I push the buttons xbmc jumps 2 places instead of one. How can I reduce it, so it dosn't react 2 times when only pushed once.

This is the same trouble on both remotes.

[xanadu1979]

In IR Server Suite, you need to turn off something like "handle advanced buttons". Sorry I can't be more descriptive, I haven't used the software for a few months.

[everlong]

Coudn't find anything there :/

[mitul103]

Coudn't find anything there :/

In "Input Service Configuration" click configure next to the Microsoft MCE Remote entry. In the remote tab, you should see a setting for automatic buttons. Try changing it.