[drysdam]

Total XBMC n00b here, although I know Linux pretty well. I used the LifeHacker article and information here to setup my Acer and it's working great. I also got the recommended remote. That also works fine.

The problem is, I already have a universal remote I would prefer to use. The MCE remote comes with a receiver, so it seems like I should be able to pair them up. From reading the wiki, it looks like if I have the Original Button Codes that the universal is sending out (for whatever mode I've programmed it), I could set up a keymap. Laborious, but whatevs. But how do I get those codes?

Something that would be hella handy would be a util where I can just press buttons and have XBMC map them functions onscreen or something.

[jmarshall]

Why don't you just map your MCE remote to your universal and be done with it?

Most universals you just input a magic code and you have the MCE remote mapped.

[drysdam]

What "magic code" will the universal take to act like the MCE? There are 10,000 possibilities from 0000 to 9999...

[althekiller]

You're the one with the manual, look it up.

[drysdam]

However, I'm 99% sure it only has stuff like RCA, Sony and Apex in there. No "MCE".

I take it there must be some technical reason XBMC can't report what IR codes it's receiving and then let me map those to the standard functions...?

[drysdam]

I have the manual and it *definitely* doesn't have "MCE". There's a "Microsoft" under PVRs, but it doesn't work. I'll try a few others. But I still think it would be really useful to have an onscreen mapping util. If I knew more of the API I'd do it myself...

[jmarshall]

The first thing you HAVE to do is get the universal remote in the right "mode" so it sends something the MCE receiver will understand. I'm sure others have done this before with the remote you're using, so try google.

Cheers,
Jonathan

[drysdam]

I googled all over and for my remote (URC8820) all I could find was people building their own "JP1" cables to program via an Excel spreadsheet or some damn thing.

Anyway, I eventually got it via sheer permutations. For anyone else that's googling, here it is: Put the remote into CBL mode and program it as a "Microsoft" from the "Home Theater PC" group. 1272, I believe the code is.

[AssChin79]

Something that would be hella handy would be a util where I can just press buttons and have XBMC map them functions onscreen or something.

I can't speak to a universal remote but if you use the MCE remote, it works flawlessly. You just use a program called EventGhost to map all the functions to each key. Use this guide to walk you through it.

The only issue I had was that EventGhost has to be running in order for it to work so I wrote a script (LaunchMediaCenter.vbs) which I put a shortcut to into my user's Startup folder which loads EventGhost and XBMC in the correct order automatically when the machine boots.

Code:

Dim wshShell
Set wshshell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

wshShell.Run "EventGhost.lnk"
WScript.sleep 7000
wshShell.Run "XBMC.lnk"

[rupert]

Sorry you had to brute force it, the URC8820 I think is a One For All remote (possibly has a 6 prong connector in the battery compartment for reprogramming w/a cheap USB cable!).

For anyone else who may be in your situation, there's a web site for looking these codes up on the OFA remotes.

Great OFA forum:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/

OFA Remote Code Lookup Tool:
http://www.hifi-remote.com/jp1/lookup/

And might I hardily recommend the RCA RCRP05B, I picked 3 up for $12 each and they control half my house now

-Rupert