Emprex 3009URF MCE RC - Green button?
#1
Is there any way to get the green button on this remote to open XBMC rather than Windows Media Center?

...It is a certified MCE remote.

Thanks.
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#2
Yes, there are several ways. I haven't used an Emprex 3009URF, but if it's a full MS compatible (see http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Usi..._with_XBMC for the differenvce between a full compatible and an MCE clone) then you can reconfigure the green button to send a keystroke of your choice, e.g. ctrl-shift-X, and assign that as a hotkey for the XBMC shortcut.

If it's an MCE clone that sends MCE keystrokes then you need to replace the executable file that launches MCE with one that launches XBMC. See for example http://inchoatethoughts.com/launching-xb...ter-remote.

JR
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#3
jhsrennie Wrote:Yes, there are several ways. I haven't used an Emprex 3009URF, but if it's a full MS compatible (see http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Usi..._with_XBMC for the differenvce between a full compatible and an MCE clone) then you can reconfigure the green button to send a keystroke of your choice, e.g. ctrl-shift-X, and assign that as a hotkey for the XBMC shortcut.

How do I reconfigure the green button to send another keystroke?
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#4
Try this method if JR's don't work for you http://inchoatethoughts.com/launching-xb...ter-remote
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#5
Woh, thank you guys so much, i can't believe the ehshell.exe replacement has been available for so long... Confused

As i'm using xbmc on 2nd screen, i still had to go back to the PC and launch xbmc like any other program, now i just followed the tutorial and after a reboot it works!! Cool

The emprex 3009URF is a nice remote but it acts as a keyboard so any attempt i ever made with stuff like eventghost never worked... (also when pressing some buttons like the green one or the "i" info, EG didn't log anything)
Dual screen setup - HDMI/TV (sound on Digital Audio toslink) - DVI/PC Monitor
AMD PII 955 (3.2GHz) - 4GB DDR3 - Geforce GT 240 - Win7 x64
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#6
Yes it is possible without any special treatment. I am using this Emprex remote on win7 with eventghost. The trick is that the remote registers as 3 individual HID device each representing a group of buttons on the remote.

In my setup I started eventghost and removed everything pre-configured. I added the remote 3 times as "Generic HID", on the device list there are 3 of the following

USB MCE Cordless Remote Controller (manufacturer: BTC)

enter something in the "Event Prefix (optional)" field so you'll see in the log which button belongs to which virtual device out of the three (I used r1, r2 and r3). (The big green button is on the 3rd one.)

So in the autostart now you have "Plugin: XBMC" and 3 times "Plugin: HID: BTC USB MCE Cordless Remote Controller". Now if you press the green button it will show up on the left side in the log as "r3.Button.13" (the prefix r3 is the one you used during the HID setup).

In the XBMC plugin there is no macro for the start XBMC so
- add a new Macro,
- select "System > Start Application" from the left side list,
- point it to the XBMC.exe,
- name it something like "Start XBMC",
- drag the "r3.Button.13" with the flash icon from the log into the macro and
- save.

The green button will start XBMC from now on.
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#7
cheetah05 Wrote:How do I reconfigure the green button to send another keystroke?

http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Usi...in_Windows

But note this only works if the Emprex is fully MS compatible, and gaborm's comment suggests that it is not.

JR
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#8
Donno about the MS compatible part or how the EventGhost XBMC plugin interprets the events. In EventGhost you have a list of events which can occure when you press a button plus you can add more (like the 'start xbmc'). You can assign any working button to any events.

There is one more thing I can remember. The directional buttons (up, down, left, right) are working by default when navigating in the menu. But when you have to use the remote to enter a text using the virtual keyboard screen it is not working unless you check the "Remote control sends keyboard presses" on in the settings (System/System/Input Devices).
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#9
Well the remote is "Certified by Microsoft" so I assume that means is compatible. I'm still waiting for it to be delivered so i'll let you know when it is.
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#10
cheetah05 Wrote:Well the remote is "Certified by Microsoft" so I assume that means is compatible.

Well, sort of. See http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Usi..._with_XBMC. There are four different types of "Certified by Microsoft" remotes, which is why it's such a bugger getting XBMC to work with them. The only really safe option is to buy a Microsoft remote (from eBay as MS no longer make them) or one of the known full compatibles like the HP. http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Rem...ol_Reviews includes several remotes known to be fully MS compatible.

JR
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#11
gaborm Wrote:Yes it is possible without any special treatment. I am using this Emprex remote on win7 with eventghost. The trick is that the remote registers as 3 individual HID device each representing a group of buttons on the remote.

In my setup I started eventghost and removed everything pre-configured. I added the remote 3 times as "Generic HID", on the device list there are 3 of the following

USB MCE Cordless Remote Controller (manufacturer: BTC)

enter something in the "Event Prefix (optional)" field so you'll see in the log which button belongs to which virtual device out of the three (I used r1, r2 and r3). (The big green button is on the 3rd one.)

So in the autostart now you have "Plugin: XBMC" and 3 times "Plugin: HID: BTC USB MCE Cordless Remote Controller". Now if you press the green button it will show up on the left side in the log as "r3.Button.13" (the prefix r3 is the one you used during the HID setup).

In the XBMC plugin there is no macro for the start XBMC so
- add a new Macro,
- select "System > Start Application" from the left side list,
- point it to the XBMC.exe,
- name it something like "Start XBMC",
- drag the "r3.Button.13" with the flash icon from the log into the macro and
- save.

The green button will start XBMC from now on.

That was quite a helpful and detailed post, thank you very much !

Now i finally got back the info button ,codec button, context button, etc. Just like on the ol' xbox Laugh

And most of all, don't need to bother with the green button hacks or keymap.xml anymore Big Grin
Dual screen setup - HDMI/TV (sound on Digital Audio toslink) - DVI/PC Monitor
AMD PII 955 (3.2GHz) - 4GB DDR3 - Geforce GT 240 - Win7 x64
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#12
gaborm Wrote:Yes it is possible without any special treatment. I am using this Emprex remote on win7 with eventghost. The trick is that the remote registers as 3 individual HID device each representing a group of buttons on the remote.

In my setup I started eventghost and removed everything pre-configured. I added the remote 3 times as "Generic HID", on the device list there are 3 of the following

USB MCE Cordless Remote Controller (manufacturer: BTC)

enter something in the "Event Prefix (optional)" field so you'll see in the log which button belongs to which virtual device out of the three (I used r1, r2 and r3). (The big green button is on the 3rd one.)

So in the autostart now you have "Plugin: XBMC" and 3 times "Plugin: HID: BTC USB MCE Cordless Remote Controller". Now if you press the green button it will show up on the left side in the log as "r3.Button.13" (the prefix r3 is the one you used during the HID setup).

In the XBMC plugin there is no macro for the start XBMC so
- add a new Macro,
- select "System > Start Application" from the left side list,
- point it to the XBMC.exe,
- name it something like "Start XBMC",
- drag the "r3.Button.13" with the flash icon from the log into the macro and
- save.

The green button will start XBMC from now on.

Thanks for this useful guide.
I've done a bit of investigation and come up with the following info regarding this remote which may be useful for others.

Using ShowKey.exe from here I was able to determine which keys on the remote simulate key presses, which keys send WM_APPCOMMAND messages, and using the above in eventghost which buttons are on which virtual device on the remote, and what commands they send.

I've put the results in a spreadsheet which you can view here.

In EventGhost I had 4 devices by manufacturer BTC, all called "BTC USB Multimedia Keyboard"
I called the rc1 to rc4
Only the first 3 gave a log message when pressing buttons on the remote, and there were many buttons that resulted in no log message (e.g. the numbers)

One problem I did have which I hope someone can help with is when using the above to remap the big green button, It launched the configured app, but also launched Windows Media Center. (I configured it to launch Notepad as I dont have XBMC on this PC where i'm investigating the remote.

Thanks for any help, and i'll update this thread if I find any more info.
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Emprex 3009URF MCE RC - Green button?0