Microsoft MCE IR Remote - As Seen on DL.TV

[jtomelevage]

Hey,

I have the same Microsoft MCE Remote control and IR receiver as shown last week on DL.TV but my Ubuntu Linux (8.04) does not seem to recognize it. When I push buttons on the remote the receiver blinks so it is getting the signal from the remote, but nothing happens in Boxee, or any other application as far as I can tell.

Has anyone else gotten this remote to work?

Thank you

[marcel]

hi jtomelevage

welcome to boxee..:)

check out some of the threads below this might put you in the right direction however you might need to do some keymap remapping .

http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=146
http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=145

[tsella]

hey there jtomelevage,
i'm assuming you have installed lirc (sudo apt-get install lirc), and it does not work.

you may have a remote that while being mce compatible, is just missing from lirc, and here is what you can do, step by step:


sudo -s (for convinience)
lsusb -v | less this lists usb devices, try to locate one that says eHome, Infrared or something else that makes sense in the context. this will have an idVendor and idProduct. write these down.
apt-get install lirc lirc-x when prompted for device type, select microsoft media center remote new (phillips)
cd /usr/src
wget http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/lirc/lirc-0.8.2.tar.bz2
tar xvjf lirc-0.8.2.tar.bz2
apt-get install linux-source-2.6.xx use your kernel version instead of xx
tar xvjf linux-source-2.6.xx.tar.bz2
ln -s /usr/src/linux-source-2.6.xx /usr/src/linux
cd lirc-0.8.2/drivers
ln -s /usr/src/linux/drivers drivers
vi lirc_mceusb2/lirc_mceusb2.c
find line with

#define VENDOR_MICROSOFT 0x045e
after it add a new line

#define VENDOR_yourvendor 0xYYYY
replace YYYY with idVendor identifier above

find line with

{ USB_DEVICE(VENDOR_MICROSOFT, 0x00a0) },
after it add a new line

{ USB_DEVICE(VENDOR_yourvendor, 0xZZZZ) },
replace ZZZZ with idProduct
cd ..
./setup.sh
select the first line to change remote device, and select USB Devices > Windows MCE (new version...)
select the line with save configuration and run configure
/etc/init.d/lirc stop
rmmod lirc_mceusb2
rmmod lirc_dev
locate lirc_mceusb2
you should find it under
/lib/modules/2.6.xxxxxx-generic/ubuntu/media/lirc/lirc_mceusb2
delete it
rm -rf /lib/modules/2.6.xxxxxxx-generic/ubuntu/media/lirc/lirc_mceusb2
locate lirc_dev
you should find it under
/lib/modules/2.6.xxxxxxxxx-generic/ubuntu/media/lirc/lirc_dev
delete it
rm -rf /lib/modules/2.6.xxxxxxxxx-generic/ubuntu/media/lirc/lirc_dev
make install
modprobe lirc_mceusb2
ls -la /dev/lirc* and you should see /dev/lirc0, meaning the new module installed correctly and located the device added
vi /etc/init.d/lirc

find $dev
should be in a block like


if [ -c $dev ]; then
DEVICE="$dev"
break
fi
done

change to read


if [ -c $dev ]; then
DEVICE="$dev"
chmod 0666 $dev
break
fi
done

vi /etc/modules

append lirc_mceusb2 to the end

/etc/init.d/lirc start
irw


phew... let me know how goes

[jtomelevage]

I believe this is the section you wanted me to locate:

"

Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0471:0815 Philips
Device Descriptor:
bLength 18
bDescriptorType 1
bcdUSB 1.10
bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level)
bDeviceSubClass 0
bDeviceProtocol 0
bMaxPacketSize0 16
idVendor 0x0471 Philips
idProduct 0x0815
bcdDevice 0.00
iManufacturer 1 Philips
iProduct 2 eHome Infrared Transceiver
iSerial 3 PH00ENoX
bNumConfigurations 1
Configuration Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 2
wTotalLength 32
bNumInterfaces 1
bConfigurationValue 1
iConfiguration 0
bmAttributes 0xa0
(Bus Powered)
Remote Wakeup
MaxPower 100mA
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 2
bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
bInterfaceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass
bInterfaceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol
iInterface 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x01 EP 1 OUT
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0010 1x 16 bytes
bInterval 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0010 1x 16 bytes
bInterval 0
Device Status: 0x0001
Self Powered

"

Is this it? and if so, is it not correct?

Thank you

[tsella]

looks like standard phillips remote, something that *should* work with lirc without any change.

i'm guessing that you were just missing lirc install?

sudo apt-get install lirc
choose windows mce new remote

after install, try running irw from command line.

[jtomelevage]

Hi tsella,

Yes, that did the trick. I am now sucessfully running the Microsoft MCE remote with Boxee.

Thank you for the great help!

[riegersn]

looks like standard phillips remote, something that *should* work with lirc without any change.

i'm guessing that you were just missing lirc install?

sudo apt-get install lirc
choose windows mce new remote

after install, try running irw from command line.

hi tsella, I have the exact same remote. when I install lirc, im not prompted to select a remote type like you said in an earlier post. also irw from command line says no such command. what am I doing wrong? its not working with boxee. lights on the receiver light flash when i press buttons and when i plug it in the pc it detects it...


Sep 10 17:44:30 mythbox kernel: [ 417.988737] usb 1-1: USB disconnect, address 3
Sep 10 17:44:32 mythbox kernel: [ 419.880406] usb 1-1: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 4
Sep 10 17:44:32 mythbox kernel: [ 420.095580] usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Sep 10 17:44:33 mythbox kernel: [ 420.260612] lirc_dev: IR Remote Control driver registered, at major 61
Sep 10 17:44:33 mythbox kernel: [ 420.266258]
Sep 10 17:44:33 mythbox kernel: [ 420.266261] lirc_mceusb2: Philips eHome USB IR Transciever and Microsoft MCE 2005 Remote Control driver for LIRC $Revision: 1.33 $
Sep 10 17:44:33 mythbox kernel: [ 420.266272] lirc_mceusb2: Daniel Melander <lirc@rajidae.se>, Martin Blatter <martin_a_blatter@yahoo.com>
Sep 10 17:44:33 mythbox kernel: [ 420.472229] usb 1-1: reset full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 4
Sep 10 17:44:33 mythbox kernel: [ 420.678278] lirc_dev: lirc_register_plugin: sample_rate: 0
Sep 10 17:44:33 mythbox kernel: [ 420.684264] lirc_mceusb2[4]: Philips eHome Infrared Transceiver on usb1:4
Sep 10 17:44:33 mythbox kernel: [ 420.684313] usbcore: registered new interface driver lirc_mceusb2

[riegersn]

scratch that. there were 2 other packages besides lirc and lirc-x that i had to uninstall. then rant sudo apt-get install lirc lirc-x again and I was able to select the mce new remote. Its WORKING!!!!

New problems.

1. The power button is nice that it shuts down boxee, but it also powers on my XBOX 360. Anyone figured out how to stop that?

2. So it shuts boxee off. What about turning it on? I wrote a script that launches when I press one of the media buttons on my keyboard. It kills boxee and restarts it. its nice for if boxee locks up or if its not running to start it with the button. Can I map specific scripts to be launched to this remote using lirc?

3. Does anyone know if its possible to power on my laptop via a usb remote? that would be great.

[tsella]

1. The power button is nice that it shuts down boxee, but it also powers on my XBOX 360. Anyone figured out how to stop that?


not really. don't use it, and if you want the functionality you can remap it to a different key in .boxee/UserData/Keymap.xml.



2. So it shuts boxee off. What about turning it on? I wrote a script that launches when I press one of the media buttons on my keyboard. It kills boxee and restarts it. its nice for if boxee locks up or if its not running to start it with the button. Can I map specific scripts to be launched to this remote using lirc?


create a file ~/.lircrc with



begin
remote = mceusb
button = Power
prog = irexec
repeat = 0
config = pkill -9 Boxee
end


this will, for example, kill boxee when clicking the power button. you can of course to map it to anything else ;)



3. Does anyone know if its possible to power on my laptop via a usb remote? that would be great.

the bios may have a setting for power-on via usb, but its usually mapped to some keyboard power button. i doubt if it will work with a usb remote dongle.

[pizo]

the bios may have a setting for power-on via usb, but its usually mapped to some keyboard power button. i doubt if it will work with a usb remote dongle.

It works, but you have to check your mobo jumpers so the usb power on is enabled