[zfmax]

Anyone know where I can find one?


With only 2 serial ports, and a serial port controlled UPS, I had to ditch the IRMAN to use the MyHD remote.


Of course, the more fundamental question is: can the MyHD IR receiver be used by both the MyRC and Girder software at the same time, without causing a problem?

 

[zfmax]

anyone?

 

[bporch]

bump!

 

[Mark J. Foster]

Hi, zfmax!


The MyHD receiver appears to be fully compatible with IRMAN - it works fine with Girder. The problem is that the current MyHD software talks directly to the receiver. However, if you run Girder first, Girder will take over the serial port, and MyHD won't see it. The problem is that MyHD doesn't currently offer keyboard shortcuts for most of its features. Once this is added to the MyHD code, it will be possible to use Girder to talk to the MyHD receiver, and we'll be able to create a Girder configuration file that duplicates the functionality of the existing MyHD IR code. Then life will be good!


Cheers!

MarkF

 

[hindif]

Quote:

The MyHD receiver appears to be fully compatible with IRMAN

I'm not sure what this means. Does the MyHD receiver and Girder combo recognize IR codes from other remote controls as well?

 

[zfmax]

Hmm, I couldn't get Girder to work with the MyHD IR receiver at all, even selecting the IRMan plug-in. It just gave an error message. Com port selection was correct. I tried several times, including times when the MyRC application wasn't running.


I need Girder for ATI MMC and simple mouse movement/clicking kind of stuff. I don't need it for the MyHD application at all ... since MyHD came with an IR remote, I just taught it's codes to my learning remote. So the fact that MyHD has no hotkeys isn't really a concern to me.


Anyway, I got Girder working again by buying a USB to Serial port converter cable off E-bay for $15. I stuck my IRMan on that, configured it as Com3, Girder sees it and it works great.

 

[jkaiser]

I don't think it is the MyHD application that cares about the serial port. It is the MyRC application that does. I wonder if some windows message sniffer could "discover" the messages that MyRC is passing MyHD (if that is what is going on).

 

[cntr_ice_junkie]

Just wondering if anyone had figured out anything else on this thread? I'm starting to look at remote soluitions after finally getting everything else working. I already have the MyHD IR receiver so if it can handle the input to girder without messing up the MyHD functionalty I'd be halfway there. Just missing the remote I guess....


Anyone figure out anything further?

 

[cntr_ice_junkie]

Not sure if I was so terribly behind that no one wanted to respond or no one was interested but in case anyone else is, I have the MyHD receiver working fine with the MyHD app and there are keyboard shortcuts that work fine with Girder. The one thing that worries me and I have yet to try is now I run the Girder app instead of the MyIRC one in the systray and I have a feeling that this app is the one responsible for kicking off timed recordings, I'll have to find a way around this.

 

[clayfree]

I am very interested in your results. I have just built my first HTPC and I am now working out software and related bugs.


I have yet to hook it up to my FP before I can even think about remotes.


I too have the MyHD card and wondered if I could get away without ordering the IRMan. I also have a LiteOn wireless Airboard so I don't know how that will complicate matters.


Please keep us posted.


Thanks, Clay

 

[cntr_ice_junkie]

clayfree,


Welcome to the forum and congrats on the HTPC, I hope your early days were better than mine, I fried one CPU and had misc motherboard problems that were very frustrating. I am still working kinks out and tweaking stuff but the "to do" list is getting much smaller.


However, last night I finally threw my pile of 6 or 7 remotes into a drawer as the MyHD IR receiver in combo with a Sony universal remote I bought works like a champ. I use it in combination with Girder and ZoomPlayer, MyHD and Winamp. The newest version of Girder has a IR plugin that comes with it so you need to install no software, just close the MyIRC app in the systray that used to take control of the COM port for the IR receiver. As I mentioned I'm not sure what effect closing that app will have on scheduled recordings for MyHD but since that's currently having problems in 1.55 there isn't a way to completely test. There is a learning curve to Girder but once you get the swing of it it's very powerful. I found some girder files here on the forum for MyHD and ZP that were very good starting points.


Let me know if you have any specific problems or questions and I can try to help out.

 

[JasonX]

cntr_ice_junkie, could you maybe post a tutorial or point to some links on how to do what you've done?


Specifically, I have a MyHD and an Airboard and would like to be able to continue using the Airboard while programming my universal remote with the MyHD codes (as well as other functions for my HTPC.) I'd like to be able to control MyHD (of course), WinDVD (and/or other software players, I haven't auditioned a lot of them yet), Windows Media Player as well as anything else that I find useful.


I guess my main specific question is about the Airboard/MyHD combination. Can I ditch the Airboard IR receiver and just use it with Girder and the MyHD receiver? Is it possible to program Girder for all the keyboard/pointing device/button functions of the Airboard?


Thanks,

Jason

 

[clayfree]

cntr_ice_junkie


Yes, my early efforts have gone smoothly. And here is the scary part, for the past 15 years I have used only Macs, I finally got tired of waiting and realized that I would have to get a PC. So in the past 3 weeks I have built my first PC and used windows for the first time(talk about being lost) but I am definitely hooked. I keep a running list of bugs, issues and things I simply don't know what they are talking about. When I saw my first HD playing back from a recorded file it was all worth it.


Being a newbie at both I just recreated what others have already done. I owe many, many thanks to Riverside and especially Xcel.


Anyway, back to the subject at hand, I would love to see a tutorial also. I will face the same issue as JasonX.


BTW what Sony remote did you use. Girder looks really good but I think you're so right about the learning curve. After just looking at the screen shots I knew I would be spending a lot of time with it someday in the near future.


I will have many more questions soon.


Clay

 

[cntr_ice_junkie]

Alright guys, I really can't advise about being able to ditch one IR receiver and use only one, I don't have an airboard. I have a Logitech RF keyboard/mouse combo. So I have that USB receiver and then I have the MyHD IR receiver hooked up to the COM port. Why do you two want to get down to one receiver so badly out of curosity?


I would imagine this is possible, I just can't say definetively. I don't know about a tutorial, not sure I have that much time and pretty much everything has been discussed in the forums before. I think your best bet is to download girder and start playing with it.


Here is a link to a thread that will give you a girder file for MyHD.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=149259


The only thing left for you to do is make sure girder can receive IR signals from the remote and then you just need teach girder the IR codes you want to associate with the event. Here is a good thread where people are working through learning girder and is what I used as a little crutch:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...threadid=89462


Hopefully you should be able to search and maybe find a girder file for the airboard, haven't been down that road. Honest, an hour or two with Girder and you'll be a on your way.


clayfree -- you asked about the remote I used, it's a Sony Universal Remote - RM-AV3000. It's okay, there are a lot more resources available for the pronto's and they are definetly more customizable. Not sure the other differences, haven't really seen on in full action. But this remote does everything I need it to, I'm happy. And it was free since I have a Sony credit card.


I'll help out if you guys have any specific questions, but really a tutorial won't help that much, tinkering will There is some girder tutorials at the girder website that will help as well.

 

[clayfree]

cntr_ice_junkie


Thanks for all the good info. Yes I would like to get down to just one IR receiver, maybe it's just some perverse minimalist thing. Actually my HTPC will be in a closed cabinet and I use an IR repeater so I would like to be able to feed the entire HTPC with one emmiter.


Yes, I would like to get a pronto in the future but I still keep dumping money into the HTPC at the moment.


Anyway thanks for the helpful info. When I get further along I'm sure I will have some more questions.


Thanks again,

Clay

 

[JasonX]

The Airboard eats up a serial port and a the PS2 keyboard port. One of the reasons I don't want the Airboard receiver+MyHD receiver is that I will be running a VFD on a serial port once my Dign case shows up. So, unless I want to add another serial port, I think I'll be all out. I might have to add one even with 2 devices, I forget if I have one port or two on the board.


Anybody know of a good (or just cheap) USB to Serial Port adapter (so I could use serial devices on the USB port of my HTPC)?


Just a quick thought on the recording issue and not having MyIRC open: Can Windows Task Scheduler pass commands to Girder? If so, couldn't you use that for recording, since you'd have all the MyHD commands in Girder already?

 

[DCypher]

I had my Airboard running on the serial port until I plugged in a cheapo USB mouse. Now my airboard works great plugged into the PS/2 keyboard & mouse ports (AND keep the USB mouse plugged in). That free'd up one serial port.


Also, check again about the DIGN VFD display, I believe it runs off the parallel port, not serial.


Jeff

 

[JasonX]

You're right about the Dign VFD. I guess I only have one serial port (I haven't looked at it for a while.)


So, you're using your Airboard just as a keyboard and not using the pointing device on it? Or did you get some kind of serial to PS/2 adapter?

 

[DCypher]

My airboard came with a serial to ps2 adapter for the pointer, problem was, it didn't work when plugged into the ps2 mouse port! It worked fine when plugged into the serial port, but it was buggy (the buttons would get reversed frequently). The solution was to hook up a USB mouse AND the airboards pointer at the same time (airboard plugged into PS2 port). For whatever reason, that makes the pointer on the airboard work! I just leave the USB mouse hanging off the back of the computer, out of sight. (I paid $1.50 for the mouse at newegg, figured that was a cheap enough solution to the problem).


Jeff

 

[JasonX]

Weird. I don't know if I got that adapter. I'll have to play around with Girder some, see if I can get the Airboard to run through the MyHD IR receiver, etc. I also have another MB on the way with two serial ports, so maybe that will go into HTPC duty. I'll post if I find out anything tinkering.


Thanks,

Jason