I’ve got an idea for a simple software tool (spreadsheet) that I’m hoping someone has the time and knowledge to make, and who would share it with us over the Internet.

We would use this spreadsheet to store the keystrokes we use in programming each button on the real remote. When we do this, the spreadsheet would display a running total of the memory we’ve used, and have left on the remote.

Having all the keystrokes saved in the spreadsheet will also be a help to us in remembering what we’ve done and how to redo things when we’ve had to use the 998*.
I can envision us also e-mailing these spreadsheets to others for initial setup, problem solving, etc.

Additional Details/Suggestions:

It would be a spreadsheet that would have 7 columns, one for each device on the remote, and labeled rows, one for each programmable button on the remote.

The entering of the keystrokes in the spreadsheet will have to be standardized, that is we’d have to use a common syntax (ie. we couldn’t use both ‘magic’ and ‘setup’).

I realize we wouldn’t know exactly how much memory all possibilities codes will use, but Dave’s 128 unit rule should get it pretty close.


Well, what do you think ?? Is there someone out there that can do this?

Ron Rock
Cinema 7 owner

Yes, it should be relatively easy to do conceptually.

The following is based on info from David B. and is in my FAQ:

There are 180 memory “units” to start. Each key press you put in a macro takes one unit. Each key move or advanced code you use takes 4 units. You can have up to 45 advanced codes programmed, or 45 key moves, a mix of advanced and moved keys totaling 45, 12 macros of 15 steps each, or any mix of macros and advanced/moves that total 180 “units” used.

Just make one column for all key moves, one for advanced codes, and one for macros (each cell containing the number of keys stored in that macro). Sum the first two columns and multiply by 4, then add the third column. Subtract that total from 180 and that's how many units you have left.

Learned codes are completely separate, don't bother including those in your calculation. Although One For All claims room for up to 28 learned keys, IR code lengths vary so you may get more or less codes learned. This memory area is unaffected by how many macros/moves/advanced you have.

Thanks for you response Gerard.

If I’m understanding what you’re suggesting, this ‘spreadsheet’ would only have 4 columns, and would only contain the numeric sums of the keystrokes.
This would be fine for determining the ‘running’ count of memory used, but I think the spreadsheet should also have a place for descriptions of the keystrokes entered
(ie. Setup,975,TV,ON). You could then use a copy of the spreadsheet as a quick reference of what was programmed.

Ron

Might I suggest that, instead of
storing which keys were pressed,
you store exactly what is on
what button, and then have a
subprogram that converts the
entire spreadsheet into a set of
programming instructions,
starting with the master reset
code. For instance, it would
store only 8 bits to represent
an advanced function, because
only the lower 8 bits are
relevant.

Just a suggestion.

-=Ingenious=-