I've just moved from a Dell Vista Media Center to a HP Win 7 Media Center PC. In doing so, the HP box doesn't seem to recognize when commands are sent from the Pronto. The HP PC is an e9280t with an IR target on the front. I'm wondering if the Pronto sends commands at the wong rate? I have an IR emitter connected to a port on the RFX 9600 which has not changed. In the Dell setup, I had an external USB IR Recieiver.

Any suggestions on what to try next? Both TV cards are Hauppauge.

Hi
In windows 7 there are several kinds of IR commands you have to change to MCE IR...(in default it is other kind)

Where does the change need to be made? Strange thing is that using my old USB IR receiver with the emitter from the RFX on it works, but moving the emitter to the IR receiver built into my HP PC doesn't.

I don't think that is strange at all. My understanding has always been that built-in IR receivers often use a different type of IR (IRDA?) than normal IR.

So does anyone know if the HP Media Center remote uses something other than normal IR? Obviously it works fine with the built in IR target in the PC. Alternatively the PC has a 3.5mm IR input on the back, but I haven't tried directly connecting it to the RFX yet.

Could it be that the MCE is expecting IR codes with toggle bits? Search the NG forum for 'MCE debounce' as there was once a registry setting that controlled this. You may need to turn this setting off to reliably work with Pronto.

Maybe, but then it feels like with the USB-based IR target that's hooked up and working on the same PC, I'd have a problem. I'll take a look for the toggle codes and try, but not sure that'll do it.

Worth a shot.

Lets put this to bed. The MCE uses Philips protocol RC6A (It might be RC5 but I am pretty sure it is RC6A). In that protocol each keypress causes the Device portion of the code to toggle between 3972 and 3844. If you subtract those two values you will see that they differ by 128. This is a single bit in binary notation. So in effect the Device code is always 3844 and there is a single bit that changes state (toggles) each time a key is pressed. This is used to "Debounce" the keys. Most learning remotes won't handle (learn) RC6A because of the toggle bit, but Philips remotes will (should) properly learn RC6A (embarassing if they don't).

Microsoft in their usual manner recognized the problem and put in a simple solution then did their best not to let anyone know about it. Do a google or Yahoo search for MCE Registry Hack and I am sure you will find what needs to be done.

Since I am in a (rare these days) good mood I pulled this off the web and edited it:

If your controller (remote) does not support toggle codes, use the Windows Registry to disable the de-bounce logic.

The registry key is LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\HidIR\Remotes\745a17a0-74d3-11d0-b6fe-00a0c90f57da.

The value of the key item is either "EnableDebounce"=dword:00000001 to enable the debounce logic, that is, require the codes to toggle - or -

"EnableDebounce"=dword:00000000 to turn off the debounce logic so that the codes are not required to toggle.

Remember doing something wrong in the registry can really screw up windows, so be careful. I did check and in Win 7 this key is there and set to enable debounce.

Want an easier way? Autonomic Home has written a script that will change the registry code for you. Visit [Link: autonomichome.com] . Two-thirds down the page you'll find a file that contains two registry scripts. One will turn off the debounce function, and another will turn it back on.

Download the .zip file, extract the two scripts, and double click the appropriate script for the desired effect.

Thanks for the info Barry. I'll give it a try. I should have mentioned I have a TSU 9600 connected to a RFX 9600.

Soon i'm going to connect pronto TSU9600 with projectors,ip cameras and so on using the IR method. I'm newbie to IR technologies, i've read Barry posts(which were very usefull ang good) and documentations about philips RC5 protocol, but haven't realised the full structure of this technology and devices communications using IR(IRDA?), what books or sources can you suggest for better understanding?

Read my origonal paper on IR if you haven't already. It is in the files section. Be aware that RC5 as a code used by others (other manufacturers) is in the minority. NEC IR protocol is one of the most common, and Sony naturally uses Sony protocol.

The key thing IMHO is to spend a few bucks (under $100) and get a Xantech amplified connecting block (791-44), a Xantech Power Supply (781-xxxx regulated 12 volts at 500 ma), an IR receiver that you can place somewhere and at least one emitter that emits visible light to use as a test tool. The advantage of the Xantech system is that it is 100% reliable and can drive IR signals over hundreds of feet of cat 5 wire and then at the end of each pair drive multiple emitters. I normally wire multiple emitters in series, but others do it in parallel.