[WINDOWS] HOW-TO use a Logitech Harmony Remote with XBMC

[WINDOWS] HOW-TO use a Logitech Harmony Remote with XBMC - Printable Version

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+---- Thread: [WINDOWS] HOW-TO use a Logitech Harmony Remote with XBMC (/showthread.php?tid=77519)

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- alex84 - 2010-10-12

Evergreen4 Wrote:Hi all,

First of all, congrats for this specefic topic for Harmony remotes & XBMC users... very helpful.
I am currently using XBMC installed in my ASRock ION330HT HTPC under Windows 7 in combination with a Harmony 1000 remote... everything is runnig OK, but I would love to improve the funcionality of the remote by adding some "keyboard actions" to some soft buttons on the remote.
If you have a look to this, in the section "Actions" you can find many commands that does not have any assigned a key. Eg: there is an action called "AudioNextLanguage" that will "change to the next audio track in a video with multiple audio tracks" pretty useful when playing mkv videos, but given that there is no key for that action, the only way to change audios is going to the OSD Player Controls and navigate to the audio options... something a bit annoying considering that regarding the subtitles ("action" name: NextSubtitle) there is key ("L") to change them...

So the question is: is there any way to assign a key on the keyboard to the "actions" listed here

Thanks all and pls apoligize my poor English.

I did some more reading today and found out two very userful wiki's about it.
The first one is http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Modifying_keyboard.xml and second one is http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Keymap.xml

When i read about this example i think that it would be easy to apply and change to what i need, or atleast i hope hehe...

Code:
<keymap>

  <global>

    <keyboard>

      <g mod="ctrl">Info</g>

    </keyboard>

  </global>

  <FullScreenVideo>

    <keyboard>

      <g mod="ctrl">OSD</g>

    </keyboard>

  </FullScreenVideo>

</keymap>

If i understand correctly i could modify the above example to something like this

Code:
<keymap>

<keyboard>

  <FullScreenVideo>

      <F5>NextSubtitle</F5>

    </keyboard>

  </FullScreenVideo>

</keymap>

or with keynames insted from http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=List_of_XBMC_keynames

Code:
<keymap>

<keyboard>

  <FullScreenVideo>

      <F5>VK_F5</F5>

    </keyboard>

  </FullScreenVideo>

</keymap>

This should map F5 key to NextSubtitle action when the user is in FullScreenVideo
Next step would be to add something like an MCE Keyboard, or what ever works for you, to your all mighty logitech remote Rolleyes

and make a custom button send the "F5" key eighter in your activity or device.

I have note verified this but will do when i come home. I just read the wiki pages and got an big light bulb over my head Big Grin

and thought IT MUST BE LIKE THIS lol...

Please correct me if im wrong ...
Cheers

- alex84 - 2010-10-12

Well after a test of my previous post i realized that it's not that easy lol... The effect's is somehow unstable lol.... I Managed to map an key ex X to info. That worked and i could change to MCE Keybord and initiate that command. But when trying other keys ex ToggleWatched would be nice to have on key X for the mce keyboard, when klicking xbmc start toggles and go to the next movie and do the same, and down to next and do the same. Damn loop... My goal is to when i have my harmoney sett for asrock remote i would like to add an extra button on the screen, that button can be mapped to a function or something ex NextSubtitle or AudioNextLanguage.

Dont really know if im way off here.

Cheers

- alex84 - 2010-10-13

Im keep finding solutions to my own questions lol...
I found this tread http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=54466 that seems like the source for this thread or something. Here is what i learnd

This is a quote from user wurz post http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=461542&postcount=73

Quote:I set up a new device on my Logitech remote. As advised here "MCE Keybaord". Basic functionality worked straight away in xbmc, but a lot of buttons didn't work.

Here's the button mapping I used in my Logitech activity:

Channel Down PageDown
Channel Up PageUp
Prev Backspace
Up DirectionUp
Down DirectionDown
Left DirectionLeft
Right DirectionRight
OK Enter
Menu F6 (Home screen, defined in keymap.xml)
Exit S
Guide O
Info I
Stop X
Play P
Record F7 (shortcut to start xbmc)
Rewind R
Fast Forward F
Pause Space

And here is another great quote from steelman1991 http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=415737&postcount=37

Quote:Anubis - I finally managed to add an MCE Keyboard to my devices in the Harmony Software. Go to add device, then from the first drop down menu - choose Media Centre PC - Manufacturer (Microsoft) - Model (Microsoft MCE Keyboard), enter (make sure you type the model as I have it here) and the device should add.

Add the device to your preferred activity, then under 'customise buttons' (in 'activities' - not devices) you can remap the button activity to your choice - at this moment I have the 'menu button' set-up to start XBMC and the 'exit' button to back out screens etc.

Also i found info from Danielocean "Use only the F-button beginning at F7, cause F1-F6 & F11 is already occupied"

All this from reading the whoooole tread. Seems i was not so long off, just didn't do it correctly. Knowledge is power =)

- alex84 - 2010-10-14

This is my conclusion after ALOT of error searching

You will not be able to program custome buttons on the screen on your harmony one. At some point it will crash xbmc! I have open another thread about this read on here http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?p=624449#post624449

- bodhi - 2010-10-20

Guys,

Here is another device that you can use to supplement this MCE keyboard.

http://forums.logitech.com/t5/Harmony-Remotes-Programming/Expanded-control-for-Windows-Media-Center-now-available-in-our/m-p/374844#M37810

I've added another device using this, and mix the commands to the XBMC activity. It works really well with the RC6 receiver. You'll gain a whole bunch of Ctrl, Alt, and Win keys combination.

- vanOert - 2010-10-20

bodhi Wrote:Guys,

Here is another device that you can use to supplement this MCE keyboard.

http://forums.logitech.com/t5/Harmony-Remotes-Programming/Expanded-control-for-Windows-Media-Center-now-available-in-our/m-p/374844#M37810

I've added another device using this, and mix the commands to the XBMC activity. It works really well with the RC6 receiver. You'll gain a whole bunch of Ctrl, Alt, and Win keys combination.

Nice. Gotta try this later. Thanks! Nod

- schuege - 2010-10-20

Hello,

I've a Harmony 900 RF and I'm testing it with a OrigenAE M10. It's a great HTPC, everything works fine, the only thing is the next and previous button.

For some reason it won't work, I have the same settings as the print screens shown in this thread.

Does anyone knows what the reason is for this problem?

I've selected Comma and . in the list for the MCE Keyboard

- SilverJS - 2010-10-20

The left and right arrows on the keyboard should do the same thing, try that.

- alex84 - 2010-10-20

Anyone that can confirm my conclusion from this post http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=624449&postcount=2

Harmony One with MCE Keyboard will after X random keypresses crash xbmc. Am i the only one that experience this Huh

- schuege - 2010-10-21

SilverJS Wrote:The left and right arrows on the keyboard should do the same thing, try that.

No that's not true. When you're at the start page of XBMC the arrows will control the navigation bar.

- vanOert - 2010-10-21

schuege Wrote:No that's not true. When you're at the start page of XBMC the arrows will control the navigation bar.

Well that depends on your skin.

I think it's safe to assume that he initially referred to skip fwd and skip back buttons, which are globally available.

- schuege - 2010-10-21

vanOert Wrote:Well that depends on your skin.

I think it's safe to assume that he initially referred to skip fwd and skip back buttons, which are globally available.

ok, that's true, I use the Aeon skin. That's the problem...
I will test it later this evening. I hope that it has something to do with the region settings of Windows.

- johnmerrick - 2010-10-28

I found an old Toshiba mce ir6 receiver (by fluke!) last night and it works perfectly with my Harmony 555. I am on win7 ultimate x64 and it plugged in and installed without a hitch. It also put's the pc asleep and wakes it up without any configuration!?.

My harmony is mapped with MCE Keyboard only there is no lag at all.

Question. Since plugging in the receiver, when it boots up the pc, I am faced with the Win7 logon screen. How do I bypass/disable that so it boots straight to the desktop?

thanks

- sufreak - 2010-10-28

Try This

- johnmerrick - 2010-10-28

thanks.