[zebraitis]

Folks,

Not sure how I should start to troubleshoot this...

System:

With Kodi 19.1 on windows 10, I have an HP IR receiver connected via USB port.  All that is on the back side of the wall on which the TV is mounted.

Then, my remote is a Logitech Harmony 900  (almost equivalent to the more familiar Harmony One, except the 900 uses RF to go through a wall to an "IR Blaster").

Problem:

On boot-up, Kodi does not recognize the keystrokes being sent from the Harmony remote.  I can get it to recognize the remote IF I FIRST press the enter key on a keyboard (a separate USB keyboard, not the harmony remote).  THEN, once that key has been pressed, all the commands from the harmony remote are recognized.

And yes, the system had previously successfully recognized the harmony remote and it had been working without problem in the past. 
And no, I did not recently reprogram the remote or make changes to it, or the IR Blaster.

Thoughts:

Somehow this strikes me as a windows problem, and not so much a Kodi issue.   Maybe something about USB ports sleeping... but keep in mind that this system is usually off until I press the button to have it boot, and the a shortcut to Kodi in startup launches the app.   So...  it should not have time for the USB's to sleep in an attempt to save energy.

I look forward to suggestions.

[PatK]

First thoughts are that Kodi is out of focus until that first 'enter' on the remote keyboard. In the boot something (program, background task or script) is taking the focus and you have to win it back with a keypress as it occupies full screen. As this happens from an o/s start-up windows operations are likely ongoing, perhaps a delay somewhere might facilitate?

This is were a FLIRC (wiki) might fit taking off the IR Blaster?

[brazen1]

I use a Harmony 900 with many past versions of Windows and Kodi including the latest of each.  I have to agree with PatK.  Kodi must be out of focus if pressing enter brings it in to focus and your remote controls then become responsive.  Instead of pressing enter, left click a mouse on Kodi to bring it in to focus to confirm it's actually a focus problem.  Is your Kodi display mode set to fullscreen?  Is use fullscreen window checked?  Is there another App or something opening after task scheduler opens Kodi that is stealing focus?

If your Blaster works after pressing enter (which really means whatever your trying to control gets brought into focus) no amount of Flirc or USB port fiddling will accomplish anything imo.  Btw, did you try taking the battery in and out of the Harmony?  Lastly, is your keyboard.xml in userdata/keymaps being used?  Here's mine fwiw:

Code:

<keymap>
   <global>
     <keyboard>
      <two>JumpSMS2</two> 
      <three>JumpSMS3</three> 
      <four>JumpSMS4</four> 
      <five>JumpSMS5</five> 
      <six>JumpSMS6</six> 
      <seven>JumpSMS7</seven> 
      <eight>JumpSMS8</eight> 
      <nine>JumpSMS9</nine>
     </keyboard>
   </global>
   <FullscreenVideo>
     <keyboard>
      <up>PlayerControl(FrameAdvance(1))</up>
     </keyboard>
   </FullscreenVideo>
 </keymap>

[zebraitis]

OK...  so it gets curiouser and curiouser...

First, I thought:  OK, well, if something may take away the focus, maybe it's due to what could be affected during the boot/startup processes.  So, I took the Kodi shortcut out of the windows programs/startup folder.  Then I downloaded a new copy of 19.1, and overwrote my old install.  Then I reviewed the startup process items using CCleaner.  Finally I copied a new Kodi shortcut into startup.

Well, that didn't work at all... as I was one of those that had the previous Windows 10 / Kodi 19.1 crash-on-launch issue.   (... yipee)

By reloading 19.1 I got to revisit that bug of old.

So, I jumped to a nightly (6/10) and loaded that, choosing " [ X ]  Run Kodi " on finish.

Surprise!  Kodi launched, connected to MySQL, brought up confluence with my various profiles and the remote was NOT recognized by KODI again.

(wah-wahhhhhh)  

So, it wasn't a focus thing, as by launching Kodi right after reloading no other app would have / should have been involved.

It was only once I used usb wifi keyboard, pressing [left-mouse-button] and then [enter] that kodi would select a profile and begin.

But there is good news at the end of this journey...

Before I did all all this, previously (before I wrote up the original problem, I had deselected the options under system/input/devices in an attempt to troubleshot the problem that I was having.

And since I was now running a new nightly, I decided to reselect by choosing "Reset above settings to default".  

Now, when I tried that many times previous (before that initial writeup), it had no effect.  But now... this time...  success.

I am able to boot up, use the remote, and all is right with the OLED 65" 10-foot interface.

I am documenting this in case someone else comes this way...  hopefully they won't have that need.  (...and of course for the moderators to get that little vicarious thrill of labeling the thread [SOLVED]. ) 

Thanks for the support.

v.


ps: @brazen1 - I have to admit, I have never used that code...  I have never had the need to do so.  I have just followed the Kodi Harmony key mapping instructions. 
Opinion:  I will miss these remotes when they are gone.  I know that I can use my phone/app, but it's just not the same (even if I have worn the paint right off the keys).

[brazen1]

Glad to hear you diagnosed your problem.  Fwiw, all of the new v20 Nexus nightlies lost some important functionality.  The only two that work were the 1st two releases - the latest being KodiSetup-20210404-7ad079de-master-x64.exe.  Sadly, Matrix v19.1 does not have the functions and I highly doubt v19.2 will either.  (ISO Blu-ray menu playback is almost nonexistent and frame by frame advancing doesn't work at all)  So, be aware, if these things matter to you when using nightlies.

As for my keyboard.xml:
The 1st part of the code allows jumping to 3 corresponding letters per number making it quick and simple to navigate the library... especially large ones.  For instance:  Pressing number 2 on your remote jumps to titles that begin with D.  When you press number 2 again, it will jump to titles that begin with E and after that F and pressing a 4th time returns to D which starts the cycle again.  The number 3 button on the remote opens G,H, and I titles and so on.

The 2nd part of the code enables frame by frame advance after pausing by pressing the ^ arrow on the remote.

Imo, the Harmony 900 was the best remote ever made.  Pity that Logitech is no longer manufacturing any remotes.

What I've been doing is starting my workstation/HTPC bare bones with just my panel and the PC turned on via my 'Computer' activity.  I then go about my computer/workstation usage.  When it's time to use my PC as an HTPC, I press my 'Kodi' activity which starts my other HTPC related equipment such as changing my panel adjustments, starting the AVR and adjusting for HTPC environment, bass shakers, subwoofer, all my related apps such as Kodi, etc. etc.  I added MCE Keyboard and a couple other 'Devices' from the Harmony database.  I then mapped Kodi.exe to F6 as part of the 'Kodi' activity to one button press start everything.  I used to use the startup method via task manager you are using but found the way I do it now better for myself.

[zebraitis]

Glad to hear you diagnosed your problem.  Fwiw, all of the new v20 Nexus nightlies lost some important functionality.  The only two that work were the 1st two releases - the latest being KodiSetup-20210404-7ad079de-master-x64.exe.  Sadly, Matrix v19.1 does not have the functions and I highly doubt v19.2 will either.  (ISO Blu-ray menu playback is almost nonexistent and frame by frame advancing doesn't work at all)  So, be aware, if these things matter to you when using nightlies.

As for my keyboard.xml:
The 1st part of the code allows jumping to 3 corresponding letters per number making it quick and simple to navigate the library... especially large ones.  For instance:  Pressing number 2 on your remote jumps to titles that begin with D.  When you press number 2 again, it will jump to titles that begin with E and after that F and pressing a 4th time returns to D which starts the cycle again.  The number 3 button on the remote opens G,H, and I titles and so on.

The 2nd part of the code enables frame by frame advance after pausing by pressing the ^ arrow on the remote.

Imo, the Harmony 900 was the best remote ever made.  Pity that Logitech is no longer manufacturing any remotes.

What I've been doing is starting my workstation/HTPC bare bones with just my panel and the PC turned on via my 'Computer' activity.  I then go about my computer/workstation usage.  When it's time to use my PC as an HTPC, I press my 'Kodi' activity which starts my other HTPC related equipment such as changing my panel adjustments, starting the AVR and adjusting for HTPC environment, bass shakers, subwoofer, all my related apps such as Kodi, etc. etc.  I added MCE Keyboard and a couple other 'Devices' from the Harmony database.  I then mapped Kodi.exe to F6 as part of the 'Kodi' activity to one button press start everything.  I used to use the startup method via task manager you are using but found the way I do it now better for myself.

Thanks.  Didn't try v20, as it is not at all baked.  Grabbed a v19 nightly where the boot problem has already been integrated.

[brazen1]

Thread marked solved.