protocol w/most keys without going into keymove/macro memory

tnkrer · Post by **tnkrer** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:29 am

Which protocol and device Id would yield most keys without going into keymove/macro memory?

I need this for my HTPC/usb-uirt. I dont care about what ir signal is emitted, because I will learn any command I want to it. But I want to preserve my keymove/macro memory. So which device upgrade should I use? (I assume it will use up ugrade memory)
(Once I get the device and protocol, I am going to create two upgrades
one on cable and one on sat on my 15-2117 using the same protocol and same device code but I will used different OBCs on both (1 to x on cable
and x to 2x on sat) where x is the max allowed keys without going into keymove)

Thanks

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:19 am

You're asking the wrong question, it doesn't matter which protocol you select, what makes the difference is which device mode (eg, TV, VCR, etc) you select. And the answer to your question varies by remote. If you're using KM, once you've selected your remote, click on the LAYOUT tab, this will show you which buttons are available in each of the device modes.

gfb107 · Post by **gfb107** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:46 am

To see the same information in RM, you also go to the Layout tab. However, you can't see all the device modes at the same time.

The buttons that do not generate keymove when a function is assigned are outlined in orange. As you change the device type, the picture will change to reflect the included buttons. Pick the one with the best layout for you.

tnkrer · Post by **tnkrer** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 12:08 pm

yup, I had noticed the orange outline in RM
I am using RS 15-2117. It seemed to me that DVD had the most buttons without keymove. (I had checked TV, VCR and DVD), but I thought it also depends on the protocol.

Thanks, now I can quickly check which device to use for my usb-uirt.

tnkrer · Post by **tnkrer** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 12:14 pm

just tested,
cable and video acc has the most buttons

(now I have to find out if I can use cable for everything (dvd, tv ...) if my protocol and device setup code are correct. That will save me some more macro memory.

(So was my assumption that it will cost me in the upgrade memory instead a correct one? Or am I getting net extra memory?)

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 1:29 pm

Every extra button that you include in an upgrade uses up 1 more byte of UPGRADE memory. Every button that you program as a keymove uses up 5 (or 6) bytes of KEYMOVE/MACRO memory.

You can use CBL mode for everything, but the screen on the 15-2117 will read CBL or CBL2 for all of your devices.

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 12:55 pm

If you are really interested in saving memory, you need not make ANY upgrade. You say whatever setup code you use, you will learn the signals to your HTPC, so there's no reason you cannot use a random BUILT-IN Cable device setup code (as long as it doesn't conflict with any OTHER device in your system) and not have ANY upgrade at all!

mikemcgo · Post by **mikemcgo** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:23 pm

I am in the exact same situation (15-2117 and USB-UIRT). Which built-in code would have the most buttons mapped?

I tried looking at the Devices4 spreadsheet to see if I could figure it out. My random choices didn't yield a likely device. Is the password for Devices4 available, so I could unhide the data and count the button mappings directly?

If the password isn't available, here are the criteria I am looking for:

1. Highest number of buttons mapped (are there built-in devices that would have codes mapped to shifted buttons?)
2. It would be nice if the built-in code is one that is also built-in to my other JP1 remote, the URC-8090
3. An existing CCF file with the codes would be nice (for use with Netremote)
4. I might be teaching the codes to other devices (Marantz RC2000MKII, Palm IIIXE), so an easily learnable protocol would be preferred (no RC5, ...?)

I am completely new to USB-UIRT, Girder, Netremote, CCF's, and XP MCE. If anyone has any advice I am all ears.

Thanks,
Mike

Post by **The Robman** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:36 pm

IMHO, you could end up spending alot of time trying to find which built in code has the most buttons programmed, certainly alot more time than if you were to just create a new upgrade that has the maximum number of buttons programmed.

None of the built in codes include shifted buttons.

I would advise that you use the NEC2 protocol with un-common device codes (so as to reduce the risk of you accidentally using the same code as one of your devices). If you use device code 240 and sub-device code 240, you should be safe. You should then program a unique OBC to each button on the remote.

As for creating a CCF, you can use the MakeHex program to generate the Pronto Hex code, but you would have to manually cut & paste it into a CCF using the ProntoEdit software.

mikemcgo · Post by **mikemcgo** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:21 am

I followed your suggestion and ended up with a device upgrade that uses 38 bytes of upgrade memory and 5 bytes of keymove memory. My remote has 58 bytes of keymove free, but only 23 bytes of upgrade. I've already had to make some tradeoffs, so I am trying to be as memory conscious as possible with this update. Cable 276 is the best I have found so far. This is just looking at the codes in the 15-1994.

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:32 am

Have you reviewed all of your other programming to see if there's any waste there? Yo must have alot of upgrades in the remote to only have 23 bytes left.

mikemcgo · Post by **mikemcgo** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:53 am

I uploaded my setup to the diagnosis area.
http://hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php ... le_id=3395

The only possibility that occured to me was to try replacing the hacked X10 protocol with Device Specific Macros and implement one-button X10 functionality that way. I've tried the remote without Custom Mode Names, and am not willing to lose that. Thanks for any advice.

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:08 pm

I see that you have two upgrades for your Marantz receiver that use the RC5/5x Combo protocol (ie, CBL 1189 and 1190), maybe it would be possible to create a scaled down version of either upgrade using the traditional RC5 protocol. The advantage of doing this is that the RC5 protocol uses 1 byte of code per button whereas the combo uses 2 bytes per button.

If you have to drop some buttons from the upgrade, you could possibly replace them with keymoves (depending on what device code they use).

As for finding the built in code with the most buttons, I've figured out that it's CBL/1877, which has 37 buttons programmed (all unique).

mikemcgo · Post by **mikemcgo** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 6:19 pm

I'll look into getting rid of the RC5 Combo protocol. I did that with the Sony Combo protocol for my DVD megachanger, and saved quite a bit of space. This one seems a little more complicated though.

Thanks for tracking down CBL 1877. Here are some details:
36 of the codes use device 27
1 code (Enter) uses device 30
the unmapped buttons on the 15-2117 are Sleep, +100, and Freeze

I uploaded a file to diagnosis area:
http://hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php ... le_id=3411
By mapping a device to CBL 1877 and creating 3 keymoves using EFC's shown as unused in the file, I finally achieved what I was after. I'm not
sure if I set up the Enter key correctly.

The results of my space saving experiments:
Replacing the X10-hacked protocol with the Device Specific Macro protocol freed alot of upgrade memory, but I quickly ran out of keymove memory as I created the DSM's I needed.

My next thought is to create a second dummy device to work with the USB-UIRT/Girder/CM11A to replace my IR543. With the X10-hacked protocol removed I would have plenty of space for device upgrades. Would decrementing the device from 27 allow me to create multiple dummy devices?