extender (8910) timing questions

rocket777 · Post by **rocket777** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:16 pm

I have a urc 9910 and have just tried my first extender. I have one apparent timing issue, and was wondering if there was an easy way to change the overall speed of macro playback.

First, I have a radio shack video switcher that learns codes itself, so I can activate it using whatever remote signals I want. Without the extender it’s not perfect, but usually needs only 1 to 3 tries to switch. With an extender, it may take 20-50 tries.

I don’t yet want to re-train this video switcher, and so I was wondering if the extender changes the timing of a single key click like this. The signal I use is key moved onto l4 for each device I want to switch to. I then use a macro m1-m3 to set the device and send the current l4. I've tried it in a macro and also by manually doing the l4 key, so it's apparently something in this one key send that's not working the same.

Second, I began looking at the extender code but couldn’t find where it does macro timing. I was hoping to find a place that might have a value that could be patched to set the timing delay between signal sends in a macro instead of using various other delay tactics.

It appears that if there are any constants it would be easy to modify them using ir.exe and the raw data panel.

And I’m curious why there are not any built in commands to do delays, e.g. DEL_1, DEL_2 for some handful of useful delay amounts. Do all extenders work this way, or is this just the 8910ex1_1a that I am using for my 9910?

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 2:11 pm

The answer to your FIRST question is YES, the extender affects the speed of macros, but NOT the duration of a particular signal. The delays between successive signals are significantly reduced. Most users like this, since running a long macro can take a long time. It's unclear, however, whether or not your problem is one of delay or duration.

You seem to think it's an issue of insufficient delay between successive signals. If you think signals are being sent too quickly (too soon after another signal) you can insert a "Pause". Both KM and RM have the special "Pause" protocol available, using which you can program varying length pauses that you can insert into macros as necessary.

I suspect, however, based on your mention of multiple sends being required to make a function work, that your REAL issue is of duration of a signal. Have you tried sending the signal in question (the L4 button) by pressing and HOLDING the button? There is a way to prolong the duration of a signal, but it usually involves using the Device Combiner special protocol. You will have to create a device upgrade using the DC protocol for the signal in question. Now this is a pretty drastic step, since the DC protocol consumes LOTS of memory.

Read the Protocol Help for both the Pause and Device Combiner protocols (both KM and RM have this info) and give one or both a try.

gfb107 · Post by **gfb107** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:16 pm

Sometimes you can get around a duration problem by sending the same command two or three times in a row.

rocket777 · Post by **rocket777** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 12:38 am

edit: putting the video-switch key in a macro, then it switches nicely by holding down the macro key.

I found the special prot functions, and coded into my macro a pause. But even $01 was then too long.

What did work was to create a macro (L3) that did 4 Dev_cancel's and call that for my pause from my macro on another key.

QUESTION:

Can I use one of the Phantom keys instead of L3 above, to have a callable nested macro with no physical key assigned? Is that their purpose?

(fabulous forum

thanks)

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 2:12 am