How do you set command duration?

joilet · Post by **joilet** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:56 am

Hi, this is my first post!

I have a slingbox connected to a Sagem Dbox2 (sat) receiver. The latest sling player software has the model listed and for the most part the remote functionality works.

The problem i have is that the navigational direction buttons when pressed are very sensitive to how long the button is pressed for. Using the real remote control is tricky, i have to literally press the button for a fraction of a second to get the cursor to move 1 space. If i press it for a little too long (still under a second) it will cause the cursor to move 2 spaces. The slingbox obviously has some sort of preset button press duration for each command. As a result if i press down the cursor will jump 2 spaces. The same result would happen if i pressed the button on the real remote a little too long. This is of course highly frustrating as there are many things i can't access on the box remotely as the cursor keeps skipping past various menu items.

I have spent the last 2 nights reading the sling community forums on how to upload custom remote codes. I've also read everything i can about remotemaster and also countless threads on here about protocols. I did come across a new remote map here that i downloaded for my reciever which had all the buttons compared to the one in the sling player software.
I managed to export the binary for the relevant controller chip and get it uploaded to the slingplayer. The additional buttons that were previously lacking were great. However it had the same problem i had before; but now the directional buttons skipped 3 places and not 2 as they did in the slingplayer remote code.

I really do hope you guys understand what i'm talking about. It has been hard enough to describe my problem. I don't even know the correct words to use, i feel like a school boy! I have spent hours reading and can't find anything that mentions how to control the length of time the emitter in the sling player outputs the command for. Having applied the slingplayer remote code and also a map that i downloaded for my receiver here. I can see both have different timings on the directional buttons. The original code will cause the cursor to skip 2 places and the new map i got will cause the cursor to ship 3 places. There must be some attribute somewhere that changes this behavour. Obviously i don't want the cursor to skip at all meaing the button press/repeat as to be very short or once only.

Please can someone help me? If you need any information i can provide it. I am using remote master to prepare the new map for upload to the slingbox.

Thanks

James

Post by **vickyg2003** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 12:17 pm

Hi James,

This involves tweaking the protocol. We could turn off repeating, or we could turn off repeating for all but Vol+, Vol- Ch+ Ch- FF REW.

What setup code are you using?

alanrichey · Post by **alanrichey** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:36 pm

That's interesting. I've always assumed that the repeat function is actually controlled within the Slingbox. And that they had set the default to 3. If we can actually change it by tweaking the protocol then I can help a few more people

Al

joilet · Post by **joilet** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:53 pm

Hi Vicky

I am using setup code S1127 on the slingbox RV chip.

If there is a way to turn off repeating that would be great. Like Alan i too believed the slingbox itself was in control of the key press duration. Its not possible to hold down buttons using the software remote control. On that basis if repeating can be adjusted turning it off all together will be sufficient enough.

However having tried the code present in the slingbox software and the one i downloaded from here they both perform differently as i mentioned. That gives me reason to believe tweaking is possible.

Can remote master be used to tweak the protocol? I've been the facility to upgrade it but not to edit it.

Thanks for your help, it is appreciated!

Post by **vickyg2003** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:58 pm

Now that I reread your post, I think you said you found a RM file here for that same device. Could you post a link to that file?

joilet · Post by **joilet** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:17 am

Here is the link to the file:
https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... le_id=1811

Nokia Quad protocol apparently.

Thanks

Post by **vickyg2003** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 2:02 pm

I tweaked this to send 1 frame no repeats, and then I recoded it to send exactly 2 frames. Sometimes sending 2 frames is more reliable.

nokia quad with no repeat frames

nokia quad with 1 repeat supposed to send exactly 2 frames

joilet · Post by **joilet** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 4:47 pm

Woah! Your amazing Vicky!!!

I tried the no repeat rmdu and it works perfectly - no skipping. The directional buttons moves the cursor in single steps.

I had to map the buttons to the remote but the original file was mapped incorrectly aswell. I haven't tried the 2 framed file yet although i will soon and i'll let you know how it performs.

Now i can access items in the menus that i couldn't before, obviously a big problem when the reciever is elsewhere.

I can't thank you enough seriously! You have really helped me out here. I wish i knew how you did it but i suppose its a skill that comes with time and patiance. I develop software for a living but never touch this low level programming.

All i need now is to read up on creating macros and i'll have the perfect setup! I will of course upload the mapped version i made from your modified no repeat file. Hopefully it will benefit others too.

Thanks again.

alanrichey · Post by **alanrichey** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:02 pm

Wow, a major breakthrough, well done to Vicky

Is it a relatively straightforward operation to produce the protocol upgrade or we talking highly technical stuff ?

Al

Post by **vickyg2003** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:42 pm

I wish i knew how you did it but i suppose its a skill that comes with time and patiance. I develop software for a living but never touch this low level programming.

I've been apprenticing under Rob for more than a year to get to the point where I could tweak a protocol. I kept asking questions and Rob kept answering them. Everything you need to know can be found in the forum.

Is it a relatively straightforward operation to produce the protocol upgrade or we talking highly technical stuff ?

"Are we talking highly technical?" Mike's (Mr_Gumby) protocol builder really is a great tool and for simple protocols all you need to do is fill in the blanks. But for many of the protocols, you need to get into assembly language, to a lot of people that would make it highly technical.

alanrichey · Post by **alanrichey** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:51 am

A quick calculation tells me it is over 25 years since I was fluent in assembler

I used to reprogram the BIOS on my BBC Micro. I'll have a play and see if it comes back to me.