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RMIR 2.00 vs IR 8.03

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:08 pm
by oldgrouch
Don't both of these programs basically do the same thing except one
uses the Java platform and the other Windows.
I looks like the IR 8.03 would be easier to use for a beginner
Lou

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:30 pm
by unclemiltie
yes, they basically do the same thing. IR has been around for quite a bit longer, but RMIR is coming up to speed quickly.

Another advantage of RMIR is multi-platform support. I've been using it lately on my Mac and love that I don't have to start up a windows VM to deal with my remotes.

Now all I have to do is port the assembler and some other stuff to Mac and I'll never have to use Windows again!

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 8:50 pm
by 3FG
My opinion is that RMIR is easier for a beginner. It only requires one program. When using the combination of RM and IR, the user needs to remember to copy both upgrade code and the upgrade protocol if it doesn't exist natively, and to find the correct tabs to do that. RMIR handles all that without user involvement. Also, it is much easier to reverse engineer an upgrade from an existing remote or IR or rmir file.

However, the combination of RM and IR offers more features than RMIR.

Looking at learned signal is an example. RMIR has, IMO, a better display of learned signals, but IR can show the IRP form of the signal.

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:28 am
by vickyg2003
I've worked with RMIR quite a bit as far as testing, and while it does have some advantages over IR, I find it difficult to do the basics. I worked with IR for 6 years before I ever had to do an upgrade so maybe my experience is different than most of the other heavy-users. I find keymoves and macros to be my major focus, and I find them difficult to manage with RMIR, but maybe that's just me. While I have upgrades for all of my equipment, only the Sony DVD-recorder "requires" an upgrade, everything else just needs a couple of keymoves here and there. I have 12 TV viewing areas under JP1 control (42 remotes) so I consider myself to be a heavy jp1 user.

RMIR Pros:
RMIR eliminates the 2 most common user errors, (not changing the remote in RM and not pasting the the "required protocols.")

RMIR also eliminates the need to cut and paste from one application to another.

Multi-platform support.

RMIR Cons:
RMIR makes the basics of keymoves difficult to handle. It requires a much deeper understanding, since there is no cross-checking for conflicts and there are two places to enter them, two ways to learn to mangage them.

RMIR has no summary report, so how do you document your remotes? How do you diagnose problems without a summary report?

RMIR's error handling hides problems from the user. Errors appear in the error log, but lots of times there is no user notification and its difficult to understand what went wrong, since things look good from inside RMIR.

RMIR's learned tab offers less information, and the summary reports are not available so you need to save as IR files and open in IR for protocol analysis.

RMIR 2.00 (JAVA)

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:46 pm
by oldgrouch
Why does the Comcast work great but not RS. remotes
Comcast DVR-URC-1067BX3-JP3(30393039)
RS 15-1994(RSL6RO)
The following messages appear when trying to get info from the remote.
(1)Remote not found
(2)No rdf matches starting XXXX
(3) No maps found
(4) No rdf's found
(5) Used both interface methods JP1 & auto detect still negative results
I am using Tommy Tyler JP1 flat cable with the 6 conductor flat ribbon cable.
I have tried the JP.2/3 interface to no avail.
I have tried to reverse the connector going in to the remote and replaced the batteries all to no avail.
The same images,maps & rdf's sub directory is used for both remotes but only one works.
The RS remote will work great with the IR8.03 program but I would prefer the JAVA platform over the Windows.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 6:02 pm
by ElizabethD
I see this file in the distribution
RSL6RSL0 (RS 15-1994 6-in-1 Smart).rdf
in which case RMIR should see it really if that's your remote.
When you open your files, do you get the option to pick the correct remote?

Oh, did you tell RMIR when it starts for the first time ever to hook to your RDF directory? 'cause first time around your (3) and (4) messages are likely to occur after which you can tell it where RDFs are.

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 7:54 am
by xnappo
vickyg2003 wrote:
RMIR Cons:
RMIR makes the basics of keymoves difficult to handle. It requires a much deeper understanding, since there is no cross-checking for conflicts and there are two places to enter them, two ways to learn to mangage them.

RMIR has no summary report, so how do you document your remotes? How do you diagnose problems without a summary report?

RMIR's error handling hides problems from the user. Errors appear in the error log, but lots of times there is no user notification and its difficult to understand what went wrong, since things look good from inside RMIR.

RMIR's learned tab offers less information, and the summary reports are not available so you need to save as IR files and open in IR for protocol analysis.
Have you submitted these as feature requests?

I don't think they are all that hard to address.

Personally, I still maintain that for a new user, the RM-IR paradigm is easier.

oldgrouch - make sure to check out the Wiki section of this site: http://www.hifi-remote.com/wiki/

xnappo

Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 8:17 am
by vickyg2003
xnappo wrote: Personally, I still maintain that for a new user, the RM-IR paradigm is easier.
I do agree that IR/KM/RM is clumsy since you do have to use two applications, and apparently its difficult for users to remember change the remote, and copy and paste protocols since these are the #1 and #2 most likely areas for the users to have problems.

I know that many of the experts here think that upgrades are the major reason for using JP1. I am in the minority. I find the automation available to JP1ers to be the big draw. Its all about eliminating keypresses for me. Keymoves, macros and special protocols are my focus.

I used KM from day one of JP1ing. However it was always for EFC information to setup keymoves. I didn't add an upgrade for my first 6 years of JP1ing. All of my equipment has always been in the remote until I bought a Sony DVD recorder.

Re: RMIR 2.00 (JAVA)

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 7:58 pm
by ElizabethD
oldgrouch wrote: RS 15-1994(RSL6RO)
The following messages appear when trying to get info from the remote.
(1)Remote not found
(2)No rdf matches starting XXXX
(3) No maps found
(4) No rdf's found
(5) Used both interface methods JP1 & auto detect still negative results
I am using Tommy Tyler JP1 flat cable with the 6 conductor flat ribbon cable.
I have the same problem with the JP1 remotes (8910, 6131) in RMIR. No problem with RDF or maps, but remote isn't found and download does not happen. I posted about it in the software forum.

DelcomProxy works fine through IR.