Configure 9910 power button

[nevarc]

Running a 9910 with extender.

This is what I want to do!
When I select the CBL button; I want the power button to power on two devices (TV, Cable box) and stay that way while CBL is active, than revert back to normal operation when I select another device button.

Now, I’ve read and read trying to figure out how to do this, I’ve read the extender readme file a hundred times hoping a light would come on, alas, I must be thick, I can’t figure it out.

Can someone explain in simple terms or may be show examples of how this would be setup.

Thanks.

I have also seen a few references to a “special functions tab” in IR, but can’t find this feature. I am using IR7 beta.

[johnsfine]

What you want is called a DSM (Device Specific Macro).

Most extenders make that easier, but I don't know the details of the 9910 extender.

[pH7_jp1]

nevarc said

I have also seen a few references to a “special functions tab” in IR, but can’t find this feature.

The name of the tab is "Spcl Prot Fns".

[nevarc]

That's the problem. I don't understand how to setup the DSM. Here is the readme file for the DSM protocol.


Device Specific Macros Special Protocol
=======================================

This is an enhanced version of the Device Specific Macros protocol. It
is packaged as an upgrade protocol (1FC) and an upgrade device (MISC/1103)
that are automatically installed when you install the extender.

If you don't need this protocol and want to conserve upgrade memory you
can delete those upgrades.

You can use this protocol with the same KeyMoves used with the standard
Device Specific Macros protocol. You set the hex command to be the hex value
of a phantom key. You then define a macro on that phantom key.

For macros up to 13 key codes long, there is a more direct way. You can
translate each key of the macro to a hex value (see the attached KeyCodes.htm
file) and put the entire macro into the KeyMove as a hex command.

I am not sure how to this. If I set up a key for each power function, than set that up in a macro and bound to the CBL button, than power comes on when I press that CBL button. I want to be able to press the power button while in the CBL mode and power two devices.

I'm sure it's simple, but I'm at a loss.

[johnsfine]

I hope that method described in the help file for the extender is obsolete. I hope more recent changes in IR.exe mean that IR.exe does all the tedious translation for you. But I haven't used that myself, so I'm not sure.

A DSM is a macro that is stored in the eeprom as a keymove. When DSM's were invented, the user had to convert the series of keystrokes to hex (based on KeyCodes.htm) then define the KeyMove typing in that series of hey codes as the Keymove's hex Cmd. I'm sure that method would still work. But if the rdf file tells IR.exe about DSM's for that extender, then IR can do the work for you. Create a DSM bound to CBL/Power and including the sequence of keystrokes you want execute when the user presses Power in CBL mode.

There is one extra trick that I think is needed for the DSM you are requesting. IIRC, within the macro on the CBL/Power button, you want to transmit the actual CBL/Power signal. Since the CBL/Power button is bound to the DSM you can't use it within the DSM (without starting an infinite recursion). See "shift cloaking", you probably can use shift-power within the DSM to send the actual CBL/Power signal.

[Capn Trips]

That readme is obsolete. IR makes it easy to build special protocol functions without using all of that hex translation business:

(1) In IR, go to the Special Protocol Functions Tab;
(2) Click on "ADD";
(3) In the window that pops up, what to do should be self-explanatory upon closer inspection:
(a) in the "Bound Key"section, assigne Device CBL and KEY Power
(b) in the "Parameters" section, in the "Type" drop-down window, you should be able to select "DSM"'(if it's greyed out, then you deleted the associated Device and/or Protocol upgrades MISC/1103 and/or 01FC);
(c) in the "Macro Definition"section, assign the sequence of Commands you want executed:
Dev_TV
shift-Power
Dev_CBL
shift-Power

(You can't use "Power"without causing an endless loop, so shift-Power calls the underlying function and not the DSM (keymove) you've just created - do a search on shift-cloaking for more on this)

That should do it.

[nevarc]

The light has come on!

You are wonderful folks, I can't express enough, the appreciation for your time. Thanks.

[minguy]

I've been struggling with the same task and the steps provided by Capn Trips were exactly what I needed. Thanks!

However, in addition to turning on two devices with one power button, I am trying to do something more complex and I cannot figure it out.

I also have a 9910 w/ extender.

My goal is to have the Power button for the DVD device to do the following:
Short press turns on the DVD Player and the RCVR and toggles the TV input button 6 times (my TV doesn't have discrete inputs).
Long press turns off the DVD Player and the RCVR (via a discrete power off button) and toggles the TV input button 4 times.

I was successful in using the Long Key Press protocol - the DVD Player and the RCVR turn on and off correctly w/ short and long presses.

My problem is getting the TV input toggles in there. I tried adding the Input key multiple times in the protocol but there's a restriction on the number of keys allowed.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Capn Trips]

Use a nested macro.

i.e. create a separate macro (e.g. on xshift-TV/VCR) that executes 4 input toggles, then use THAT in your SKP and LKP sequences instead of four iterations of the input toggle. That should reduce your overall LKP function string length by 6 bytes.

[The Robman]

Short press turns on the DVD Player and the RCVR and toggles the TV input button 6 times (my TV doesn't have discrete inputs).
Long press turns off the DVD Player and the RCVR (via a discrete power off button) and toggles the TV input button 4 times.

This sounds like you are trying to toggle the TV between two known inputs, so if someone where to ever manually press the TV-INPUT button, it would throw things out of sync. Have you verified whether your TV responds to the common workaround that we use for TVs like this? What happens when you press the CH+ button on your TV when it's in (let's say) VIDEO2 mode? Does it automatically switch the TV back to ANTENNA mode? If it does, you can use this to get the TV to a known state, then you can use the correct number of presses of INPUT to get the TV to the desired state, and you won't need to include INPUT in your POWER-OFF macro.

[minguy]

The tv I own is a Syntax Olevia, which I have found from previous threads to be a "true TOAD tv." So going in I knew there were no workarounds. But thankfully I don't have to learn ToadTog (yet).

Nested macros, right, of course. I thought that might be the solution but wasn't sure how to do it. I still don't have a full grasp of JP1 "language" - the shift and x-shift functions are especially a mystery to me. Anyway, xshift-TV/VCR works perfectly. Thanks.

One more question. I need to use the Pause protocol between the input toggles. I think I did it right but the delay seems inconsistent (might be my TV).

Just to be sure, is this the correct way to use the Pause protocol?

SPECIAL PROTOCOL
Device: TV
Key: Pause
Type: Pause [MISC: 1104]
Hex: $20



MACRO
Key: xShift-TV/VCR
Keys:

• DEV_TV
  TV/Vid
  Pause
  TV/Vid
  Pause
  TV/Vid
  Pause
  TV/Vid

SPECIAL PROTOCOL
Type: LKP [MISC-1106]
Short Keys:

• DEV_DVD
  Shift-Power
  DEV_AUD
  1
  xShift-TV/VCR