Understanding IR's Abbreviations

[juststeve]

As far as I can tell there's no formal reference to IR's menu - i'm only finding help files in a narrative form that work great for quick up and running tasks. But where do i find something that explains things like what an HT transport device is? or VPT? or db-08?

The Help menu has a IR Help entry that looks like it would be quite helpful except that it expects me to know where to find the help file so as to set the path. ??

I'd be happy to help out the orienting future newbs with some screencasts explaining some of these fundamentals as soon as i get them under my own belt.

thx for your help.
--steve...

[vickyg2003]

When I was a returning newbie I put together this "HLP" style help file as I was relearning everything. HLP files have been abandoned by Microsoft since Vista. I can write and publish them, but the help reader can't be distributed with my hlp files.
Irhelp file

When Graham took over IR, he put a link to the file. However, I haven't had the time to update the IRHelp file. So its a little out of date, but it does include things like a site map to tell you where to find things here.

I've put out the help source files, if you are inclined to update the files.

[juststeve]

I've put out the help source files, if you are inclined to update the files.

I'll be happy to update anything that doesn't match any operations/procedures as I execute them. I could also probably carve out some time to help convert the .hlp format to html unless you think otherwise. given the hoops required to download the reader, in the long run it would seem to make sense to transition away from .hlp format.

[vickyg2003]

Its been almost a year since we last discussed it.
https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewt ... ght=irhelp

That made me find the source and publish it here
https://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewt ... ght=irhelp

And you can see how that conversation went on.

I only was putting IRHelp together for my own benefit. I put it out there and nobody commented on it, so I abandoned it. Then later Graham found it helpful and provided a link in IR.

If you want to put together a word document, on topics you want addressed, I'd be glad to revamp help, and or publish this is in a PDF help format.

I think help is best written by people that are new to the topics, because they know what is difficult to understand.

[The Robman]

... where do i find something that explains things like what an HT transport device is? or VPT? or db-08?

To answer your specific questions...

1) HT stands for "home theater". Some remotes have a Home Theater device button which is not a conventional device button, but is instead a grouping of buttons from the other device buttons.

2) "HT transport device". The transport buttons are REWIND, FAST FORWARD, PLAY, STOP, PAUSE, RECORD (and possibly, NEXT TRACK, PREV TRACK). So "HT transport device" means that when you set up your HT button, if the "HT transport device" is DVD, the HT device will use the DVD player's transport buttons.

3) VPT stands for "Volume Punch Thru". This should be explained in your printed user manual, but it is the concept where the volume buttons work a specific device even though the remote is in another device. For example, you could set the volume buttons to work your TV when the remote is in DVD mode. You could also set them to work your stereo receiver when the remote is in CD mode, etc.

4) "db0-08" - don't worry about this one. The 15-2116 remote has buckets for extra device buttons, so IR displays them, but there isn't an easy way to access them. If I recall correctly, you need to use the extender or a special protocol to make use of these.

[vickyg2003]

4) "db0-08" - don't worry about this one. The 15-2116 remote has buckets for extra device buttons, so IR displays them, but there isn't an easy way to access them. If I recall correctly, you need to use the extender or a special protocol to make use of these.

I was shocked to find that out. I use remotes with phanotm devices all the time, but they usually are available as a button even though they are not a physical button.

[mathdon]

The Help menu has a IR Help entry that looks like it would be quite helpful except that it expects me to know where to find the help file so as to set the path. ??

Since all the JP1 tools are maintained by volunteers and are updated separately as and when these volunteers are ready to do so (I am the current maintainer of IR.exe), there is no package that you can download that contains them all. They are all readily available in the JP1 file section, but not all in the same folder. The IRHelp file to which you refer is in the Help Files folder (as irhelp.zip), not surprisingly but also, of course, not the same folder as IR.exe. A similar thing can be said about ExtInstall, IRtoWav and RemoteMaster - to access them from IR.exe you need to download them separately and then use the File/Set Directory menu of IR.exe to say where you have put them. It would certainly be nice to have an Install package that sets up everything automatically but unfortunately the nature of the volunteer process does not make that practicable.

IR.exe has been updated substantially since Vicky put together IR Help. If you are willing and able (now or later) to update it, it would be very welcome and a great benefit to those who come after you.
______________
Graham