Controlling TV via orbiter (not with IR remote control)

[purps]

Hi all,

I want to invest in a 3-buttoned gyro mouse for use with the bedroom media director (I intend on buying 1 Fiire chief, and that will probably stay downstairs for the lounge and kitchen).

My question: How do I control the TV? I'm assuming I would need the USB-UIRT, but my understanding was that this required the use of an IR remote control, in conjunction with the UIRT. Is it possible to gain control of the TV via the on-screen orbiter? This is a bog-standard CRT TV, no serial port.

Thanks.

[jondecker76]

The USBUIRT will control your TV (or other devices also) no matter what you use as the controlling interface (IR Remote, Orbiter, keyboard/mouse, etc etc etc.).

[purps]

Thanks for your reply.

That is good news! So how would I go about using the on-screen orbiter to control that particular TV? I have never seen anything in the orbiter control menus that suggest I would be able to do this. Maybe a silly question, but how would I turn the TV back ON again using just the gyro mouse? Obviously in this case, the TV will be off, so I won't be able to use the on-screen orbiter!

Any help would be much appreciated. I've had a look on the forums and the wiki, but I couldn't find anything that answers these question - apologies if I've missed them.

[freymann]

That is good news! So how would I go about using the on-screen orbiter to control that particular TV? I have never seen anything in the orbiter control menus that suggest I would be able to do this. Maybe a silly question, but how would I turn the TV back ON again using just the gyro mouse? Obviously in this case, the TV will be off, so I won't be able to use the on-screen orbiter!

When you set up your template for your TV, be sure to include the power command, whether that be a toggle or discrete codes.

LMCE will then look after turning on/off your TV as required. Press the middle button on your gyro mouse and if the TV isn't on, LMCE will send the power IR command for you.

When you're finished, you can mouse over to the Computing button, up to the Power button, and select MD Monitor OFF, or just let it sit there doing nothing and LMCE will turn the TV off automagically after 5 minutes.

Whenever you do a "reload router" it magically forgets the current power state of your equipment so next time you press a mouse button it shuts off your TV, forcing you to find a way to turn it back on, either by using the old hand and foot method or reaching for your TV remote.

[jondecker76]

adding to what freymann just said, the problem only exists with Toggle power after a quick reload. If you are lucky enough to have Discreet IR codes for power, you will have no problem. The reason is because LMCE does not remember device states after a reload, and defaults to always thinking the power is off. So, with a toggle power device, you can see how it can throw the system out of sync if you do a reload while the TV is on.

To keep this from getting you, always reload when your TV is off an there will be no problems. I'm sure eventually we will come up with something more graceful. There are a few bugs with toggle type control (with both toggle power and toggle input) that I plan on working on after the svn merge is complete.

Also, the 5 minute delay before auto-power off is adjustable. In the webadmin, under orbiters, adjust the power off and screensaver delays to where it makes most sense to you. I keep mine set at 60 (seconds), so that if nobody is using LMCE, the TV goes off after one minute instead of 5.

[purps]

freymann & jondecker76,

Thanks for the sound advice guys. It's good to know these little workaround solutions for known problems as well.

Thanks again.

[skeptic]

To keep this from getting you, always reload when your TV is off an there will be no problems. I'm sure eventually we will come up with something more graceful. There are a few bugs with toggle type control (with both toggle power and toggle input) that I plan on working on after the svn merge is complete.

Now this I'm interested in.  My TV has both the toggle type power as well as a single toggle button for all 5 inputs.  Needless to say it's unreliable.  I put my usbuirt in the cabinet with the core/md and cable box where it intentionally cannot control the TV.

[purps]

I've just come back to this thread for reference, and I have a few more questions.

Regarding the USB-UIRT device, should this be connected to the media director (to which the TV that I want to control is attached to), or should it be connected to the core? I may also add a VCR to the system as well at a later date, which I would also like to control.

I would also like to ask about toggle and discreet codes - how do I know if my TV supports discreet codes, and where do I get them from? It's a big old Toshiba thing (CRT). My Toshiba TV remote only has one power button, and it only has one button for cycling through inputs - however, I read on the wiki that this doesn't necessarily mean that I will have to use toggle.

[freymann]

Now this I'm interested in.  My TV has both the toggle type power as well as a single toggle button for all 5 inputs.  Needless to say it's unreliable.  I put my usbuirt in the cabinet with the core/md and cable box where it intentionally cannot control the TV.

My two TV's, that are controlled by a USB-UIRT are the same. I initially set up my tv templates to include the 5 or so inputs, but I eventually removed those completely and just went with the power toggle.

I watch everything through LMCE so changing the inputs isn't required. Most times I would end up at input 3 instead of input 5 because the TV takes so long to power up it would miss the first couple commands. Drove me nuts, so I eliminated that section from the template.

With that done, everything works great now.

[freymann]

Regarding the USB-UIRT device, should this be connected to the media director (to which the TV that I want to control is attached to), or should it be connected to the core? I may also add a VCR to the system as well at a later date, which I would also like to control.

Put the USB-UIRT on the machine where you have devices you want to control.

[purps]

Thanks for the reply.

My core is in the same room as the MD/TV, although it is in a cupboard - is there any advantage to having the USB-UIRT connected to the core? Or will it ONLY work attached to the MD?

[freymann]

My core is in the same room as the MD/TV, although it is in a cupboard - is there any advantage to having the USB-UIRT connected to the core? Or will it ONLY work attached to the MD?

The signal from the UIRT has to reach your devices, so putting it in the cupboard isn't going to help you out much 

[tschak909]

why does nobody listen to me?

Get a Xantech 286 double emitter, connect to the back of the UIRT, affix the nipples to each device's IR window. If you need more than two, get a Xantech connecting block, a power supply, and up to 4 of the Xantech 286 double emitters to control up to 8 devices.

*hmm* I do not want to repeat this yet again.

-Thom

[freymann]

why does nobody listen to me?

Get a Xantech 286 double emitter, connect to the back of the UIRT, affix the nipples to each device's IR window. If you need more than two, get a Xantech connecting block, a power supply, and up to 4 of the Xantech 286 double emitters to control up to 8 devices.

*hmm* I do not want to repeat this yet again.

Gee, I thought the question was:

do i connect the uirt to the core in the cupboard or,
do I connect the uirt to the media director where my equipment is?

The Xantech 286 double emitter may be required, it may not. I know on my systems, I used the emitter thing that came with my MCE Remote with the USB Uirt and in the living-room, attached that to the stereo. From there, the UIRT on its own is able to send signals to the Dish Receiver and TV. Downstairs, I attached the emitter to the front of the dish receiver and it reaches the TV on its own.

No need to *hmm* and be tired of repeating yourself. Some people may not yet be aware of the Xantech 286 double repeater. To you, and now even to me, it's 'old school' but don't forget to newbies, this is still valuable information that warrants repeating from time to time.

[purps]

Lol, I should have been more specific. I'm fully aware that the IR signal will not penetrate the sides of my cupboard  (I'm not that THAT silly ) - my intention would have been to put it on TOP of the cupboard, opposite the TV to be controlled. Sorry for the confusion there. But back to my original question - is there any advantage to connecting it to the core?

tschak909, I have neither seen nor heard of the Xantech 286, so this is the first time for me! I'm not sure I entirely understand the idea of it though. It for all intents and purposes "extends" the USB-UIRT, right? Does this not mean that there would be cables running everywhere? I'm assuming that because they need a power supply, they boost the signal as well - is there any other advantage to it? I fail to see why they would be any better than having just the USB-UIRT on its own.