BTV Feature Suggestion

[rsoandrew]

I have BTV4 with a Firefly and USB-UIRT.

While I believe I could get something like this working using girder, how about making my life easier and the product a little more functional in the following way.

Deep down in the BTV directory tree is a folder titled Tuner that has remote codes in it for various devices. If you open one of the rmt files, you will see a folder that has some settings on the first few lines follow by Channel1 then code, Channel2 then code, Channel# then code and finally ChannelEnter then code.

How about making it so we can dump other IR codes in this file so that they can be associated with a Firefly remote button to allow the transmission if IR codes to be associated with Firefly button presses?

I realize we can modify the firefly profiles to control applications, but I need it to be able to control other devices (namely my stereo) and it would be nice if I could associate some of the specialized buttons used on the remote for device already being controlled with a firefly button. At a minimum the ABCD buttons. I also wouldn’t mind being able to change the volumeup and volumedown to control my stereo instead of BTV. I never use the BTV volume except occasionally the mute button.

Again, I really don’t want to buy girder when it looks like this might be an easy BTV internal fix (and frankly, after BTV, the FF and USB-IRT I’ve got enough specialized stuff invested in this computer). Sure maybe only for advanced users, but then again it’s really not that hard to paste in button names and codes into a text file.

[cmcquistion]

Originally Posted by rsoandrew

I also wouldn’t mind being able to change the volumeup and volumedown to control my stereo instead of BTV. I never use the BTV volume except occasionally the mute button.

Absolutely! I've been trying to figure this out for the LONGEST time and it is one of my only remaing issues with the Firefly. Honestly, if the Firefly could be configured to change the volume on my stereo and maybe have the ABCD buttons mapped to do things like power on/off the TV/Stereo/etc, if would be PERFECT.

[ahawks]

You guys realize the Firefly is a RF (radio frequency) remote, and stereo/dvd/tv/vcr/etc equipment is IR (infrared)? It's a pretty good bet that you won't get the 2 talking to each other.

[cmcquistion]

Yes, we realize that. What we're talking about is having a software layer like HIP or GIRDER to intercept Firefly commands and output them via IR transmitters to other devices (like powering on the television or changing the volume on the receiver.)

[guncam_man]

Look for a piece of software called 'Event Ghost'. It can do those things.

[cmcquistion]

Eventghost looks promising. I just have to figure out how to IR blast with it (it doesn't say that it supports the MCE IR Blaster, but it does support other IR blasters that I don't have, like the USB-UIRT.)

[cncb]

Originally Posted by cmcquistion

Yes, we realize that. What we're talking about is having a software layer like HIP or GIRDER to intercept Firefly commands and output them via IR transmitters to other devices (like powering on the television or changing the volume on the receiver.)

You can already do this with Girder with the Firefly plugin. I used to do this with the Tira emitter.

[cmcquistion]

Isn't their Girder plugin specifically for the non-free version of Girder?

[cncb]

Probably. I bought Girder cheaply with the Tira...

[ClamsTheCat]

I think I am going to buy Girder. I want to remote flush the toilet while the wife is sitting on it. Childish I know, but the best jokes usually are

[rsoandrew]

Originally Posted by ahawks

You guys realize the Firefly is a RF (radio frequency) remote, and stereo/dvd/tv/vcr/etc equipment is IR (infrared)? It's a pretty good bet that you won't get the 2 talking to each other.

But that's the beauty of this suggestion. This functionality is already built into BTV4 with the use of a USB-UIRT. No other software required. This is how my non-supported satellite box is tuned. I put the channel in the FF and BTV sends the remote codes to the USB-UIRT via IR output.

Snapstream just needs to broaden the feature to allow the use of other FF buttons besides numbers 1-9 and enter.

As I mentioned there are ways to do this using other software, but why not keep it native to BTV?