I finally have figured out this great app, but I still have some questions.

I want to make the buttons on my MCE remote the ones below the mute button(live tv, dvd menu, etc..) the focus buttons for four different PC applications(Skype, Zoom Player, Winamp and FireFox). My thinking was that I would program each app's focus button into HIP. I have done that for Zoom Player, Winamp and Skype, but unfortunately pushing these buttons does not focus them, rather I have to take my mouse and move it over top the app and then I can use the remote to control the app. Winamp and Skype are two applications that are always jointly running. Is it possible to have two different apps running and open on the desktop where you can toggle between the both of them? I thought the focus option would be the way to go. I maybe doing something wrong?

Thanks for the great app!

Cheers, Chaser

@chaser7016: You will find this in HIP preferences -> Alternate Input : just define these 4 hotkeys in System-Wide keys executing your different apps.

@all: MceIrApi 0.18 is available for download :
- Blaster selection is now possible (1, 2 or both)
- Introduce MceIrSelectBlaster() and MceIrCheckFile() functions
- Driver now will install all MCE 2005 remote models

@remaining S3 issues: the solution is available here

Cheers !

I confirmed that the v18 driver permits enter S3 standby state for nForce2 boards (ACPI v1). And the registry item from the microsoft page allows the USB to wake the system from S3 Standby on such boards (with Wake on USB capabilities).

Great Work BurningZeRoad! -I'll test out the blaster functionality later this weekend.

The easiest way to move the focus between applications is to use the Hip Controller.  So long as you have defined the numeric keys and <enter> as system-wide keys and a key for the Hip Controller, opening the Hip Controller will present a screen and you can toggle between the apps by simply pressing 1-9.  If the application is not running, then Hip will start it as well.

You can also set up specific applications to specific keys.

Watch out for a new version of Hip in the next few days that includes BZR's new build and functionality, as well as the in-built ability to pull IR codes directly from CCF files

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Peter (BTMI)

Click here for HIP, the free alternative to control your PC via remote control

BZR...

With the MceIrSelectBlaster() routine, what are the parameters to select left,right or both blasters, also what is the default state of the unit?

eg is it

MceIrSelectBlaster(1)
MceIrSelectBlaster(2)
and is it MceIrSelectBlaster(0) for both?

Peter

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Peter (BTMI)

Click here for HIP, the free alternative to control your PC via remote control

Hi Peter,
When looking at the rear of the USB receiver, blaster #1 is the right one.

MceIrSelectBlaster() parameter is defined in MceIr.h :
#define BLASTER_BOTH 0
#define BLASTER_1 1
#define BLASTER_2 2

The default state of the unit is both (so the new dll works as old ones). Once you select a specific blaster, subsequent MceIrPlaybackFromFile() calls will be sent through the selected blaster. I think the easiest and safest way to implement this feature is to call MceIrSelectBlaster() everytime just you send an IR, just before calling MceIrPlaybackFromFile().

I have noticed when trying to program HIP to close applications many applications share the same hot key(alt F4). Can I make a system wide key that each program will recognize to shut themselves down?

Cheers, Chaser

While there are specific "Close" commands for each app, you can program Alt F4 - @{F4} as a system-wide key, but I am always wary of such an approach as it is too easy to press it by mistake.

Personally, I use the "Close Application" option in the Hip Controller which sends a WM_SYSCOMMAND,SC_CLOSE command to the active window which is the correct procedure for shutting down.

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Peter (BTMI)

Click here for HIP, the free alternative to control your PC via remote control

I wonder if anyone else has issues...such as

I have programmed HIP to play, stop, pause and open different online radio stations via Winamp. Buttons DVD Menu and Live TV have been programmed as system wide keys for Winamp and Skype. I hit my Winamp button and it opens Winamp, push the number 1 to begin my favorite online Winamp station and then hit pause/stop; no problems here. My problem lies when I stop the music from playing in Winamp(Winamp is still open) and then I hit my button for Skype(Skype opens and is now focused over Winamp). I then hit the button for Winamp which becomes focused, but it will not begin playing any the preprogrammed streams or respond to the play button. It does respond to the close button(system wide alt f4). Since it responds to close, I thought Id close Winamp and close Skype and reopen Winamp to gain control of it again. Everything closes fine and then Winamp opens fine, but does not respond to any of the preprogrammed buttons I have programmed specifically for Winamp. I have to start the stream myself and then the Winamps preprogrammed buttons begin to work again.

Its not a big deal, but just thought I indicate my problem for maybe others have had this problem and their is a solution. Also, my problem could possibly help development on this great plug in!

Cheers, Chaser

Sounds like a config error to me...

Is this ONLY a problem with WinAmp (ie do the Skype buttons work as expected?) If so, the problem is likely that Hip is bringing into focus the wrong WinAmp window for input focus (many applications have multiple windows). To get Hip to always send keys to the SAME window of an Application, you must enter a "Window Class Name" in the application preferences.  I have written an application specifically for this purpose called ActiveWin which is available for download from here:

http://www.byremote.com.au/downloads/default.asp?SCLASS=UTILITIES

As Hip can automatically poll the active application and change the key configurations according to the window in focus, enabling the "Show Balloon message..." option in the OSD menu is a good way to debug the process to make sure the correct key config is being used.

If you cannot sort this out yourself, PM me your Hip configuration file and I will have a look.

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Peter (BTMI)

Click here for HIP, the free alternative to control your PC via remote control

 I have uploaded a new Hip build which incorporates the changes made by BZR.

This is available at:

http://www.byremote.com.au/downloads/default.asp?SCLASS=HIP

Version 2.1.7.7 7/06/2005
New MCE Remote Build (release 18) with

• Selectable IR Blaster Ouput (Left Right or Both)
• Extract Codes from Pronto format CCF Files directly
• Looping Test IR to test placement of IR receivers

Note: The IR Driver has been updated with this release.  See the section "Tutorial - Setting up and Using the MCE Remote" in the Help file to install the new driver

Let me know how you go...

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Peter (BTMI)

Click here for HIP, the free alternative to control your PC via remote control

This is just a little off topic, but I have been struggling with an MCE problem related to the IR blaster and can't seem to find the answer anywhere - perhaps someone here can help....

When attempting to tune my STB, MCE reports an error that the IR blaster cannot be found - even though it is plugged in.  The IR receiver always works, and the blaster infrequently works - generally unplugging/reconnecting the USB will help for a while.  Does anyone know how MCE determines that the emitter is connected?  I don't believe that this is a hardware problem, since it is hard to imagine that the IR receiver could work so consistently and the emitters work occaisionally.

I've seen other people ask about this problem, but no solutions anywhere.  Any thoughts or pointers?

Thanks.

OK, thanks BTMI I will keep testing it and report my feedback.

I wondered if you could tell me if I could somehow program the remote to control a web application? I set up a Shoutcast station to broadcast my music on different PCs in my house and I control it with a plug in called Wwwinamp. Wwwinamp runs on the host system and from any client using a browser I type in the socket its running on. From here I can search my music collection, view it, click on the links for songs or my playlists where the broadcast starts throughout my home. Its not a program, so I dont know how I could get HIP coded to where I hit the system wide Winamp key and then hit the number one button to begin playing my Classic Rock playlist. Doing this would allow me to control the broadcast throughout my house on my various clients using a remote.

Maybe I need to create or find a program that is similiar to this program. Sorry if this an odd question?

Cheers, Chaser

Hip has a built in Web interface that would allow you to do this pretty easily.  The default installation includes sample files, and there is more information in the section Tutorial - Setting up the Hip Web Server in the documentation.  Using this protocol you can get Hip to relay commands using very simple html.

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Peter (BTMI)

Click here for HIP, the free alternative to control your PC via remote control

After some more experimentation, it seems that MCE and MCEIR will live together nicely for receiving IR signals, but both want exclusive access to the blaster hardware.  Is there a way to solve this problem, or do I need to reserve the MCE remote unit for MCE, and buy another IR transceiver (not ideal!)  Thanks.....

Marshal