[mythtv-users] Lite-On IR Keyboard and Learning Remotes

[Brandon Beattie]

On Mon, Mar 21, 2005 at 10:09:55AM -0500, Michael Haan wrote:
> I know some of you out there have gone this route.  I've been using
> the Lite-On wireless IR keyboard to run my myth box for a few weeks or
> so, and decided this weekend to pick-up a learning remote and start
> moving some functions to it.  Now, I know the learning remote is
> working because it has learned functions from two other remotes. 
> However, when i try to teach it a keystroke from the Lite-On -
> nothing.  For those that have done this, are there any tricks to
> getting this to work?

Not every remote and not every keyboard is created the same.  Many
people have already mentioned the faults but I have just a couple tips
to add.  

I've tested 4 IR keyboards and 6 learning remotes with several mix and
matched.  I've noticed 3 specific types of learning remotes.  

The first
I call dumb remotes.  They are only capable of learning set number of
bit sequences for IR commands.  These types of remotes are found in "8
in 1" cheap $20-$30 remotes.  With these remotes you have to be very
careful what keyboard you get as many keyboards send much to complex IR
commands for them to understand.

The second are "too smart for themselves".  These remotes often will let
you record 5-10 IR commands, regardless complexity.  They then try to
look for similarities and will only accept IR commands that match what
they have seen.  In the Linux HTPC Howto I go over a specific RCA remote
that depending on which keys I entered first, I could enter anywhere
from 11 to 25 more commands after that.  This leads to getting lots of
various keys for different functions, but also means your = key may map
to menu, l to channel up, and so on.. Very ugly.

The third type of remotes don't make any decisions, and just learn every
code "as is".  The MX 500 and Sony's AV-RM 3000 (2100,2500,3000,3100)
are a few examples of these remotes.  I personally bought the 3100 for
$80 and let me tell you it's worth the frustration.  I have not had a
single IR code from any keyboard or other remote that the 3000 hasn't
learned.  I've also gotten my 3000 to do a good job at letting it act as
a mouse (up,down,left,right... not diagnol).  

Regardless the remote, or keyboard, there are some quirks you have to
play with.  Order of entering the keys, should you hold or press and
release, how long should you hold, tweaking the type rate in the bios,
etc.  If you have problems, play around, try something odd such as
adjusting distance (Which I've found makes the largest difference) or
angle.  I found with a Panasonic learning remote, it worked best in a
dark room and having the remotes about 5 feet apart.. My Sony 3000
prefers 1 foot and pointing up at a 20 degree angle.  


For another $.02, I did a *LOT* of research on remotes.  For me it came
down to the MX 500 and Sony 3000/3100.  These remotes are often $80-110
if you check froogle/pricegrabber.  Many people like the MX 500 over the
Sony 3000/3100 but I found that the programmable titles in the 3000 were
more to my liking.  The 500 has 8 or 10 fully text programmable LCD
buttons, the 3000 has 4 text programmable and 15 buttons with 3 text
choices (Which are perfect for Myth) and you can also get abc def next
to the 1 and 2.... buttons which is nice for text imput in Myth.  The
3000 also has commands for X10 built in..  Both of these remotes though
are almost identical in features, and I consider both of them to be real
home theater class remotes.  

Anyway, more info about remotes and myth is on the Linux HTPC howto..

--Brandon