[mythtv-users] [SOLVED] Can't get ir-blaster working with mceusb and using ir-keytable for the remote

Dennis Stansfield dennis at stansfield.biz
Fri Apr 5 22:13:34 UTC 2013



On Wed, 2013-04-03 at 09:12 -0700, Dennis Stansfield wrote:

> I'm in dire need of  help getting an mceusb ir blaster to work
> properly for use with mythtv.  I know there is a lot of expertise on
> lirc for mythtv here, I hope it's not too off topic.
> 
> It's probably some minor issue, but I've been beating my head against
> the wall for a good week now, and just not getting anywhere. This is
> for my daughter's production mythtv (working remotely just makes it
> more challenging). 
> 
> Although she had been patient with her dad, I'm loosing all my geek
> creds here.  I'm also not totally a newbie, I've been using and
> setting up mythtv for about 5-6 years now. Always with an mce blaster.
> 
> Here is the issue in a nutshell:  I have the remote working
> (ir-keytable), but can't get the ir blaster to work using mceusb.
> When I use irsend it acts like it worked, but no ir signal comes out
> the other end.  
> 
> I've read other posts that indicate it should work (including one from
> Jarod I believe), but no luck for me.
> 
> I'd greatly appreciate any insight you can give me, and if anyone has
> a working hardware.conf and lircd.conf using ir-keytable for sending
> and mceusb as an ir-blaster, that would also be very helpful.
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> 
> Mythtv devs, you guys are great!  What a fantastic bit of coding
> magic!!
> 
> Dennis
> 
> 
> 
> Here are the results of irsend:
> 
> irsend --device=/var/run/lirc/lircd1 SEND_ONCE SAE8000 8
> 
> results in lircd -n
> $ sudo /etc/init.d/lirc start 
> * Starting remote control daemon(s) : LIRC
> [ OK ] 
> lircd-0.9.0[4120]: lircd(default) ready, using /var/run/lirc/lircd1
> lircd-0.9.0[4120]: connected to localhost
> # this is the point where I use irsend #
> lircd-0.9.0[4120]: accepted new client on /var/run/lirc/lircd1
> lircd-0.9.0[4120]: removed client
> 
> But, no results (red light, channel change) on the ir-blaster.
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the set up and system information.  If any other information
> would be helpful, I'd be glad to provide it.
> 
> I'm runing Mythbuntu 12.04 LTE - fixes 
> 
> $ echo `uname -r`
> 3.2.0-39-generic-pae
> 
> $ lircd -v
> lircd 0.9.0
> 
> 
> $ cat /etc/lirc/hardware.conf
> # /etc/lirc/hardware.conf
> #
> #Chosen Remote Control
> REMOTE="Linux input layer (/dev/input/eventX)"
> REMOTE_MODULES=""
> REMOTE_DRIVER="devinput"
> REMOTE_DEVICE="/dev/input/by-id/usb-Microsoft_Microsoft_IR_Transceiver_MS1643ZR-event-if00"
> REMOTE_SOCKET=""
> REMOTE_LIRCD_CONF="devinput/lircd.conf.devinput"
> REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS=""
> 
> #Chosen IR Transmitter
> TRANSMITTER="Microsoft Windows Media Center V2 (usb) : Scientific
> Atlanta Cable box"
> TRANSMITTER_MODULES="lirc_dev mceusb"
> TRANSMITTER_DRIVER=""
> TRANSMITTER_DEVICE="/dev/lirc0"
> TRANSMITTER_SOCKET=""
> TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_CONF="scientificatlanta/general.conf"
> TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS=""
> 
> #Enable lircd
> START_LIRCD="true"
> 
> #Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file
> #START_LIRCMD="false"
> 
> #Try to load appropriate kernel modules
> LOAD_MODULES="false"
> 
> # Default configuration files for your hardware if any
> LIRCMD_CONF=""
> 
> #Forcing noninteractive reconfiguration
> #If lirc is to be reconfigured by an external application
> #that doesn't have a debconf frontend available, the noninteractive
> #frontend can be invoked and set to parse REMOTE and TRANSMITTER
> #It will then populate all other variables without any user input
> #If you would like to configure lirc via standard methods, be sure
> #to leave this set to "false"
> FORCE_NONINTERACTIVE_RECONFIGURATION="false"
> START_LIRCMD=""
> 
> 
> $ cat /etc/lirc/lircd.conf
> #This configuration has been automatically generated via
> #the Ubuntu LIRC package maintainer scripts.
> #
> #It includes the default configuration for the remote and/or
> #transmitter that you have selected during package installation.
> #
> #Feel free to add any custom remotes to the configuration
> #via additional include directives or below the existing
> #Ubuntu include directives from your selected remote and/or
> #transmitter.
> 
> #Configuration for the Linux input layer (/dev/input/eventX) remote:
> include "/usr/share/lirc/remotes/devinput/lircd.conf.devinput"
> 
> #Configuration for the Microsoft Windows Media Center V2 (usb) :
> Scientific Atlanta Cable box transmitter:
> include
> "/usr/share/lirc/extras/transmitters/scientificatlanta/general.conf"
> 
> 
> $ lsmod | grep lirc
> ir_lirc_codec          12739  0 
> lirc_dev               18700  1 ir_lirc_codec
> rc_core                21263  10
> ir_lirc_codec,ir_mce_kbd_decoder,ir_sony_decoder,ir_jvc_decoder,ir_rc6_decoder,ir_rc5_decoder,rc_rc6_mce,ir_nec_decoder,mceusb
> 
> $ ls -l /dev/lirc*
> crw------- 1 root root 249, 0 Apr  3 07:23 /dev/lirc0
> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root     19 Apr  3 07:23 /dev/lircd
> -> /var/run/lirc/lircd
> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root     20 Apr  3 07:23 /dev/lircd1
> -> /var/run/lirc/lircd1
> 
> $ lsusb
> Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
> Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
> Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching
> Hub
> Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching
> Hub
> Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0a5c:4500 Broadcom Corp. BCM2046B1 USB 2.0 Hub
> (part of BCM2046 Bluetooth)
> Bus 001 Device 004: ID 064e:8101 Suyin Corp. 
> Bus 002 Device 003: ID 045e:006d Microsoft Corp. eHome Remote Control
> Keyboard keys
> Bus 002 Device 004: ID 187c:0514 Alienware Corporation 
> Bus 001 Device 005: ID 413c:8161 Dell Computer Corp. Integrated
> Keyboard
> Bus 001 Device 006: ID 413c:8162 Dell Computer Corp. Integrated
> Touchpad [Synaptics]
> Bus 001 Device 007: ID 413c:8160 Dell Computer Corp. Wireless 365
> Bluetooth
> 
> $ dmesg | grep lirc
> [   32.258523] lirc_dev: IR Remote Control driver registered, major
> 249 
> [   32.259400] rc rc0: lirc_dev: driver ir-lirc-codec (mceusb)
> registered at minor = 0
> 
> 
> $ cat /var/log/syslog | grep lirc
> Apr  3 08:59:04 dennis-M11x lircd-0.9.0[4111]: caught signal
> Apr  3 08:59:13 dennis-M11x lircd-0.9.0[4160]: lircd(devinput) ready,
> using /var/run/lirc/lircd
> Apr  3 08:59:13 dennis-M11x lircd-0.9.0[4165]: lircd(default) ready,
> using /var/run/lirc/lircd1
> Apr  3 08:59:13 dennis-M11x lircd-0.9.0[4165]: connected to localhost
> Apr  3 08:59:13 dennis-M11x lircd-0.9.0[4160]: accepted new client
> from 127.0.0.1
> Apr  3 08:59:13 dennis-M11x lircd-0.9.0[4160]: initializing
> '/dev/input/by-id/usb-Microsoft_Microsoft_IR_Transceiver_MS1643ZR-event-if00'
> Apr  3 08:59:48 dennis-M11x lircd-0.9.0[4165]: accepted new client
> on /var/run/lirc/lircd1
> Apr  3 08:59:48 dennis-M11x lircd-0.9.0[4165]: removed client
> 
> 
> I have applied patch:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/lirc/+bug/1004239 to fix a
> linking/location issue.
> 
> $ irsend LIST SAE8000 ""
> irsend: 000000000037c107 power
> irsend: 000000000036c127 guide
> irsend: 000000000036f920 menu
> irsend: 000000000036213b info
> irsend: 000000000036812f select_up
> irsend: 000000000037a10b select_down
> irsend: 0000000000366133 select
> irsend: 000000000037810f select_left
> irsend: 0000000000364137 select_right
> irsend: 000000000036d924 select_page+
> irsend: 000000000037d904 select_page-
> irsend: 0000000000366932 exit
> irsend: 0000000000373918 settings
> irsend: 000000000037e902 A
> irsend: 000000000036193c B
> irsend: 000000000037191c C
> irsend: 000000000036093e vol+
> irsend: 000000000037091e vol-
> irsend: 0000000000377111 ch+
> irsend: 000000000036f121 ch-
> irsend: 000000000036892e mute
> irsend: 000000000037f101 fav
> irsend: 000000000036e123 last
> irsend: 000000000037c906 rew8secs
> irsend: 000000000036c926 list
> irsend: 000000000036b129 live
> irsend: 000000000037291a rew
> irsend: 000000000036293a ff
> irsend: 000000000037990c play
> irsend: 0000000000365934 stop
> irsend: 0000000000374117 pause
> irsend: 0000000000375914 rec
> irsend: 000000000036113d 1
> irsend: 000000000037111d 2
> irsend: 000000000036912d 3
> irsend: 000000000037910d 4
> irsend: 0000000000365135 5
> irsend: 0000000000375115 6
> irsend: 000000000036d125 7
> irsend: 000000000037d105 8
> irsend: 0000000000363139 9
> irsend: 000000000037e103 asterisk
> irsend: 0000000000373119 0
> irsend: 000000000036b928 pound
> irsend: 000000000037b908 pip_power
> irsend: 0000000000367930 pip_swap
> irsend: 0000000000377910 pip_move
> irsend: 000000000036e922 pip_ch+
> irsend: 000000000037f900 pip_ch-
> irsend: 0000000000376113 video_source
> 
> 
> 


I believe I have solved my issue, and want to share it with the group in
case it will help another user.

Apparently the ir-blaster I was using is an older version, not supported
by the mceusb driver.  I changed to a newer ir-blaster (still a Phillips
mceusb) and it appears to work great!  I didn't have to change a thing
more other than doing a dpkg-reconfigure licr to update the
REMOTE_DEVICE.  YMMV of course.

Just as a reminder, don't forget to apply the patch  referenced above or
you will get a lirc install error about an unknown file.

Good Luck!


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