Anyone have experience with Event Ghost?

[barnabas1969]

I currently have my HTPC connected via RS-232 to my AVR and my TV. I'm using IRSS (IR Server Suite). I'm less than satisfied with IRSS, because the support is non-existent (I've even offered to pay those guys for some help!), and I can't get their macros to work correctly. Saving the values of variables in the macros doesn't work.

So... there has been some recent talk about the RCAware device, which uses HDMI-CEC, Event Ghost, and a custom plugin.

It looks pretty cool, but it seems to require scripting in Python if I want to use variables and such.

Anyone here have any experience with Event Ghost? Can you save the value of a variable (e.g. the power status of a device) without Python scripting?

Is EG stable?

Any info is appreciated!

[barnabas1969]

I've been reading the Event Ghost documentation. It looks to be very powerful. With a PythonCommand action, you can store the value of a variable in the global namespace with a command as simple as "myVar = 1", and then evaluate that with a subsequent PythonCommand action, for example to evaluate the value of myVar with a "myVar == 1" (which returns eg.result of True or False, depending on the value of myVar) or even with a PythonScript action whose script accesses the eg.globals object (for example, "if eg.globals.myVar == 1"). Pretty neat!

I've never written anything in Python, but it doesn't look terribly difficult.

I think I may have to play with it. Right now, it looks like Event Ghost will be better for my purpose than IRSS and will use my existing RS-232 setup. In the future, I may choose to go with the HDMI-CEC setup using the RCAware plugin and hardware (especially after I replace my AVR with one that has HDMI-CEC).

Right now, my TV supports HDMI-CEC (and RS-232), but my AVR only supports RS-232 (via a separate piece of hardware that I purchased). The HDMI-CEC setup will give me some advantages that include being able to test power states on different components... so I could actually ask the TV if it is powered on... and it would tell me what the current state is. This would be extremely beneficial and would eliminate the need for keeping a variable that indicates the power state... and would eliminate the possibility that someone might have turned the TV on or off by pressing the button on the TV instead of by using the macro in IRSS.

It all looks very cool. I just need to get some time to test it.

I would still appreciate any feedback about Event Ghost. If anyone here has used it, I would really like to hear your opinions and experiences.

[michaeljc70]

What are you trying to accomplish? You are throwing out a lot of acronyms of systems few people use or have heard of.

I use Event Ghost. It works really well and is powerful. I use it to switch sound drivers on my HTPC with a remote.

[barnabas1969]

Thanks, Michael. Do you do any RS-232 or TCP/IP control with EG?

[michaeljc70]

Thanks, Michael. Do you do any RS-232 or TCP/IP control with EG?

No, no RS-232 or TCP/IP control. I am curious as to what you are controlling with that (any why).

I have all my equipment in a media closet in my basement. It consists of 4 AV receivers, 2 extenders and a Windows media center. It is all controlled with Harmony remotes (RF) and event ghost on the media center. That feeds 4 TV's and 32 speakers in my house.

[barnabas1969]

Oh, sorry... I just noticed your questions. RS-232 is control over a serial interface. Both my TV and my audio receiver (AVR) support control by a serial interface. I'm currently controlling them with IR Server Suite (IRSS), which is a plugin written for Media Portal (I don't use Media Portal, just IRSS).

There is a new device available that allows you to control your components via HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control over an HDMI cable) from a PC's USB port. There is a plugin for Event Ghost to use this HDMI-CEC device. It looks very promising. If I buy a new AVR that has HDMI switching and supports HDMI-CEC, I could use this single little device to control the whole setup with Event Ghost. I want to eventually buy a new AVR anyway... so I figure this RCAware device might be a good thing to buy also.

IR Server Suite doesn't work very well (I've found workarounds, but it's not exactly what I want), and it really isn't supported at all anymore.

How difficult is it with Event Ghost (EG) to do things like:
1) use a single button to power off/on all your devices... and have EG keep track of the power states in a variable?
2) Control other components over a serial connection or a network connection?

Infrared control of components is iffy, at best. I have a programmable remote, but if someone walks in front of a component while a macro is running, the component may not be in the state you expect it to be. Wired control of components is rock solid... it works every time. In my setup, the only IR receiver that needs to see the signal is the one on the PC. I have macros in IRSS to control everything, so the PC only needs to see a single button press to start the macro. Make sense?

[michaeljc70]

Oh, sorry... I just noticed your questions. RS-232 is control over a serial interface. Both my TV and my audio receiver (AVR) support control by a serial interface. I'm currently controlling them with IR Server Suite (IRSS), which is a plugin written for Media Portal (I don't use Media Portal, just IRSS).

There is a new device available that allows you to control your components via HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control over an HDMI cable) from a PC's USB port. There is a plugin for Event Ghost to use this HDMI-CEC device. It looks very promising. If I buy a new AVR that has HDMI switching and supports HDMI-CEC, I could use this single little device to control the whole setup with Event Ghost. I want to eventually buy a new AVR anyway... so I figure this RCAware device might be a good thing to buy also.

IR Server Suite doesn't work very well (I've found workarounds, but it's not exactly what I want), and it really isn't supported at all anymore.

How difficult is it with Event Ghost (EG) to do things like:
1) use a single button to power off/on all your devices... and have EG keep track of the power states in a variable?
2) Control other components over a serial connection or a network connection?

Infrared control of components is iffy, at best. I have a programmable remote, but if someone walks in front of a component while a macro is running, the component may not be in the state you expect it to be. Wired control of components is rock solid... it works every time. In my setup, the only IR receiver that needs to see the signal is the one on the PC. I have macros in IRSS to control everything, so the PC only needs to see a single button press to start the macro. Make sense?

I previously had a whole house system that used keypads in every room and remotes to control it. Yes, it is not as precise as something wired, but it is not life or death if someone walks in front of the remote and one component doesn't turn on. If you use RF, it avoids that scenario.

Limiting yourself to TVs and AVR that allow RS232 or TCPIP really limits your choices. This is just my opinion, but you are going through a lot of trouble for little benefit.

I am using a Monster Remote that allows you to either trigger via IR a device the remote is pointing at or 1 of 4 IR blasters via RF. It is made by Monster and basically is the same as the more advanced Harmony remotes. It works quite well. It is cheap ($70). It works with any equipment that uses IR (which is everything really). Since you control the triggering, I can even use 4 pieces of the same equipment and have it blast the correct IR to the correct unit.

I would say the biggest problem is if equipment doesn't have discrete IR codes for what you want to do. For example, some cheap receivers only have an on/off toggle. In my kind of setup, the state can get confused triggering it on when you really want it off. That is pretty rare though. There is a help button on the remote that fixes things (asks a series of questions and sends IR depending on your answer).

I am basically using event ghost to switch audio drivers for when I need surround sound or stereo sound. My soundcard (as do most) have different drivers for each. Basically, EventGhost is running an app when it sees a certain keypress on my remote. That is received my the media center via a USB receiver/blaster that also changes the channel on my 2 Directv boxes. I can see using Eventghost for other things in the future (like starting and controlling other apps on the media center).

If a piece of equipment breaks and needs replacing, it is pretty easy to reprogram the remote. It is done via an App on my PC.

[barnabas1969]

I use a similar remote, made by Acoustic Research, a.k.a. Audiovox (well, actually Universal Remote Inc). It has the same help button that displays after executing an activity, etc. I also have RF receivers with blasters, but I really don't want to stick a blaster on every component. I know Logitech Harmony has power state tracking, but I'm interested in more than that... not just "power" state, but input state, and other things. Plus, I don't want to be forced to give everyone who comes to my house (the baby sitter, family visitors, etc) a 15-minute training course on how to use my system. I want to tell them... Press the "power" button, then choose what to do from the menu on the TV.

All of my current components have discrete on/off commands. However, I may add a basic cable box at some point to allow watching VOD content. None of the cable boxes I've seen have discrete on/off commands. I'd like my PC to keep track of the power state of that box. Also, I may some day add a projector. The receiver I plan to buy has 4 HDMI inputs and 2 outputs. I'd like my PC to know which display I'm currently using... and to be able to have a single button to toggle between them.

I am currently using specific buttons on my remote to start specific things... like the Netflix plugin, the Hulu Desktop app, Media Center Sleep Timer, and other things. These are all being done through software that intercepts the IR commands. I want to continue to do that. It's very handy to have a single button on the touch screen remote that takes users directly to the thing they want without navigating through the Media Center menu.

My eventual plan is to use my RF receiver, coupled to the MCE IR receiver (or maybe the USB-UIRT)... either electrically, or just pointing at it... hidden behind my components... maybe even in a box together. Then, when IR commands are received from the RF receiver/blaster, the PC can send commands via RS-232, TCP/IP, or HDMI-CEC to all the other components. This setup will work with no blasters stuck to my TV and other components... even if the remote is obstructed by a pillow or a person. In this configuration, the TV doesn't even need to be able to "see" the remote. I can control it over a wired connection.

My little device that translates RS-232 commands to Sony's proprietary communication protocol allows bi-directional communication with my AVR. I can query the power state, and ask the receiver what input is currently selected. However, this requires me to script all the communication. Also, I don't think my TV allows queries via RS-232. I don't see any commands in the documentation that I've found online to allow me to ask the TV, "Are you on or off?" or... "What is the currently-selected input?"

The HDMI-CEC device, on the other hand, allows me to ask devices about states and other settings. And, more importantly, the EG plugin for the HDMI-CEC device has all this stuff pre-configured for me. I don't need to script anything. This would allow me to make my system truly integrated. "Smart", for lack of a better word.

My vision is to make the PC the central point of control, with logic designed to handle every situation. My TV has many apps built in for internet video and other things. I want my PC to "know" when I'm using them, and to select the appropriate input, sound field, decoding modes, etc on the AVR.

Basically, I see the software on the PC as a means to make the whole system behave as a single piece of hardware. My TV has both RS-232 control and HDMI-CEC. The AVR that I've been looking at has RS-232, HDMI-CEC, and TCP/IP control. Most projectors I'm interested in have RS-232... some have HDMI-CEC. Many HDMI switches also support HDMI-CEC... this would allow me to exceed the 4-input limitation of most AVR's without any extra cables to control the switch.

I see lots of possibilities for this type of setup. I guess I'm unique in that way. I have lots of imagination for automating tasks. That's why I excel at my profession. I'm interested in the Ceton Echo for several reasons... two of which are HDMI-CEC control, and TCP/IP control. I have my media center PC setup to disconnect my kids' extenders at scheduled times of the night, depending on the day of week... but this doesn't power-off the extenders. The Echo may give me that ability via TCP/IP control. And, if the HDMI-CEC works the way I hope it will, the Echo will power off the TV when I send the TCP/IP command to power-off.

Am I crazy?

[michaeljc70]

I use a similar remote, made by Acoustic Research, a.k.a. Audiovox (well, actually Universal Remote Inc). It has the same help button that displays after executing an activity, etc. I also have RF receivers with blasters, but I really don't want to stick a blaster on every component. I know Logitech Harmony has power state tracking, but I'm interested in more than that... not just "power" state, but input state, and other things. Plus, I don't want to be forced to give everyone who comes to my house (the baby sitter, family visitors, etc) a 15-minute training course on how to use my system. I want to tell them... Press the "power" button, then choose what to do from the menu on the TV.

All of my current components have discrete on/off commands. However, I may add a basic cable box at some point to allow watching VOD content. None of the cable boxes I've seen have discrete on/off commands. I'd like my PC to keep track of the power state of that box. Also, I may some day add a projector. The receiver I plan to buy has 4 HDMI inputs and 2 outputs. I'd like my PC to know which display I'm currently using... and to be able to have a single button to toggle between them.

I am currently using specific buttons on my remote to start specific things... like the Netflix plugin, the Hulu Desktop app, Media Center Sleep Timer, and other things. These are all being done through software that intercepts the IR commands. I want to continue to do that. It's very handy to have a single button on the touch screen remote that takes users directly to the thing they want without navigating through the Media Center menu.

My eventual plan is to use my RF receiver, coupled to the MCE IR receiver (or maybe the USB-UIRT)... either electrically, or just pointing at it... hidden behind my components... maybe even in a box together. Then, when IR commands are received from the RF receiver/blaster, the PC can send commands via RS-232, TCP/IP, or HDMI-CEC to all the other components. This setup will work with no blasters stuck to my TV and other components... even if the remote is obstructed by a pillow or a person. In this configuration, the TV doesn't even need to be able to "see" the remote. I can control it over a wired connection.

My little device that translates RS-232 commands to Sony's proprietary communication protocol allows bi-directional communication with my AVR. I can query the power state, and ask the receiver what input is currently selected. However, this requires me to script all the communication. Also, I don't think my TV allows queries via RS-232. I don't see any commands in the documentation that I've found online to allow me to ask the TV, "Are you on or off?" or... "What is the currently-selected input?"

The HDMI-CEC device, on the other hand, allows me to ask devices about states and other settings. And, more importantly, the EG plugin for the HDMI-CEC device has all this stuff pre-configured for me. I don't need to script anything. This would allow me to make my system truly integrated. "Smart", for lack of a better word.

My vision is to make the PC the central point of control, with logic designed to handle every situation. My TV has many apps built in for internet video and other things. I want my PC to "know" when I'm using them, and to select the appropriate input, sound field, decoding modes, etc on the AVR.

Basically, I see the software on the PC as a means to make the whole system behave as a single piece of hardware. My TV has both RS-232 control and HDMI-CEC. The AVR that I've been looking at has RS-232, HDMI-CEC, and TCP/IP control. Most projectors I'm interested in have RS-232... some have HDMI-CEC. Many HDMI switches also support HDMI-CEC... this would allow me to exceed the 4-input limitation of most AVR's without any extra cables to control the switch.

I see lots of possibilities for this type of setup. I guess I'm unique in that way. I have lots of imagination for automating tasks. That's why I excel at my profession. I'm interested in the Ceton Echo for several reasons... two of which are HDMI-CEC control, and TCP/IP control. I have my media center PC setup to disconnect my kids' extenders at scheduled times of the night, depending on the day of week... but this doesn't power-off the extenders. The Echo may give me that ability via TCP/IP control. And, if the HDMI-CEC works the way I hope it will, the Echo will power off the TV when I send the TCP/IP command to power-off.

Am I crazy?

You're at least eccentric

I see the advantages, and if you think they are worth it, then that is all that matters.

A few points though:

-Why would you need to know the current input? All of my AVR and tvs allow you to specifically select the input via IR. Some don't have it on the remote (you have to cycle), but the Harmony software has the codes.

-Serial (RS232) is really old technology. In the future there are going to be less and less products supporting it. The HDMI method you are talking about, I don't know how widely supported that is for getting state. If you have to replace 1 piece of equipment, seems like a lot of limitations and trouble.

-I have a whole house system that had a 12 channel amp (6 stereo amps), 2 surround sound receivers, a switching matrix (a/v), keypads, remotes, 32 speakers, etc. To make a change was a nightmare. There were hundreds of wires in the media closet. If 1 wire came out, I was afraid it would take me a week to figure out where it went. I got rid of the matrix switch, keypads, and any other equipment I could to simplify the system. Now I have 3 identical remotes that control everything. It may not be as robust, but it is easier to maintain.

-I am a programmer and into gadgets, automation, etc, but I have so many projects I can work on, I don't want to invest an inordinate amount of time into something that could be simple.

I use MC pretty much exclusively for my TVs. I don't watch any live TV. I record everything, put all my movies, dvds, music, etc on there. Just having that, we are leaps and bounds beyond the average homeowner that might have a shi*ty DVR from their cable company.

[STC]

Am I crazy?

Would you like that in writing?

[barnabas1969]

Why would I need to know the input? My current setup powers everything off when the PC goes to sleep. This is so that the Media Center Sleep timer will power off the AVR and the TV when my wife falls asleep on the couch (happens frequently). The problem is that when I'm using the TV's built-in functions, Media Center is idle... and Windows eventually goes to sleep, and turns off my TV and AVR. I could come up with a workaround to make IRSS handle this situation correctly... storing the state of the TV in a file or registry entry (because IRSS' variables don't work correctly). If I can't ask the TV, "hey, are you currently in 'Smart Hub' (Samsung's internet streaming/app center)?", then at least I can make an event that detects when I tell the TV to go to Smart Hub... and stores that in a variable so I can then trigger something that prevents sleep (lots of possibilities there).

Or... how about this... the AVR has built-in internet streaming capabilities (Pandora, Sirius, etc). If I'm playing internet audio (or some other non-PC source) to a 2nd room when the PC goes to sleep, I don't want the PC to tell the AVR to power off.

I'm hoping that EG's global variables will help me solve the problem of state tracking. IRSS should have worked, but their variables get stored in a user-specified file... and it doesn't work as the documentation says it should. Nobody wants to fix it, because the guy who developed IRSS "retired" from the FOSS world. I've actually gone as far as to play around with writing my own code... and I could do it... but I'd rather find software that works without writing my own. I have other things to do with my time.

RS-232... it may be old, but all of the high-end stuff I've seen has it. Projectors, AVR's, TV's, etc. There are several high-end HT control systems that use RS-232 also. I'm just going cheap by using software instead of a dedicated piece of equipment for control. A PC can do all the stuff that a control system can do... so why not use it?

HDMI-CEC... there are a lot of variations in the way vendors support HDMI-CEC. At the very least, I can control input selection, power on/off, audio decoding, etc. If I can't query this info over HDMI-CEC, I can revert to storing states in variables as I mentioned above. At a minimum, HDMI-CEC reduces the number of wires.

Regarding your whole-home matrix switching system... sounds interesting. However, I don't have the need. The only thing I can think of for that would be to share sources, or to have whole-house audio... all rooms playing the same source. With media center and extenders, I have the whole-home DVR that I've always wanted. I have 2nd room/2nd source audio in my pool area. That's pretty much all I want.

Media Center is my ONLY source for TV in the main viewing area. The PC is my cable box, my BluRay player, my internet source, etc. I'm actually down to a TV, a PC, and two AVR's in the main viewing area (one AVR for 2nd room amplification). I have PlayOn/vmcPlayIt to watch internet sources in the other rooms over extenders, but I'm not completely satisfied with that... so I've put internet-connected BluRay players in each room in addition to the extenders. If the Ceton Echo will support Internet streaming (Netflix/Hulu)... and will support an external optical drive for DVD/BluRay playback... I can eliminate yet another box from those rooms.

This is unrelated to my original post, but I feel compelled to mention that the video quality from the PC is substantially better than the old cable-company DVR. All that extra processing power (quad-core CPU plus a fairly powerful GPU) really pay off.

[Diverge]

About a week ago I upgraded all my home theater gear. I hated all the media center remotes I've tried, and hated all the IR receivers I've tried as well. They always enter some funky state when waking from sleep or hibernation, and require me to reboot my PC or force them to re-enumerate on the USB controller. So I wanted to see how HDMI-CEC worked, so I specifically picked out all new gear that had it.

I picked up a Samsung UN55D8000 TV for a decent price, a refurbished Marantz NR1602 AVR for 2/3 retail price and an RCAware. So far I love HDMI-CEC! My new AVR died the first day updating the firmware, but with just the TV and the HTPC w/ RCAware everything is working great. I can use my TV's stock remote to control everything using the Event Ghost plugin that comes with the RCAware - I didn't even have to change one thing in it yet (hopefully when I get my AVR back this friday that continues to be true). All the buttons for media center were already mapped to my TV's remote, so using media center is really easy. When I turn off my TV, my HTPC automatically goes to sleep. When I turn on the TV it automatically wakes

My current system lacked a 3D GPU (i5 661 socket 1156 w/ Intel HD graphics - Non 2000/3000) and I had issues w/ black screens using a discrete GPU when coming out of sleep so it was a perfect excuse to update my system. So I ordered up a DH61AG, and a i3 2120T. The DH61AG has a header on it for HDMI-CEC. So I plan to internally connect my RCAware to my motherboard (taking it's CEC wire and running it to the CEC pin on the motherboards header, so it passes out the onboard HDMI w/o the addition of the extra HDMI cable that the RCAware was using). You could also do this to motherboards or videocards that don't have a CEC header. An example is here if anyone is interested http://valkyrietech.com/index.php/2010/10/hello-world/

I just made this yesterday, hacked up a old HDMI cable and soldered on one wire to the CEC pin.

I'll plug that into the RCAware, and then the other end to the CEC header of the DH61AG. I'll make one for the mini USB port of the RCAware, to an internal USB header.

[michaeljc70]

About a week ago I upgraded all my home theater gear. I hated all the media center remotes I've tried, and hated all the IR receivers I've tried as well. They always enter some funky state when waking from sleep or hibernation, and require me to reboot my PC or force them to re-enumerate on the USB controller. So I wanted to see how HDMI-CEC worked, so I specifically picked out all new gear that had it.

I picked up a Samsung UN55D8000 TV for a decent price, a refurbished Marantz NR1602 AVR for 2/3 retail price and an RCAware. So far I love HDMI-CEC! My new AVR died the first day updating the firmware, but with just the TV and the HTPC w/ RCAware everything is working great. I can use my TV's stock remote to control everything using the Event Ghost plugin that comes with the RCAware - I didn't even have to change one thing in it yet (hopefully when I get my AVR back this friday that continues to be true). All the buttons for media center were already mapped to my TV's remote, so using media center is really easy. When I turn off my TV, my HTPC automatically goes to sleep. When I turn on the TV it automatically wakes

My current system lacked a 3D GPU (i5 661 socket 1156 w/ Intel HD graphics - Non 2000/3000) and I had issues w/ black screens using a discrete GPU when coming out of sleep so it was a perfect excuse to update my system. So I ordered up a DH61AG, and a i3 2120T. The DH61AG has a header on it for HDMI-CEC. So I plan to internally connect my RCAware to my motherboard (taking it's CEC wire and running it to the CEC pin on the motherboards header, so it passes out the onboard HDMI w/o the addition of the extra HDMI cable that the RCAware was using). You could also do this to motherboards or videocards that don't have a CEC header. An example is here if anyone is interested http://valkyrietech.com/index.php/2010/10/hello-world/

I just made this yesterday, hacked up a old HDMI cable and soldered on one wire to the CEC pin.

I'll plug that into the RCAware, and then the other end to the CEC header of the DH61AG. I'll make one for the mini USB port of the RCAware, to an internal USB header.

You didn't like any media center remote but you are using your samsung tv remote to control everything? What button corresponds to the Green button? What button brings you to Music or Recorded Tv? I really don't see how this is better than a Harmony remote where the buttons can be labelled for what they really do.

[Diverge]

You didn't like any media center remote but you are using your samsung tv remote to control everything? What button corresponds to the Green button? What button brings you to Music or Recorded Tv? I really don't see how this is better than a Harmony remote where the buttons can be labelled for what they really do.

The green button is the Green Button. The blue one puts it in mouse mode, so then the arrows move a mouse cursor. CH LIST (channel list) button between channel and volume up/down is the guide.

The red button duplicates the record button, and the yellow button doesn't seem to do anything. I could remap those to Music or Recorded TV (probably RED) if I want - probably will. I am just using the default mapping from the event ghost plugin that came with RCAware.

I also have a harmony remote, and multiple different media center remotes. The harmony sucks because it doesn't know what states device are in, and there is lag between the macro's it runs. The media center remotes have IR issues when waking from sleep. When has your TV's IR bugged out? I haven't had a TV that has. No lag, no aiming at different devices. Just use the TV remote and forget the other device are even there

[michaeljc70]

You didn't like any media center remote but you are using your samsung tv remote to control everything? What button corresponds to the Green button? What button brings you to Music or Recorded Tv? I really don't see how this is better than a Harmony remote where the buttons can be labelled for what they really do.

The green button is the Green Button. The blue one puts it in mouse mode, so then the arrows move a mouse cursor. CH LIST (channel list) button between channel and volume up/down is the guide.

The red button duplicates the record button, and the yellow button doesn't seem to do anything. I could remap those to Music or Recorded TV (probably RED) if I want - probably will. I am just using the default mapping from the event ghost plugin that came with RCAware.

I also have a harmony remote, and multiple different media center remotes. The harmony sucks because it doesn't know what states device are in, and there is lag between the macro's it runs. The media center remotes have IR issues when waking from sleep. When has your TV's IR bugged out? I haven't had a TV that has. No lag, no aiming at different devices. Just use the TV remote and forget the other device are even there

I only see 2 FF/rewind buttons. Media center remotes have 4 buttons: 2 to change speed (ff/rew) and 2 to skip (back/forward) a predefined interval. I use the skip button all the time for commercials. I also programmed my remote to skip 2 and 3 minutes ahead to skip commercials. It looks like maybe that remote has a shift key for that? I find it handy to go directly to Music, Videos and Recorded TV which Harmony supports. How do you go back in Media Center? I assume the back button on the tv remote, but that precludes you for using it for the tv menus.

I know what you guys are saying about state. I just don't think it is that big of a problem. If you have an amp and tv and media center, it is not like it is that confusing. If you don't have sound, the amp is off or on the wrong input. If the TV is black, it is off.

I personally record at least 10 shows a day, so I don't bother to have the media center sleep. When I am home, I almost always have music or the tv on.

[Diverge]

I only see 2 FF/rewind buttons. Media center remotes have 4 buttons: 2 to change speed (ff/rew) and 2 to skip (back/forward) a predefined interval. I use the skip button all the time for commercials. I also programmed my remote to skip 2 and 3 minutes ahead to skip commercials. It looks like maybe that remote has a shift key for that? I find it handy to go directly to Music, Videos and Recorded TV which Harmony supports. How do you go back in Media Center? I assume the back button on the tv remote, but that precludes you for using it for the tv menus.

I know what you guys are saying about state. I just don't think it is that big of a problem. If you have an amp and tv and media center, it is not like it is that confusing. If you don't have sound, the amp is off or on the wrong input. If the TV is black, it is off.

I personally record at least 10 shows a day, so I don't bother to have the media center sleep. When I am home, I almost always have music or the tv on.

To be honest I'm not sure about the fast forward/rewind buttons. I've only had it less then a week. I think default it's set to skip ahead (not sure the interval). I've always just used the skip function in the past, found it easier then using full fastforward/rewind. I haven't even poked to much into event ghost or the plugin yet (haven't had much time to set asside to fix it if I mess it all up ), but I'm sure I can make it do everything I want it to. That's one of the perks - it's not really limited by programming like a harmony.

If you're happy with what you use, then that's good. No reason to change. I've always hated my remotes. I frequently looked at those expensive "professional" remotes, hoping they might be the answer to my HTPC remote issues by having more control in a programming sence. But they almost never mention HTPC's. The HTPC remote selection is pretty dismal. The products out there are really garbage IMO. If I were Ceton, I would put some effort into the remotes on the Q and Echo's - unless I'm just the only crazy person that has issues with the remotes that currently out there. It's not so much the remotes, but the IR that drives me crazy. Nothing is more frustrating then waking up your HTPC and getting ghost enter presses, lagged presses, queued up presses cause the IR is in some funky state. Hitting 8 and seeing 888888888888888 across the screen. Makes me want to smash my remote

[barnabas1969]

I found the link for connecting the USB-HDMI bridge to a video card a long time ago. I'm leaning that way too... connect it inside my case... no cables to bother with.

I have exactly the same Samsung remote for my TV as Diverge. However, I don't have any problems with my MCE remote receiver (I have no sleep issues, my guess is that your BIOS or USB/wake settings are not setup correctly)... and I use a programmable remote (not a Harmony) that has touch screen, macros, activities, etc. I plan to stick with my existing remote (it also has a built-in RF transmitter... and I have two RF receivers for it).

My eventual plan is to use Eventghost with my existing remote. I may go for the USB-HDMI bridge with the EG plugin just to eliminate a couple more cables... and to take advantage of state tracking. You see, it appears that the TV and AVR will report every command they receive to the HDMI-CEC. So... if someone pushes a button on the TV... the PC will know it.

Plus... in addition to using the programmable remote, it appears that I could program it as Diverge has. The standard TV remote would work as another remote that could be used by people who are less familiar with Media Center.

I know what you guys are saying about state. I just don't think it is that big of a problem. If you have an amp and tv and media center, it is not like it is that confusing. If you don't have sound, the amp is off or on the wrong input. If the TV is black, it is off.

Yep, that makes perfect sense to ME, my wife, and my 12 & 16 year old kids. However, try explaining that to my babysitter, my 5-year old step-daughter, and just about everyone else who visits my house.

[michaeljc70]

I found the link for connecting the USB-HDMI bridge to a video card a long time ago. I'm leaning that way too... connect it inside my case... no cables to bother with.

I have exactly the same Samsung remote for my TV as Diverge. However, I don't have any problems with my MCE remote receiver (I have no sleep issues, my guess is that your BIOS or USB/wake settings are not setup correctly)... and I use a programmable remote (not a Harmony) that has touch screen, macros, activities, etc. I plan to stick with my existing remote (it also has a built-in RF transmitter... and I have two RF receivers for it).

My eventual plan is to use Eventghost with my existing remote. I may go for the USB-HDMI bridge with the EG plugin just to eliminate a couple more cables... and to take advantage of state tracking. You see, it appears that the TV and AVR will report every command they receive to the HDMI-CEC. So... if someone pushes a button on the TV... the PC will know it.

Plus... in addition to using the programmable remote, it appears that I could program it as Diverge has. The standard TV remote would work as another remote that could be used by people who are less familiar with Media Center.

I know what you guys are saying about state. I just don't think it is that big of a problem. If you have an amp and tv and media center, it is not like it is that confusing. If you don't have sound, the amp is off or on the wrong input. If the TV is black, it is off.

Yep, that makes perfect sense to ME, my wife, and my 12 & 16 year old kids. However, try explaining that to my babysitter, my 5-year old step-daughter, and just about everyone else who visits my house.

My equipment is in a closet 60 feet away from the tv, so I cannot even see the equipment (except the tv) and there is rarely a problem. However, I just tell people if there is a problem to press Off and then on again. That fixes things 99% of the time when there is a misfire or something.

I haven't used Event Ghost that much, but it seems very robust and I like the interface. It seems like regardless of your setup, EG is a good thing to have. I was able to set it up to change sound drivers with my remote in less than an hour the first time I used it. I tried another piece of software that was similar (can't remember the name) and it was much more complicated/convoluted to use.

[Diverge]

My MCE remotes issues definately have nothing to do with bios settings. I'm pretty experienced with computers.There are only a few settings in the bios that effect suspend states and USB standby voltage being enabled (which is needed for USB devices to wake a host from sleep).

My issues were intermittent. Happened on different hosts with different chipsets. With all different brand IRs. Its driver or hardware related cause if you force the device to reenumerate it stops bugging out. Happened with my IMON VFD IR which uses its own driver and crappy generic ones you can buy from newegg for like $20 that use windows built in HID drivers.

Anyway. HDMI-CEC rules!

[michaeljc70]

My MCE remotes issues definately have nothing to do with bios settings. I'm pretty experienced with computers.There are only a few settings in the bios that effect suspend states and USB standby voltage being enabled (which is needed for USB devices to wake a host from sleep).

My issues were intermittent. Happened on different hosts with different chipsets. With all different brand IRs. Its driver or hardware related cause if you force the device to reenumerate it stops bugging out. Happened with my IMON VFD IR which uses its own driver and crappy generic ones you can buy from newegg for like $20 that use windows built in HID drivers.

Anyway. HDMI-CEC rules!

For those that don't already have equipment, HDMI-CEC is not always supported the same way. Sony only allows communication amongst it's own products I hear. It is optional and not a mandatory part of the HDMI spec.