15-2117 Extender 2 - Custom LCD Names Question

[sofakng]

I'm thinking about installing the extender2 on my 15-2117. I'm interested in creating Custom LCD Names but I have a question...

The CustomNames.txt file explains how to setup a custom lcd name. It says the first 5 characters are displayed on the top line and the last 4 characters are displayed on the bottom line.

Here are my questions:

1) If I use a custom lcd name, will it still show me the current time and setup code? (like the default remote does)

2) If I use a 5 character lcd name AND the time is on the top line, will it look OK or will everything be pushed together?

Thanks in advance.

[pgk]

The topline displays the time as well as the custom name and looks fine (I've got CABLE instead on CBL).

The device code doesn't get shown (Though you could include it as the second part of your custom name).

When you press a button the "real" device and code get shown whilst it is transmitting.

[sofakng]

Gotcha, thanks!

I have one more question regarding this extender... Since I'd like to have custom names for every physical device (CBL, SAT, TV, etc), I have to create key moves for each custom name, right? (same for LKPs...)

As a test, I created a keymove on db-09 (a logical device) info button. Finally, on my TV button macro I have: DEV_DB09; Info.

However when I press my TV button it doesn't execute that part of the macro...

Do I have to clutter up my physical devices with all these keymoves? (Custom Names, LKP, etc etc)

Do people normal just put them on xshift buttons so nobody presses them accidentily?

[pgk]

I've assigned all the stuff I want to do to xs keys, since I don't really even use shift let alone xs.

But from the extender readme

"Logical devices behave the same as the physical devices, with the following
exceptions:

- You can't put KeyMoves on logical devices. This is because there are
only 3 bits available to specify the device in a keymove and all of the
logical devices numbers take 4 bits.

...."

[sofakng]

Whats the point of them then. and where do I put the keymoves for all my LKP/Custom Names?

[Mark Pierson]

Assign the custom names to any unused button. That includes shifted and x-shifted versions, giving you a bunch to choose from.

[pgk]

For the custom names it makes sense if you've done something similar to the default setup.

e.g.
Macro on Phantom1 to execute the set commands you want for each and every device key.

Macro on each device to set the device, "call" Phantom1 and then do the the non standard stuff.

If you then want a custom device name for every device it's simple to pick a key (I use xs_discreteon) and setup a keymove on each device to set the device name. Then you simply add this key somewhere is the Phantom1 macro.
(Making sure you've removed the set_lcd from Phantom1 of course...)

So in my case I have something like:

Macros-
Phantom1 : SET_CHAN_KEYS;SET_MENU_KEYS;SET_PIP_KEYS;SET_OTHER_KEYS;xs_DisreteOn

TV: DEV_TV;Phantom1
VCR: DEV_VCR;Phantom1;SET_TRANS_KEYS
etc.


KeyMoves:

TV - xs_DiscreteOn - Set Custom Name for TV
VCR - xs_DiscreteOn - Set Custom Name for VCR

etc.

[sofakng]

Ok, that's what I thought...

What would anybody use the logical devices for? (other than assigning them to the MISC devices for LKP/Custom Names, etc)

Also, how do I use IR to assign defaults to the other and volume keysets?

Here's a quote from the extender 2 readme:

If you want full VPT (same VOL selection in all device selection macros) you
can save some macro memory by omitting all the SET_VOL_KEYS commands.
You can set the initial VOL device using IR. That remains as the VOL device
as long as no SET_VOL_KEYS commands specify a different VOL device.

[pgk]

You can assign the start devices in the right hand pane of the general tab, the ones marked for my system, since my system is just another device in the extender.

The logical device can be used as extra devices if you need more than 8 (9), just not with keymoves. Remeber you can create a custom device mapping keys to almost anything in a command set, use some of the multi-device protocols or the device combiner protocol and you can do some quite complex things without resorting to keymoves.

[sfhub]

What would anybody use the logical devices for? (other than assigning them to the MISC devices for LKP/Custom Names, etc)

I guess the implication is w/o keymoves a device is useless?

You don't necessarily need keymoves to make something useful. You
can create a device upgrade with all the mappings the way you want so
no keymoves are necessary.

There are many devices where this works fine, but if you want to do
more advanced stuff then those should go on the real devices rather
than logical.