8910: Fun with extenders, part 1

[alex750]

Well, I finally took the plunge and installed the Extender 1.1 in my 8910B00 ("hat switch" menu keys), after dusting off my old 6800 and setting that up as a backup. I'm using IR 6.10 and RDF 1.22. Except for custom mode names (which are all 9-byte long hex KeyMoves), most extender protocols are implemented in IR's "Spcl Prot Fns" tab.

First, the good news:
(1) Auto clock set works (though for some reason it now displays a leading zero).
(2) Shift and XShift work just fine. I've got FAV working as Shift, and SET as XShift.
(3) ToadTog works, though it took some figuring out.
(4) Custom names work, mostly. I can't get them to work with the HT key though (it either displays the (standard) device name, e.g., "DVD 1574", or "THEA").

I decided not to mess with LDKP just yet, since (judging from the fora) it seems to be causing the most headaches. I'll leave it in place for now though.

HT mode is used solely for VPT functionality for the VCR and DVD, since these devices have their own functions on the VOL and MUTE keys as well.

The custom names are assigned to Shift-Phantom3 for all individual devices; in addition, there are two other custom names for HT and Shift-HT, assigned to DVD-XShift-Phantom3 and VCR-XShift-Phantom3 respectively. Here's how I had it set up in the macros:

For HT:
DEV_AUD
SET_VOL_KEYS
DEV_DVD
SET_CHAN_KEYS
SET_TRANS_KEYS
SET_PIP_KEYS
SET_MENU_KEYS
SET_OTHER_KEYS
XSHIFT_PHANTOM3
AllBind

For SHIFT-HT, substitute "DEV_VCR" for "DEV_DVD".

I tried moving the "XShift-Phantom3" after the "AllBind", and eliminating the "AllBind". Neither worked.

Except for the special device selection macros, I use global macros as I would in an unextended remote (assigned to the M1, M2, M3 keys, plus their shifted and Xshifted extensions). Macros nested within these are typically implemented as DSMs, placed on their corresponding device's Xshifted number keys.

A typical DSM might look like this, assigned to TV-XShift-0, to be invoked in a global "master power off" macro:

Exit (AV Status-Reset)
2 (Load THX settings for color, tint, etc.)
Xshift-Phantom1 (4 second delay)
Shift-Phantom1 (Discrete off)

Now for the bad news. First, DSMs, when invoked individually (as for debugging), cause the remote to lock up. Hitting its corresponding DEV key sometimes clears this up, though it may take several presses.

Second, because the macros run so fast, I'm having to use the delay function much more extensively (almost always after a power-on command, for example). Worse, the delays themselves are shortened as well: even using $FF results in less than a second's delay. And, to complicate things further, many of the delay commands are in DSMs to prevent buffer overflow.

I've read a recommendation to use the stand-alone delay protocol instead of the one packaged with the extender; I'll try that...

"How shall I answer? A man of my mind can do anything!"--Steely Dan

[alex750]

I think I just found one problem...clashing macros on Xshift-Phantom1.

[Nils_Ekberg]

From the bottom up:

1st, use the external standalone pause protocol if you need more delay.

2nd, all your other challenges may be because you are not on the current IR and RDF's. For ex. you should not see that AllBind anywhere.

3rd, check your DSM's close because they may be causing a loop and that it why you appear to be locking up.

[alex750]

Got the XShift-Phantoms disentangled, which solved the DSM lockup problem.

Installed the standalone delay from my old 8910 dump, which solved the delay problem. The TV still has timing issues though (which I'm guessing are its own fault, not the remote's).

2nd, all your other challenges may be because you are not on the current IR and RDF's. For ex. you should not see that AllBind anywhere.

I'll grab them. What was AllBind for, anyway?

Thanks for the info!

"It's like stapling jellyfish to the ceiling, except in this case, I feel like the jellyfish."--Me, on a bad night

[Nils_Ekberg]

What was AllBind for, anyway?

Thanks for the info!

AllBind is a parameter in the RDF for IR and RM to do something specific with the buttons that it is associated with. AllBind is one of many parameters but AllBind tells RM and IR not to allow any macros or keymoves to be assigned to the button. I had an error in an old RDF that made AllBind look like a button instead of a parm.

[alex750]

Got latest IR (6.15) and RDFs (1.23). No more AllBind, and ModeName now appears in "Spcl Prot Fns", where it belongs. 8)

Thanks for the heads-up on the new versions!

Did some timing tweaks, which ironed out the TV problems.

Put DVD-Xshift-Phantom3 (which should display "CINMA DGTL") back onto HT and VCR-Xshift-Phantom3 ("CINMA ANLG") back onto Shift-HT, where I originally had them.

And...they still don't work: instead, I get the old, un-custom device names for these. The custom names do work for all other device buttons, including DVD and VCR; AUX says "MAC MINI", which is where I keep the iTunes.

Looking back at my (old?) extender docs, I found this:

If you use the SET_LCD command on with logical device db-08, it will display "MySys" on the LCD regardless of the device type associated with it.

which may indicate a limitation of the extender itself. (I assume "MySys" is what the 15-2116--from which, I was told, this extender was ported--used instead of "THEA".)

I suppose if I used SET_LCD instead of XShift-Phantom3 (perhaps putting DVD/VCR-XShift-Phantom3 back into their corresponding DSMs), I would at least get "THEA", and maybe the custom device name.

"It's not a bug. It's a feature."--Steve Jobs

[Nils_Ekberg]

I think it will actually say THEA. The MySys wording was just a carry over in the documentation.

If you use the custom protocol it will display the wording from the keymove in whatever device you set in the macro such as DEV_CBL