Trouble learning dish codes

[ocgltd]

I've got an IRtrans LAN with the 56k external receiver added on. I'm trying to learn dish network codes (for vip211), but with poor results.

When I click learn timing, I can get 10 different timings depending on the buttons I press. Is that normal?

Next, when I learn a key, I get 30+ character strings learned, which change most times I click the button. However, if I watch the DEBUG/monitor window I see smaller fixed size strings like "S10001111111111110". When I put these into the .rem file THEN irtrans says that it detects the right keypressess!

1. Why so many timings?
2. Why can't I use the learn procedure to learn this remote?
3. Any down side to copying the shorted strings from the debug window into my rem files?
4. I've tried messing with some of the timings to improve performance (some keys just don't work right)...but this seems like a bad thing to do, even though I've improved performance a bit.

HELP!

Here's my latest rem file with manual tweaks:

Code: Select all

[REMOTE]
  [NAME]Satellite

[TIMING]
  [0][N]3[1]400 1704[2]400 2824[3]408 6184[RC]1[RP]0[FREQ]57
  [1][N]3[1]408 6184[2]400 1704[3]400 2824[RC]6[FL]60[FREQ]57[SB]
  [2][N]3[1]4008 4000[2]504 1000[3]504 2000[RC]4[FL]64[FREQ]57[SB][RS]
  [3][N]2[1]408 6184[2]400 2824[RC]4[FL]64[FREQ]57[SB]

[COMMANDS]
  [1][T]3[D]S11101111111111110
  [2][T]0[D]S11101011111111110
  [3][T]3[D]S11100111111111110
  [4][T]3[D]S11011111111111110
  [5][T]3[D]S11011011111111110
  [6][T]3[D]S11010111111111110
  [7][T]3[D]S11001111111111110
  [8][T]3[D]S11001011111111110
  [9][T]3[D]S11000111111111110
  [0][T]3[D]S10111011111111110
  [*][T]3[D]S01101011111111110
  [#][T]3[D]S01100111111111110
  [left][T]3[D]S10001111111111110
  [right][T]3[D]S10011111111111110
  [down][T]3[D]S10000111111111110
  [up][T]3[D]S10010111111111110
  [sel][T]3[D]S10111111111111110
  [cancel][T]0[D]S10110111111111110
  [guide][T]0[D]S10101111111111110
  [recall][T]0[D]S10010011111111110
  [info][T]0[D]S00000000000000000
  [pageup][T]0[D]S11000011111011110
  [pagedown][T]0[D]S11100011111011110
  [menu][T]0[D]S11010011111111110
  [r][T]0[D]S01000011111111110
  [itv][T]0[D]S00101111111011110

[IRTrans]

Hi,
some tips:

1. Some remote controls use different timings for every IR codes. That does not mean that there is a problem with the code.
2. If the code is not recognized again by the IRTrans it does not mean that these codes are not sent correctly.
Some remote controls use slightly different IR codes depending on how long you press the button.
You should be able to get the "short" codes shown in the detected IR codes window if you use a shorter IR timeout.
However, I suppose the longer codes might work better.
3. Copying the codes from the detected commands window might work - however there is no guarantee if you have the correct timing for those codes.
4. To send IR codes again it is in general better to use longer IR timeouts - even if the codes might not look that clean.
5. To make sure the codes are learned correctly you should use a Learning receiver.

To analyze that any more we would need to have the remote control.

IRTrans

[ocgltd]

This is frustrating...I watched a coworker learn is 56khz codes using a $25 USBIR kit and learned them perfectly in five minutes. I've spent over $250 for what I thought was the best equipment, and I've wasted days on this!

Even if I held a button a bit too long during learning, shouldn't it work when I playback that button? Doesn't make sense to me.

So to continue on I need to:
1. Increase the "IR Receive Timeout" from 90ms to what?
2. Should I change the "IR Receive Tolerance" from 96 us to anything different?
3. Ensure very short button presses

Please help me get this right...

[IRTrans]

Hi,
please try an IR timeout of 250ms.

I would not change the Receive tolerance.

You might try to learn the codes as "RAW Codes".

Are you sure your device does have a 56kHz receiver? - We only sell 56kHz device on special request. Our standard devices either have 38kHz receiver or a Universal learning receiver. Changing the receiver setting to 56kHz does not make a 56kHz device out of a 38kHz one!

IRTrans

[IRTrans]

I have just checked your previous postings.

You told us that you have an external 56kHz receiver - however according to our records we never sold an external 56Khz receiver at all.

Please check which type of receiver you are using.

IRTrans

[ocgltd]

I bought an IR Trans Net (ethernet), from you with the regular 38Khz receiver internal. At your recommendation I then purchased an external IR receiver (plugs into the irtrans on top) - looks like a short black cable with a bulge at the end. (This 56k IR receiver is the same price as an entire USBIR unit)

Here is the message where you told me what to purchase from you:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=730

[IRTrans]

Hi,
what you bought is not a 56 kHz receiver. It is an Universal lerning receiver that can learn all frequencies.
Of course it can also learn 56 kHz, however you did not configure it correctly:

Configuration for Ethernet V2.2 Device:
- Remove jumper inside the IRTrans next to the IR Receiver
- Plugin in External learning receiver
- Select "Codelearning receiver" in the IRTrans GUI Client Device mode dialog

Configuration for Ethernet V2.3 Device:
- Plugin in External learning receiver
- Select "Codelearning receiver [EXT]" in the IRTrans GUI Client Device mode dialog

That way it will work correctly.

The wrong configuration also explains why the codes where not learned correctly.

IRTrans

[ocgltd]

Actually I did exactly that the first time:

Plug in the external IR receiver
Disable the internal IR receiver from the web interface
Enable the external IR receiver from the web interface (set as universal)

So what steps should I try NOW ?

[IRTrans]

Hi,
please check the receiver settings using the GUI Client and post a screenshot.

The codes you have posted have not been learned using the Codelearning receiver. Codes learned with the Codelearning receiver have an extra mark "[FREQ-MEAS]".

Please make sure you have the latest SW for your device installed. Older server SW and GUI Client versions maybe do not support the learning receiver.
The CD that came with your device will work, too.

IRTrans

[ocgltd]

Ok I started over, installing the latest irtrans software and relearning. Here are the codes my remote learned (without changing timing on the irtrans settings page), but using the "code learning" receiver and enabling the external IR receiver only.

Code: Select all

[REMOTE]
  [NAME]sat3

[TIMING]
  [0][N]3[1]400 1704[2]400 2824[3]400 6176[RC]1[RP]0[FREQ]57[FREQ-MEAS]
  [1][N]2[1]408 6176[2]400 2816[RC]3[FL]64[FREQ]57[FREQ-MEAS][SB]
  [2][N]3[1]4000 3992[2]488 1000[3]512 1992[RC]3[FL]64[FREQ]57[FREQ-MEAS][SB][RS]
  [3][N]3[1]400 6176[2]400 1696[3]400 2816[RC]3[FL]60[FREQ]57[FREQ-MEAS][SB]

[COMMANDS]
  [1][T]0[D]2111011111111111121110111111111111211101111111111112111011111111111120
  [2][T]0[D]2111010111111111121110101111111111211101011111111112111010111111111120
  [3][T]0[D]21110011111111111211100111111111112111001111111111120
  [4][T]0[D]211011111111111112110111111111111121101111111111111211011111111111112110111111111111120
  [5][T]0[D]211011011111111112110110111111111121101101111111111211011011111111112110110111111111120
  [6][T]0[D]211010111111111112110101111111111121101011111111111211010111111111112110101111111111120
  [7][T]0[D]2110011111111111121100111111111111211001111111111112110011111111111120
  [8][T]0[D]21100101111111111211001011111111112110010111111111120
  [9][T]0[D]21100011111111111211000111111111112110001111111111120
  [0][T]0[D]2101110111111111121011101111111111210111011111111112101110111111111120
  [*][T]3[D]S01101011111111110
  [#][T]3[D]S01100111111111110
  [left][T]0[D]2100011111111111121000111111111111210001111111111112100011111111111120
  [right][T]0[D]2100111111111111121001111111111111210011111111111112100111111111111120
  [down][T]0[D]21000011111111111210000111111111112100001111111111120
  [up][T]0[D]21001011111111111210010111111111112100101111111111120
  [sel][T]0[D]2101111111111111121011111111111111210111111111111112101111111111111120
  [cancel][T]0[D]2101101111111111121011011111111111210110111111111112101101111111111120
  [info][T]1[D]S00000000000000000
  [recall][T]0[D]2100100111111111121001001111111111210010011111111112100100111111111120
  [guide][T]0[D]210101111111111112101011111111111121010111111111111210101111111111112101011111111111120
  [pageup][T]0[D]211000011111011112110000111110111121100001111101111211000011111011112110000111110111120
  [pagedown][T]0[D]211100011111011112111000111110111121110001111101111211100011111011112111000111110111120
  [r][T]3[D]S01000011111111110
  [itv][T]3[D]S00101111111011110
  [menu][T]0[D]2110100111111111121101001111111111211010011111111112110100111111111120

I'm not sure if this is a new bug in your software, but after learning the timing I was never able to learn a code using "normal learn", I always had to "learn with timing" (the normal learn setting disabled the learn button, even thought I had already learned 4 timings).

Next, I reloaded the database from the irtrans system tray, but when I clicked any remote button the "Detect IR Commands" window only showed lines like:

Code: Select all

12:42:00 : S10000111111111110
12:42:01 : S10001111111111110
12:42:01 : S10011111111111110
12:42:02 : S10010111111111110
12:42:02 : S10010111111111110
12:42:02 : S10111111111111110
12:42:03 : S10111111111111110
12:42:03 : S10000111111111110
12:42:04 : S10000111111111110

It never showed any of the key names I just learned. I ensured that I clicked buttons quickly (as I normally do), yet the codes above don't look like any remote I've ever learned.

Help...what next?