Infrared remote control problems

I’ve been using the RF remote for a long time. Now I would like to experiment with infrared remotes (because I don’t want to have two remotes - one RF for Vero 4k, second one for TV). My LG plasma TV is not working properly with CEC, so HDMI-CEC is not a solution for me.

I’ve made some experiments with the infrared remote.

First issue - my IR extender cable is not working (where attaching to the 3.5mm hole nearest to the corner) the Vero stops respond to IR at all. So I continued with experiments only with internal IR receiver.

Second issue - I’ve tried to learn the Vero from my remote control - using irrecord command. I’ve tried several remote controllers (Samsung, LG, some no-name, Sony receiver, Pioneer DVD) - without success to create usable lirc.conf file. The irrecord is responsing at the first phase (writing “dots” when pressing buttons) but when I try to learn particular key, it ususally writes errors - weird codes etc.

Then I tried to find a ‘ready-made’ lirc.conf file made exactly for my RC (succeded with some old Philips and Samsung remote controller). When selecting it, it started to respond BUT:

Third problem - sometimes the button presses are producing repeat codes - for example for KEY_UP and KEY_DOWN it sometimes reacts properly, sometimes it moves a cursor more times. Is there any option what can be adjusted to be less “sensitive” for repeats?

Please could you provide any advice? I’ve tried almost everything…

Thank you.

Have you hidden the box behind something? Otherwise they will cancel each other out.

This can be adjusted in the eventlircd systemd service (there are repeat filter settings).

Sam

Yes, behind the TV, and I also tried to paste a tape over the LED on the Vero box but the extender didn’t work.

Where can I find the configuration? somewhere in /etc/eventlircd.d or elsewhere?

Thank you

If memory serves, /lib/systemd/system/eventlircd.service.
I can send you a new receiver if you’d like.

Note that IR is going to give a more sluggish experience than RF (OSMC remote) or CEC. There’s not much we can really do about that.

My eventlircd.service contains following:
ExecStart = /usr/sbin/eventlircd --evmap=/etc/eventlircd.d --socket=/var/run/lirc/lircd -f

eventlircd --help says that filtering is enabled by default:
-R --repeat-filter enable repeat filtering (default is ‘true’)

So, could I add the --repeat-filter option there? Or any other option (some time-delays or similar?)

If it is possible, new IR receiver/extender would be fine (is there any possibility how to check if it is really broken?)

Thank you

Please start a support request so we can send a new receiver

Hijacking this thread here. I have been using an IR universal (Harmony One) remote since the Vero 4K came, all in all with no problem. It’s simulating a keyboard, I believe, but have to double check now. Suddenly – problems. Repeat keys (like hundreds) and then total non-responsiveness. It’s definitely the Harmony remote with Kodi. Sybu Kodi for iOS controls Kodi fine with the web interface. The Harmony is working fine with other devices (cable X1 box, Apple TV).

I believe something must have been introduced with a recent update. Any ideas?

We haven’t changed anything remote wise since around July.

hmm, thanks for reply. But I don’t know. In the My OSMC remote section, it is difficult to tell what’s selected. If I exit that section and return, it always is displaying the first entry, an Apple Remote. If I select the “proper one” – which it turns out is a Philipps SRM5100 – it shows the two buttons (revert and confirm or similar) but I can’t select either (left / right / select don’t work). just wait until time out.

Try selecting it using the OSMC remote

Thanks. Good idea, and that “worked” to confirm. But when I come back to it after exiting, again the first entry is selected “Apple-SIlver…”. Is that to be expected? How do I know the setting “stuck”?

In other news, I found that my keyboard.xml file was corrupted. (Could that happen by force rebooting? If so, why would it be writing to that file anyway?) Had the first 311 bytes of what shoulda been a 1.5kb file according to my last backup. So I’m about to test that, but it depends I imagine on having the right remote profile selected. (see above)

Is this keyboard.xml file stored in ~/.kodi/userdata/keymaps/ or did you edit the one in the /usr folder?

The ~ userdata one.

That is a bit odd. I have not seen one get corrupted personally but Kodi can throw a fit if you manually edit one and make a syntax mistake.

As far as knowing if the setting is “stuck” in My OSMC lirc if you scroll down the list you should see your current activated selection in bold. It should be pretty obvious. I just tried it on my RPi and it survived a reboot without issue.

When selecting the “proper” remote in MyOSMC remote section, have you noticed that there may be an “OK” or “Apply” button in the bottom right corner?

Update: continues to be strange problem, though possibly resolved itself after fixing corrupted keyboard.xml file. The proper remote profile is selected and persists across reboots in myOSMC. (Although I still think it’s not obvious – it is in bold white but when you enter the Remote setup, the first profile is selected in a more pronounced dark yellow.)

However, after fixing corrupt file and rebooting, problem persisted initially. In addition to jumping about and losing control, there seemed to have been some elements that were no random, for example when navigating Videos along a path I’d last played a video in, it selected all the way down the hierarchy and played the last video, by itself. That happened at least twice!

Then, I turned on debug logging, and rebooted. Could NOT replicate. Turned off debug logging and rebooted. Again, could not replicate. Fixed?? Very strange huh?

If this persists you can add the following to advancedsettings.xml

<loglevel hide="true">1</loglevel>

This will make debug logging persistent without the annoying screen overlay. When you see the behavior happen again you can upload your logs again so we can see exactly what commands were being received.

Please note that this setting is something you will want to remove once your done testing as it needlessly increases writes under normal use. There is also a limit to the size of logs that can be uploaded so you may want to reboot twice at the start of your viewing sessions just to keep the size of the log down.

edit: FWIW, did not resolve this problem, but bypassed it, by switching from IR to bluetooth control! Hopefully that will work without repeated bluetooth disconnects.

For the record:

This key repeat problem has returned. Again, repeated keys, jumping around in menus or playback. Apparently with select key (Key=11). When navigating files, get an endless loop of select and back, or drill down to last played file. When playing, loop of pause/play.

I just replaced my old Harmony One+ with a new Harmony Elite. Using the same remote profile. Harmony emmulating same remote (Philips SRM-5100) with rc6-mce.lircd profile. Now using the harmony hub (positioned close but not adjacent to Vero) for IR transmission.

Rebooting a few times (with and without debug logging on, which “resolved” it before) has not helped. I disconnected the IR extender, which has not fixed it either. (Vero works fine without it – when using the hub – other than this problem.)

I also changed the “command repeat” on the harmony for this “SRM-5100” device from 3 to 0, same results.

There are other similar threads here but I don’t see any known solution other than swapping the hardware. I don’t know what FLIRC software is. I tried using XBox 360 remote & corresponding profile (mentioned in second link), with same results (repeats)… There seems to be a “solution” in the 3rd link, but I’m not sure if that was already meant to be implemented since last April or not?

This was solved in the April update. Is your system up to date?