I’m using my Vero 4k+ for some time, but as I didn’t have any problem I didn’t post on the support forum. Now I’m struggling with IR remote control.
I’m using the Vero’s builtin receiver with a universal remote (OneForAll Contour 4 / URC-1240), programmed to emulate WDTV Live Remote. It is working properly most of the time, but sometimes it slows down and lags a lot, so I have to press the same button 2-3 times to have the desired effect.
My question is: is there any way to debug what is going on between the remote and the receiver? Is there a detailed log (or can be turned on) showing what codes has been received?
Thank you in advance!
Best Regards,
TiceRex
EDIT: I’m using this remote for 3 other devices without any negative effect, so the problem must be in Vero somewhere…
You can turn debug logging in Kodi (settings>system>logging) and then look at the handlekey events in Kodi’s log (~/.kodi/temp/kodi.log) but if the signal is working after several attempts and inconsistently then I think that most likely your issue is physical in nature with the infrared signal. I would look when it happens to see if there is sunlight hitting the front of the Vero or perhaps something else reflecting or emitting infrared light where it may be making the signal received less optimal.
I assume you also have checked to make sure there is a clear line of sight. You could also try using the optional IR sensor that came with the Vero to see if that helps.
In order to rule out any physical issues I tested it in complete darkness and from about 3cm, both with the internal and the external IR receiver. I tried it by placing the Vero away from other IR receivers/emitters (TV, ampliflier, etc.). I also tested it with another remote (OneForAll Streamer / URC-7935).
Unfortunately the result is the same: some of the keystrokes are not received, those do not appear in the log either. Both remotes flash while transmitting, so I can tell if they send the commands.
I suspect two things: (1) some kind of performance issue, e.g. osmc is busy and not able to process incoming commands. Or (2) the lirc is broken, and cannot forward requests to osmc.
Is there any hardware level log of the lirc process, where I could see if the transfer reaches lirc?
Unfortunately it could happen any time, even if the Vero is completely idle, browsing remote (samba) folders.
Following BanditRider’s post (thank you!) I came up thinking it could be a kind of timing issue in the remote’s lirc config. I’ve found (at least) three different timing definitions for the very same WDTV Live remote.
osmc default:
header 9024 4456
one 600 1646
zero 600 524
ptrail 598
repeat 9028 2209
pre_data_bits 16
pre_data 0x219E
gap 107883
toggle_bit_mask 0x0
another one on JP1 remote’s forum:
header 8887 4273
one 624 1530
zero 624 434
ptrail 623
repeat 8884 2092
pre_data_bits 16
pre_data 0x219E
gap 104496
toggle_bit_mask 0x0
and another one on github:
header 8955 4524
one 530 1716
zero 530 592
ptrail 529
repeat 8954 2276
pre_data_bits 16
pre_data 0x219E
gap 107830
toggle_bit_mask 0x0
I tried all of them without significant improvement.
I know it’s not in the scope of osmc (as lirc is an operation system module), but could anybody help me to fine-tune these settings?
I’m quite familiar with JP1 universal remotes, so I know it’s a NEC1 protocol with device code 0x84 0x79 (132 121). What should be the exact timing in this case?
I asked for help on the JP1 remotes forum, and got the following (for WDTV Live remote) theoretical exact timing. It is a little bit better, but still not perfect.
header 9024 4512
one 564 1692
zero 564 564
ptrail 564
repeat 9024 2256
pre_data_bits 16
pre_data 0x219E
gap 108000
toggle_bit_mask 0x0
I’ve tested it with OFA Contour 4 (URC-1240) and OFA Streamer (URC-7935) remotes, both in WDTV Live remote mode. (EDIT: and with OFA URC-8350 and OFA URC-7950 - same result.)
I don’t have Xbox 360 remote, but I re-programmed the OFA Contour 4 to emulate Xbox 360 commands. The result is the same: several codes are not received by Vero.
One more thing:
It seems to me that the problem occurs during browsing, if there is a thumbnail for the folder or file.
There are lot of messages like this in debug log:
2022-03-17 16:17:23.825 T:2670 DEBUG <general>: LIRC: - NEW 6c 0 KEY_DOWN linux-input-layer (KEY_DOWN)
2022-03-17 16:17:23.840 T:2598 DEBUG <general>: HandleKey: 167 (0xa7, obc88) pressed, action is Down
2022-03-17 16:17:23.843 T:3436 DEBUG <general>: ffmpeg[0xb309fbe8X]: [image2] Custom AVIOContext makes no sense and will be ignored with AVFMT_NOFILE format.
2022-03-17 16:17:23.844 T:2598 DEBUG <general>: [Warning] CGUITextureManager::GetTexturePath: could not find texture 'noop'
2022-03-17 16:17:23.852 T:3437 DEBUG <general>: ffmpeg[0xb2ca7c88X]: [image2] Custom AVIOContext makes no sense and will be ignored with AVFMT_NOFILE format.
2022-03-17 16:17:23.858 T:2598 DEBUG <general>: [Warning] CGUITextureManager::GetTexturePath: could not find texture 'noop'
2022-03-17 16:17:23.864 T:3437 DEBUG <general>: ffmpeg[0xb2ca7c88X]: [swscaler] No accelerated colorspace conversion found from yuv420p to bgra.
2022-03-17 16:17:23.864 T:3436 DEBUG <general>: ffmpeg[0xb309fbe8X]: [swscaler] No accelerated colorspace conversion found from yuv420p to bgra.
In case there is no picture for the folder the next keystroke works normally, if there is a picture then (the error message above comes, and) the next keystroke is lost.
The Kodi wiki page shows a way to test the transmission, so I started irw. I found that usually the key codes come in pairs, probably these are button press/release pairs:
